Category: Member News

House Passes 2026 Farm Bill with Rural Health Provisions

Member News, Rural Health Updates

The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 7567, the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026, on April 30, which includes several provisions supporting rural healthcare infrastructure, broadband expansion and behavioral health services. The legislation includes six provisions championed by the National Rural Health Association (NRHA), several of which directly affect rural hospital operations, financial sustainability and patient care. All programs would be reauthorized through fiscal year 2031, a meaningful commitment to rural health infrastructure.

Key Provisions for Rural Hospitals

Technical Assistance for Rural Providers

The legislation codifies and expands the existing U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Health Care Facility Technical Assistance Program, which supports rural facilities in preventing closures, strengthening essential services and improving financial sustainability. Eligible facilities would include critical access hospitals, rural emergency hospitals, rural health clinics, community health centers, home health agencies and psychiatric hospitals.

This change ensures more Michigan rural providers can access support before reaching a crisis point. The program is authorized at $2 million annually for fiscal years 2026-2030. The bill also expands the use of the Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program to help rural hospitals access capital funding.

Broadband and Telehealth Expansion

The legislation includes several broadband and telehealth investments aimed at improving connectivity in rural communities.

The ReConnect Program would transition into a new ReConnect Rural Broadband Program authorized at $350 million annually for five years, with minimum eligibility speeds raised to 50/25 Mbps. The program prioritizes underserved rural communities.

The Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Program would be reauthorized at $82 million annually to support telehealth infrastructure and equipment for rural hospitals and health systems. The Community Connect Grant Program would also be reauthorized at $50 million annually to support the construction of broadband networks in unserved communities.

Rural Behavioral Health Services

The bill extends the existing 20% set-aside in the DLT Program and prioritizes substance use disorder projects in the Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program. The legislation also expands eligibility to include mental health, behavioral health and maternal health treatment services.

According to NRHA, the provisions would help rural hospitals strengthen behavioral health services and expand access to care in underserved communities.

The legislation also includes broader rural health-related provisions supporting agricultural workforce development, rural food security programs and farmer mental health initiatives through reauthorization of the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network.

Next Steps

The Senate Agriculture Committee has not yet released its version of the Farm Bill, though the committee leadership has indicated legislative text is expected in the coming weeks. Differences between the House and Senate versions will need to be reconciled before final passage.

The NRHA is urging rural hospitals and health advocates to contact members of Congress and press the Senate to act. MHA rural members are encouraged to engage through the NRHA’s Farm Bill Advocacy Campaign.

Members with questions may contact Caroline Stoner at the MHA Center of Rural Excellence.

CEO Report — No One Knows Healthcare Better than Hospitals

Member News, MHA Rounds
MHA Rounds image of Brian Peters

“The price of greatness is responsibility.” — Winston Churchill.

Skyrocketing healthcare costs are impacting families and communities across the state. No one is more committed to addressing this problem than those providing care around the clock.MHA Rounds image of Brian Peters

Despite being on the frontlines, hospitals are under fire. What’s worse is that conversations around healthcare affordability often involve those who don’t understand how policy decisions will play out in practice. When legislators listen to hospital voices, they gain firsthand insight on the needs of Michigan communities while better understanding the barriers that providers face.

Addressing healthcare affordability starts with taking a closer look at the largest cost drivers, many of which are beyond hospitals’ control. While they are often blamed, hospitals do not manufacture or determine drug prices. Similarly, reimbursement rates are ultimately determined by public and private insurers. Although the figures are often taken out of context, hospitals only collect a fraction of what is listed on publicly posted pricing files.

At the end of the day, nobody sees the impact of rising costs quite like hospitals do. Their teams deliver care 24/7 to anyone who walks through their doors, regardless of their ability to pay. They do this while facing acute workforce shortages, rising labor costs, mounting regulatory pressures, cybersecurity threats and more.

Our MHA affordability webpage does a great job outlining cost drivers, visualizing hospital spending and proposing meaningful solutions.

In order to keep putting communities first, hospitals need our state and federal leaders to confront the external pressures dictating how much cost they can realistically absorb. We applaud Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks and Sen. Hertel for bringing forth legislation last month focused on expanding coverage options, strengthening continuity of care and addressing costs drivers. Passing this bill package would be an important step toward lowering costs, but it must be part of an ongoing commitment from our lawmakers to collaborate with hospitals on strategies that keep patients at the center of every solution.

During National Hospital Week, we’re asking lawmakers who are serious about addressing healthcare affordability to give local hospitals a seat at the table to help inform decisions, identify solutions and avoid outcomes that ultimately harm Michigan patients and communities.

As always, I welcome your thoughts.

Bridge Highlights Challenges in Rural Medical Transport

Member News, Rural Health Updates

Bridge Michigan published a story May 7 detailing how federal funding cuts to Medicaid will further exacerbate rural hospitals’ capacity to treat and transport patients requiring more specialized care.

