MHA Monday Report Jan. 26, 2026

House Appropriations Committee Hears RHTP Testimony, IMLC Bill Advances

The Michigan House Appropriations Committee heard testimony on federal funding awarded through the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), and legislation to add Michigan back into the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC) advanced during the week of Jan. 19.  The House Appropriations Committee heard …


Legislative Policy Panel Hears Legislative Updates

The MHA Legislative Policy Panel met virtually Jan. 21 to develop recommendations on legislative and policy issues impacting Michigan hospitals. The meeting began with guest speakers from the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and The Cornerstone …


CMS Implements New Online Form for Medicare Advantage Complaints

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently implemented a new online form for providers to submit complaints related to Medicare Advantage plans. A CMS memorandum announced the implementation of the form, which is …


MHA Launches Rural Health Transformation Program Webpage

The MHA has launched a new webpage dedicated to the Rural Health Transformation Program, providing members with a centralized source of information on Michigan’s participation in the program. The webpage includes an overview of …


Updates to Michigan’s Reporter Protocols for Infants Born Exposed to Substances

Michigan has updated its mandated reporter guidance for infants born exposed to substances, establishing distinct reporting requirements for exposure to non-medically prescribed substances and exposure related to prescribed treatment. The updates are intended to clarify …


Webinar Explores Strategies to Strengthen Revenue Integrity

The MHA and MHA Endorsed Business Partner AMN Healthcare Revenue Cycle Solutions will host A Tale of Three Health Systems: Their Mid-Revenue Cycle Insights and Road to Revenue Integrity webinar from 11 to 11:50 …


Hospitals Help: Corewell Health Program Addresses Youth Vaping Prevention, Cessation

Rural schools in Newaygo County, like so many across Michigan, were seeing an increase in the number of students caught vaping. To address this community-wide concern, Corewell Health Gerber Hospital established the Corewell Health Gerber …


Keckley Report

CMS’ 2024 Health Spending Report: Key Insights

“As media attention focused on Minneapolis, Greenland and Venezuela last week, the Center for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS) released its 2024 Health Expenditures report Thursday: the headline was “Health care spending in the US reached $5.3 trillion and increased 7.2% in 2024, similar to growth of 7.4% in 2023, as increased demand for health care influenced this two-year trend. “…

The current environment for the healthcare economy is increasingly hostile to the status quo. Voters think the system is wasteful, needlessly complicated and profitable. Lawmakers think it’s no man’s land for substantive change, defaulting to price transparency, increased competition and state regulation in response. Private employers, who’ve bear the brunt of the system’s ineffectiveness, are timid and reformers are impractical about the role of private capital in the health economy’s financing.

The healthcare economy will be an issue in Campaign 2026 not because aggregate spending increased 7-8% in 2025 per CMS, but because it’s no longer justifiable to a majority of Americans for whom it’s simply not affordable. Regrettably, as noted in Corporate Board Member’s director surveys, only one in five healthcare Boards is doing scenario planning with this possibility in mind.

Paul Keckley, Jan. 18, 2026


New to KnowNews to Know

  • The MHA Person & Family Engagement Advisory Council met virtually Jan. 15 to identify ways to support the MHA strategic action plan.
  • MHA Endorsed Business Partner CyberForce|Q is hosting the webinar Proactive Cyber Risk Measures from 11 a.m. to noon ET on Jan. 29.
  • The enrollment deadline for the MHA Healthcare Leadership Academy is Feb. 6. The cohort meets Feb. 25–27 and May 7–8 at the MHA headquarters in Okemos.

 

MHA Monday Report Jan. 19, 2026

Michigan Legislature Resumes Session, International Medical Graduate Bills Clear House Rules

The 103rd Michigan Legislature resumed session for the 2025-26 term during the week of Jan. 12, with the MHA continuing to work with lawmakers on initiatives that prioritize patients, providers, and hospitals and improve the health of …


MHA EventsRegistration is Now Open for the 2026 MHA Human Resources Conference

Registration is now open for the upcoming MHA Human Resources Conference scheduled from 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. March 24 at the Crowne Plaza, Lansing, a must-attend event for HR leaders, talent professionals and executives …


MDHHS Opens Applications for RHT Advisory Council

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is accepting applications to serve on the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Advisory Council, which will support implementation of Michigan’s RHT Program to improve rural health. The …


HHS Updates Childhood Immunization Schedule

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. directed Jan. 5 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to revise the U.S. child and adolescent immunization schedule, reducing the number of universally recommended …


MDHHS Seeks Proposals for Children Trust Michigan Primary Prevention Program Grants

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) recently released a grant funding opportunity to prevent child abuse and neglect. This funding opportunity aims to prevent child abuse and neglect by developing protective factors that promote healthier and resilient …


Speaking Health Care™: A Guide to Understanding Healthcare Language

Orienting new trustees extends far beyond a single session. New members usually require months to get fully up-to-speed on strategic priorities and the basic expectations for trustees. A daunting challenge is interpreting language about operations, …


Michigan State Loan Repayment Program 2026 Application Period Opens March 2

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) recently announced an updated application period for the 2026 Michigan State Loan Repayment Program (MSLRP), which will be open from March 2 through April 30, 2026. …


Hospitals Help: MyMichigan Clinics Improve Access to Timely Care

MyMichigan Health established the Continuing Care Clinics in 2023 to serve residents across its 26-county service region who lack timely access to primary care physicians. These clinics are pivotal during critical health transitions, offering responsive …


Keckley Report

JPM Health Conference 2026: The Trump Effect

“This week, 8000 healthcare operators and investors will head west to the 44th Annual JP Morgan Health Conference in San Francisco. Per JPM: “The (invitation-only) conference serves as a vital platform for networking, deal-making, and discussing the latest innovations in healthcare, attracting global industry leaders, emerging companies, and members of the investment community.” Daily media coverage will be provided by Modern Healthcare and STAT and most of the agenda will be at the St. Francis Hotel at Union Square. …

It’s populism vs. corporatization. Healthcare’s proclivity for self-praise, addiction to “Best of…” recognition, celebrity CEOs and handsome executive compensation have postured it as “Big Business” in the eyes of most. Business practices associated with corporatization are fair game to the administration’s corrective agenda: hearings in the House Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce and Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) committees will showcase the administration’s populist grievances. The administration will lavish advantages on private organizations that demonstrate support for its policies. …

The health system’s role in making matters better or worse for consumers will be front and center alongside housing and costs of living. That context will be key to discussions between health investors and companies seeking their funds, though subordinate to term sheets.

