Category: MHA In The News

Headline Roundup: New Auto No-Fault Legislation & Hospital Staffing

Member News, Issues in Healthcare, MHA In The News, Top Issues - Healthcare
Brian Peters

The MHA received media coverage the week of Sept. 25 regarding new auto no-fault legislation introduced in the Michigan Legislature and hospital staffing issues.

The MHA issued a media statement Sept. 26 from MHA CEO Brian Peters in support of Senate Bills 530 and 531, which would reform specific aspects of Michigan’s current auto no-fault insurance law.

Below is a collection of headlines from around the state.

Wednesday, Sept. 27

Tuesday, Sept. 26

Members with any questions regarding media requests should contact John Karasinski at the MHA.

MHA Hosts Successful Hospitals for Patient Access Advocacy Day

Member News, MHA In The News
Hospital and nurse leaders from across the state of Michigan during the Hospitals for Patient Access Advocacy Day.

The MHA hosted a successful Hospitals for Patient Access Advocacy Day Sept. 13, with more than 130 hospital and nursing leaders participating. Attendees completed 118 meetings with lawmakers, covering 80% of the Michigan Legislature. The relationships and conversations will prove extremely helpful in opposing legislation that would mandate one-size-fits-all nurse-to-patient staffing ratios for all hospitals in the state.

The MHA also hosted press conference and published a press release in conjunction with the advocacy day, releasing new data that illustrates strong public opposition to legislation proposing such a legislative mandate and hospital survey data on the severe impact of the legislation on access to care for Michiganders. The press event resulted in a number of news stories being published throughout the state from outlets including Becker’s Hospital Review, Detroit Free Press, Gongwer, MIRS, Michigan’s Big Show, WILX, WWMT, WJR 760 and WILS 1320.

An infographic that shares the new data and contextualizes the impact to healthcare access for Michiganders was also shared with lawmakers and media. Additional member communications tools are available upon request. Photos from the event can be found on the MHA Facebook page.

The MHA will continue to push back on this one-size-fits-all mandate and educate lawmakers on the harmful impact it could have on patient access to healthcare.

Members with any questions related to the legislation and advocacy efforts may contact Adam Carlson or Elizabeth Kutter at the MHA. Members with questions regarding media or requesting additional communications tools should contact John Karasinski at the MHA.

Headline Roundup: Prescription Drug Affordability & Healthcare Workforce

Member News, Issues in Healthcare, MHA In The News, Top Issues - Healthcare
MHA CEO Brian Peters speaks with WOOD TV.
MHA CEO Brian Peters speaks with WOOD TV.
MHA CEO Brian Peters speaks with WOOD TV.

The MHA received media coverage the weeks of August 28 and Sept. 4 regarding prescription drug affordability, the healthcare workforce and COVID-19.

MHA CEO Brian Peters spoke with a variety of news outlets regarding these topics.

Below is a collection of headlines from around the state.

Thursday, Sept. 7

Wednesday, Sept. 6

Wednesday, August 30

Members with any questions regarding media requests should contact John Karasinski at the MHA.

Appel Discusses Pediatric Behavioral Health with Michigan Radio

Top Issues - Healthcare, Issues in Healthcare, MHA In The News
Laura Appel

Laura AppelMichigan Radio published a story Aug. 20 about the large number of pediatric patients with serious mental health issues boarding in hospital emergency departments (EDs). MHA Executive Vice President Laura Appel was interviewed for the story, explaining how a lack of available pediatric placements in the state lead to the large number of children waiting in EDs.

The story also mentions $50 million in state funding to create pediatric residential treatment facilities, while also mentioning the need for the state to provide appropriate treatment and interventions to prevent children from needing to seek care at a hospital.

“Being in an ED for days at a time if not months creates more problems than they came in with,” said Appel. “Every large hospital system in Michigan has a story about a child who has been in their care for weeks, months. And when I say months I mean 200 days, 300 days, because it’s so hard to place kids with such complex needs.”

Media Recap: MHA Joins Health Officials to Stress Importance of Immunizations

Member News, Issues in Healthcare, MHA In The News

The MHA received media coverage the week of Aug. 14 following a press conference Aug. 17 where Michigan health officials urged families to get kids up-to-date on routine vaccines ahead of the new school year.

Ruthanne Sudderth speaks on vaccination importance during the press conference. 