Lauren LaPineLauren LaPine-Ray, DrPH, MPH, vice president, policy & rural health, MHA, and executive director, MHA Center of Rural Excellence, is featured throughout the story highlighting existing barriers with medical transport and warning how Medicaid cuts could further limit local services, increasing the need to transfer more patients to higher-acuity facilities.

In the article, LaPine-Ray outlines how lawmakers can reduce strain on hospitals and EMS providers:

  • Create a new license type specifically for transporting psychiatric patients, freeing ambulances for other needs. Two bills pending in the state Senate would do so.
  • Review regulations surrounding ambulance services — both ground and air — to cut red tape.
  • Invest in paramedic and emergency medical technician training and recruitment to help reduce the shortages straining the system.

Members with questions regarding media requests should contact Elise Gonzales at the MHA.

Hospitals Help Us. Here’s How We Can Help Them.

Hospitals Help, Member News

Hospitals show up for Michigan communities around the clock to provide care, support families and strengthen the places we call home. In honor of National Hospital Week, MHA teams asked members across the state to reflect on how others — whether it be policy leaders or the general public — can show up for them. Here’s what they said:

“National Hospital Week is a reminder that hospitals in communities across Michigan are here 24/7 for every neighbor — and we can keep that promise when healthcare affordability initiatives strengthen care, not weaken it. Communities and policymakers can make a real difference by stabilizing essential services, reducing administrative burdens like prior authorization, and helping to invest in the healthcare workforce. Affordability won’t come from weakening the healthcare delivery system — it will come from collaborating across sectors to strengthen it.” — Bill Manns, CEO, Bronson Healthcare

“The Save America’s Rural Hospitals Act is essential to protecting access to care for communities served by hospitals like Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital. By strengthening Medicare reimbursement, eliminating harmful sequestration cuts, and supporting rural EMS and telehealth, the bill directly addresses the financial pressures that threaten rural providers. These provisions help ensure patients can receive timely, high-quality care close to home without the burden of traveling long distances. Supporting this legislation is critical to preserving rural healthcare access, sustaining local economies and maintaining the health of our communities.” — Robert Mach, CEO, Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital

“McLaren Health Care and our subsidiary hospitals have been the grateful recipients of support from many different sources, ever appreciative for all of it. This includes lawmakers supporting a hospital’s ability to expand its care and provide for its patients by allocating funds to assist in expanding care facilities and services. Local businesses have offered incredible support during fundraising and sponsorship opportunities to help the hospital further root itself in the community, specifically their support for mobile outreach clinics. And it has been the community members themselves who generously sharing their time, if by volunteering at the hospital or bringing in trained and certified therapy dogs for the benefit of patients and staff.” — McLaren Health Care

“Throughout healthcare week, we are reminded that the strength of the hospital is directly tied to the support of the communities we serve. Our hospital is more than a place for care, it is a lifeline. Community support, whether through advocacy, volunteering or simply choosing local care, helps ensure that high quality services remain close to home. When we invest in our hospital, we invest in the health, stability and future of our community” — Karen Cheeseman, CEO, Mackinac Straits Health System

“On behalf of rural hospitals, Hillsdale Hospital would ask our policymakers to listen to their local healthcare organizations and providers about what resources and funding are most needed for hospitals across Michigan to remain open. We would ask for open dialogue between healthcare leaders, legislators and the general public so that everyone gets a seat at the table. Most importantly, we would ask that our patients have a voice when decisions are being made that have significant downstream effects on those our hospitals serve every single day.” — Jeremiah J. Hodshire, President & Chief Executive Officer, Hillsdale Hospital

“As the only Level II Trauma Center and Level III NICU serving the Upper Peninsula, access, workforce and sustainable funding are critical to our ability to care for a highly complex and geographically dispersed population. Continued support through stable reimbursement, investment in rural workforce development, and policies that improve care coordination and reduce administrative burden would have the greatest impact. Strengthening partnerships across communities and expanding access to services closer to home will help ensure patients receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place.” — Tonya Darner, Market CEO, UP Health System Marquette & Bell

“Our nurses, physicians and all our team members show up for our patients in their most vulnerable moments, offering not just care, but comfort, dignity and hope. Support for Corewell Health comes from recognizing our work as profoundly human, cherishing the lives and stories behind every patient.” — Corewell Health

Those with questions or content ideas for the Hospitals Help series may contact Lucy Ciaramitaro at the MHA.

Registration for MHA Annual Membership Meeting Closes May 22

Member News

MHA Annual Meeting logo

Registration for the MHA Annual Membership Meeting June 24-26 at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island closes May 22.

The event is an opportunity to learn, network and celebrate the accomplishments of the program year. Plenary sessions feature healthcare experts who will discuss building a commitment to a transparent and simpler care delivery system; the affordability crisis and ways policy, capital and technology can be deployed to redesign healthcare access and funding; the importance of helping behavioral health patients overcome trauma and stigma; and how to shift attention from problems to possibilities. Several networking opportunities provide time for members to reconnect in the most beautiful location on Mackinac Island.

The MHA Annual Membership Meeting also includes the popular lawn party with games and entertainment, the ice cream social and many more relationship-building opportunities.

Members with questions may contact the MHA or call (517) 323-3443.

Protect MI Care Coalition Toolkit Available to Hospitals

Member News

The Protect MI Care coalition recently shared a toolkit of resources to help coalition partners make their voices heard in support of maintaining state funding for the Michigan Medicaid program.

MHA members are encouraged to use and customize the resources to help provide consistent messaging to Medicaid beneficiaries and to communicate the value of the Michigan Medicaid program.

Included in the toolkit are ready-to-use talking points and social media posts on protecting Medicaid coverage, access and affordability. In addition, there are tools to help the coalition collect and share real stories from Michiganders.

This work also supports the MHA’s on-going state budget advocacy with the Michigan Legislature. The MHA has been a coalition partner since the group’s inception last year.

Members with questions about Protect MI Care may contact the MHA advocacy team.

MHA Monday Report May 4, 2026

Member News, Monday Report

Senate Approves Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Budget, Organ Donor Tax Credit Legislation Advances

Several healthcare-related measures, including the full Senate budget and legislation on tax credits for organ donation, saw action during the week of April 27. The Senate advanced its full budget proposal under Senate Bill …

CMS Releases FY 2027 LTCH Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a proposed rule to update the Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) long-term care hospital (LTCH) prospective payment system (IPPS) for fiscal year (FY) 2027. Highlights of the proposed rule …

Senate Introduces Legislation on Behavioral Health Transport Vehicles

Michigan’s behavioral health system has long faced a critical transportation gap — and the MHA is supporting efforts to close it. Last week, the legislature introduced two bills that represent a significant step forward for patients in crisis and the hospitals …

Fact Check: Drug Pricing Savings Are the Lifeline to Community Healthcare Services

Recent headlines have taken aim at the 340B Program – a federal drug savings initiative that serves as a lifeline to important community healthcare services. As a long-time cardiothoracic surgeon …

 

MDHHS Gun Lock Distribution Map Expands Access to Safe Storage

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) launched a new interactive Gun Lock Distribution Map to help residents locate free firearm safety devices and connect community partners with safe storage resources. The tool identifies more …

UnitedHealth to Expand Rural Payment Pilot Program

UnitedHealthcare Group announced changes to eliminate prior authorization barriers and accelerate payments for rural hospitals nationwide to improve access to care and lower costs. In January 2026, UnitedHealthcare implemented the Rural Payment Acceleration …

Rural Hospital Leaders Appointed to MHA Center of Rural Excellence Board of Trustees

Seven rural Michigan hospital leaders were recently appointed as inaugural board members to the newly established MHA Center of Rural Excellence by the Michigan Health & Hospital Association (MHA) Board of Trustees. These members are responsible for …

Hospitals Help: Mary Free Bed Partnership Addresses Nursing Shortage, Offers Tuition Assistance

Every hour of every day, nurses provide care Michiganders can count on. As staffing shortages continue to impact various sectors of healthcare, Michigan hospitals are focused on creative solutions to …

 

Webinar Recap: Michigan 211 Community Materials Now Available

A recent webinar hosted by the MHA explored regional trends and emerging community needs across Michigan using statewide 2‑1‑1 call data. The event explored insights on call volume, caller demographics and service requests that reflect evolving pressures on individuals …

MHA Keystone Center PSO Dashboard: Turning Safety Data into Action

The MHA Keystone Center Patient Safety Organization (PSO) Dashboard in KeyMetrics provides member hospitals with secure access to harm reporting data sourced from Press Ganey’s NextPlane platform. Designed to support patient safety improvement …

News to KnowNew to Know

The MHA membership will convene in person for the MHA Annual Membership Meeting June 24–26.

Keckley Report

Why Those Outside Healthcare Control its Future

“I study the future of the U.S. health system. The framework I use is based on monitoring trends, lag and lead indicators in five zones of unique relevance in the health industry at home and abroad.

Based on 30 years-plus years of applying this framework to my industry surveillance process, it’s clear that traditional lag indictors like enrollment, utilization, spending, workforce supply-demand et al are less useful in predicting its future. Instead, indicators from outside healthcare seem more aligned to its future than indicators from within.

Objectively, the reality is this: the players outside healthcare including Big Tech, Big Banks and Big Employers are forcing changes faster than healthcare insiders are comfortable and the health system’s future is uncertain as a result.”