Ruthanne Sudderth, senior vice president and chief strategy officer at the MHA, joined representatives from the MHA, I Vaccinate, the Franny Strong Foundation, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Ascension Michigan and Pontiac Middle School to encourage families get the safe and effective vaccines that are available to help protect children and the community. Below is a collection of headlines from around the state.

Saturday, Aug. 19

Friday, Aug. 18

Thursday, Aug. 17

Tuesday, Aug. 15

Members with any questions regarding media requests should contact John Karasinski at the MHA.

Media Recap: Cybersecurity and Rural Emergency Hospitals

Member News, Issues in Healthcare, MHA In The News
Brian Peters

Brian PetersThe MHA received media coverage the week of August 7 on hospital cybersecurity, the first Michigan hospital receiving a rural emergency hospital designation and COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.

MHA CEO Brian Peters spoke with WJR Newsradio 760 host Chris Renwick August 7 about how Michigan hospitals are responding to cyberattacks. Peters discussed the factors that make healthcare the top target for cybercriminals, what hospitals are doing to protect their data and networks and how patients can protect themselves from cyberattacks.

Becker’s Hospital Review published an article August 8 on Sturgis Hospital becoming the first hospital in Michigan to receive the new rural emergency hospital designation. The article recaps a story from the Sturgis Journal that references the MHA’s involvement in the process.

Bridge Michigan also published a story August 8 on the slight growth in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, which follows a national trend. The MHA provided comment, referencing overall rates of COVID hospitalizations continue to be at all-time lows.

Members with any questions regarding media requests should contact John Karasinski at the MHA.

Headline Roundup: Andary No-Fault Decision

Issues in Healthcare, MHA In The News
Brian Peters

Brian PetersThe MHA received media coverage the week of July 31 regarding Michigan Supreme Court decision in Andary v. USAA, which the MHA published a media statement on following the opinion release. The MHA is also mentioned in several stories regarding price transparency and healthcare workforce shortages.

MHA CEO Brian Peters is quoted in multiple stories. Below is a collection of headlines from around the state.

Thursday, August 3

Wednesday, August 2

Monday, July 31

Friday, July 28

Members with any questions regarding media requests should contact John Karasinski at the MHA.

Headline Roundup: Healthy Michigan Plan & Healthcare Workforce

MHA In The News, Issues in Healthcare
Brian Peters

Brian PetersThe MHA received media coverage the week of July 17 regarding the healthcare workforce, federal legislation to address drug shortages and bills signed by Gov. Whitmer eliminating burdensome provisions in the Healthy Michigan Plan and making changes to help ensure the program’s long-term success.

MHA CEO Brian Peters is quoted in multiple stories. Below is a collection of headlines from around the state.

Thursday, June 20

Wednesday, July 19

Tuesday, July 18

Members with any questions regarding media requests should contact John Karasinski at the MHA.

Carlson Discusses State Budget with Michigan Advance

MHA In The News
Adam Carlson

Adam CarlsonMichigan Advance published a story July 9 on the healthcare priorities included in the fiscal year 2024 state budget. Adam Carlson, senior vice president, advocacy, MHA, is quoted multiple times in the story regarding funding specific to hospitals and health systems.

Topics covered by Carlson include hospital security, behavioral health and health equity. The budget included both new funding to support trauma center and inpatient psychiatric services, as well as continued support for long-standing programs crucial to access to healthcare services throughout Michigan.

“We’re in the middle of a behavioral health crisis,” said Carlson regarding the $33 million towards increased Medicaid rates for inpatient psychiatric facilities. “Given the size of the problem, it’s not going to solve it. We’ll still have a shortage of beds, but ideally it will lead to better patient outcomes.”

The MHA Behavioral Health Boarding Survey was also mentioned in an article from Bridge published July 13 which focuses on a new behavioral health unit in northern Michigan as it seeks to address the need for more behavioral health services in the region.

Headline Roundup: State Budget, Healthcare Workforce and More

Top Issues - Healthcare, Issues in Healthcare, MHA In The News
Brian Peters

The MHA received media coverage the week of June 26 regarding the state budget, the healthcare workforce and auto no-fault utilization review.

MHA CEO Brian Peters is quoted in multiple stories. Below is a collection of headlines from around the state.

Friday, June 30

Thursday, June 29

Wednesday, June 28

Monday, June 26

Members with any questions regarding media requests should contact John Karasinski at the MHA.