Paul Keckley, April 26, 2026

MHA in the News

The MHA received media coverage the week of April 27 covering behavioral health and 340B. Common Ground published a story April 28 detailing Michigan’s behavioral health landscape. Lauren LaPine-Ray, DrPH, MPH, vice president, policy & …

Senate Approves Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Budget, Organ Donor Tax Credit Legislation Advances

Member News

Several healthcare-related measures, including the full Senate budget and legislation on tax credits for organ donation, saw action during the week of April 27. 

The Senate advanced its full budget proposal under Senate Bill (SB) 878, sponsored by Sen. Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing). The bill contains the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services budget from SB 857. Key highlights of the bill include: 

  • Full funding for Medicaid. 
  • Recognition of hospital provider taxes and the ability to access those funds without additional legislative action or administrative barriers. 
  • Specialty Network Access Fee funding. 
  • Support for rural and obstetrics stabilization pools. 
  • Funding for Maternal Levels of Care verification. 

Unlike the governor’s executive recommendation and the House proposal, the Senate plan does not include unspecified Medicaid savings. Instead, it identifies funding through caseload adjustment savings, Most Favored Nation drug pricing savings and other efficiencies. The bill has now been referred to the House Appropriations Committee for further review and comparison, with the proposed House budget and the governor’s executive recommendation. The MHA will continue working with lawmakers to ensure the final product maintains support for hospitals, providers and patients. 

Further, the House Finance Committee heard testimony on SB 301. Sponsored by Sen. Joe Bellino (R-Monroe), the MHA-supported legislation would provide a tax credit to employers whose employees take time off to serve as living organ donors. The bill awaits a vote from the committee before moving to the full House chamber. 

The House Rules Committee considered and passed HB 5281, sponsored by Rep. Mike Harris (R-Waterford), which would put guardrails around third-party funded litigation. Currently, private equity and other investors can secretively fund litigation against hospitals and other entities. This legislation would place limitations on those investments and increase transparency in the process. The MHA-supported bill now goes to the full House for consideration. 

The House Health Policy Committee discussed HB 5709, sponsored by Rep. John Roth (R-Interlochen), which would remove certain imaging services from the Certificate of Need (CON) program. The MHA submitted a letter of opposition to the bill, which would erode Michigan’s strong CON program. The committee did not take a vote on the legislation. 

News to Know – May 4, 2026

Member News
  • New to KnowThe MHA membership will convene in person for the MHA Annual Membership Meeting June 24–26. The event will feature an outstanding lineup of experts discussing key topics, including public perception and affordability. Members are encouraged to register by May 22 to attend this memorable event. Members with questions may contact the MHA or call (517) 323-3443.
  • The American Hospital Association (AHA) is accepting applications for the 2027 AHA Foster G. McGaw Prize through May 5. The prize recognizes health delivery organizations that demonstrate alignment between community health needs and co-designed programs. One winner and up to three finalists will be recognized at the 2027 AHA Leadership Summit. Members improving community health and well-being through leadership and community partnerships are encouraged to apply. Members interested in learning more are encouraged to visit the AHA website. Those with questions may contact the AHA.

Hospitals Help: Mary Free Bed Partnership Addresses Nursing Shortage, Offers Tuition Assistance

Hospitals Help, Member News
A new partnership will combine hands-on clinical training with financial support for GVSU nursing students.

Every hour of every day, nurses provide care Michiganders can count on. As staffing shortages continue to impact various sectors of healthcare, Michigan hospitals are focused on creative solutions to strengthen and support this dedicated workforce.

One of the ways this is being done is by opening doors — and removing barriers — for those interested in the field. A strong example of this is a new partnership between Grand Valley State University (GVSU) and Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital that creates a new pathway for GVSU nursing students to go from classroom to bedside.

The partnership, announced in March, expands access to clinical experience at Mary Free Bed and combines hands-on training with financial support.

“This is an innovative program that places GVSU students at its heart,” said Linda Lewandowski, dean, GVSU Kirkhof College of Nursing. “Mary Free Bed is a recognized leader in rehabilitative care and will offer our students a clinical experience in which they can continue engaging in interdisciplinary care.”

Through this partnership, eligible students in the GVSU Kirkhof College of Nursing can receive up to $5,000 per semester for four semesters, helping make their education more affordable. In return, participants commit to working at Mary Free Bed for at least two years after graduating and passing their licensure exam.

Students will also gain exposure to the full scope of rehabilitation care through more than 120 medical and sports programs available at Mary Free Bed, working alongside therapists and rehabilitation physicians in a collaborative care environment.

Partnerships like this help ensure more patients will benefit from the compassionate care nurses offer during life’s most pivotal moments. This National Nurses Week and beyond, the MHA thanks Michigan nurses — past, present and future — who continue to show up around the clock, in every region of the state.

Those with questions or content ideas for the Hospitals Help series may contact Lucy Ciaramitaro at the MHA.