In 2026, the Trump effect on dealmaking in healthcare will be significant.”

Paul Keckley, Jan. 11, 2026


New to KnowNews to Know

MHA offices will be closed and no formal meetings will be scheduled Jan. 19, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.


MHA in the News

MHA CEO Brian Peters joined the Michigan Association of State Universities Jan. 13 in a media roundtable to discuss the economic impact of Michigan’s public universities, which generate nearly $45 billion in net new economic …

MHA Monday Report Jan. 12, 2026

MHA Healthcare Leadership Academy Applications Due Feb. 6

The enrollment deadline for the MHA Healthcare Leadership Academy is Feb. 6. The cohort meets Feb. 25-27 and May 7-8 at the MHA headquarters in Okemos. HCLA, in partnership with Executive Core, has been …


MHA Joins Coalition Letter Opposing Federal Redefinition of Professional Degrees

The MHA joined a statewide coalition in signing a letter to Michigan’s congressional delegation expressing concern about a proposed federal change that would remove several health professions, including nursing and behavioral health fields, from the …


Webinar to Highlight Effective Cyber Incident Response

MHA Endorsed Business Partner CyberForce|Q is hosting the webinar Proactive Cyber Risk Measures from 11 a.m. to noon ET on Jan. 29. The session will feature speakers from Trinity Health, the Michigan State Cyber …


MHA Rounds image of Brian PetersMHA CEO Report — 2026, A Pivotal Year for Healthcare

As we look toward the year ahead, one thing is clear: healthcare will remain at the forefront of public debate. We’ve seen time and again how healthcare delivery is shaped by policy decisions. …


Keckley Report

Healthcare 2026: Three Realities

“Congress returns to DC this week to debate the merits of extending the advanced premium tax credits that enable coverage for 4 million in a climate of high anxiety about U.S. intervention in Venezuela and heightened tension with Russia and China.

Each sector in healthcare—hospitals, physician services, long-term care, insurers, life science manufacturers, enablers and advisors—is vulnerable. None welcomes unflattering attention and all spend heavily on messaging and advocacy to protect themselves.  All recognize the elephant in the room—large employers that have patiently funded the system’s profitability and value protective regulation that limit disruption. And in all, implementation of AI solutions that lower operating costs and streamline performance is THE immediate priority.

The realities of 2026 for healthcare are foreboding: business as usual is not an option.”

Paul Keckley, Jan. 4, 2026


MHA in the News

The MHA received media coverage during the week of Jan. 5, covering the increasing rate of flu-related hospitalizations in Michigan. Both Bridge and Michigan Public published stories during the week based on interviews with Jim …

MHA Monday Report Dec. 22, 2025

Healthcare Bills Advance During Final State Legislative Session Week of 2025

Enforcement of hospital price transparency measures, removal of mental health questions on health professionals’ license applications, and the creation of a palliative care advisory task force were among the healthcare-related bills that advanced in the …


State’s Chief Medical Executive Shares Standing Recommendation Regarding Children’s Vaccines

Michigan’s Chief Medical Executive Natasha Bagdasarian, MD, issued a standing recommendation Dec. 18, encouraging healthcare providers to follow the children’s immunization schedules developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics or the American Academy of …


CMS Announces MAHA ELEVATE Model

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is inviting healthcare organizations nationwide to apply for the Make America Healthy Again: Enhancing Lifestyle and Evaluating Value-Based Approaches Through Evidence (MAHA ELEVATE) model, a new initiative scheduled …


AHA Releases 2025 National Governance Report

The American Hospital Association (AHA) has released its 2025 National Governance Report. The report, based on data collected from August to December 2024, continues to develop a comprehensive picture of the state of healthcare…


Hospitals Help: Aspire Rural Health System Offers Lifeline to Families in the Thumb

Transitions, offered through Aspire Rural Health System, is a free community-based program dedicated to supporting individuals with chronic or life-limiting illnesses, as well as their families, across Michigan’s thumb region. The program provides a compassionate …


Mid-Program Year Highlights: Resources & Reports

Below is a compilation of resources shared during the first half of the 2025-26 program year to provide members with relevant tools, updates and insights.

Michigan Hospital Collaboratives Launch to Improve Community Health

More than 50 Michigan hospitals are coming together to improve outcomes in maternal health, behavioral health and chronic disease across the state through new community benefit collaboratives launched by the Michigan Health & Hospital Association …


MHA Keystone Center Annual Report Highlights Safety and Quality Initiatives

The MHA Keystone Center recently released its 2024-25 annual report, which demonstrates Michigan hospitals’ commitment to improving outcomes and advancing care. The report highlights MHA Keystone Center-led safety and quality initiatives, including: A five-year collaboration with …


Report: Access, Affordability & Community Health Improved by Hospital Programming, Investments

The MHA released its 2025 Community Impact Report highlighting community programming and investments from Michigan hospitals that are improving access to care, addressing affordability and advancing the health of …


New MHA Infographic Showcases Rural Michigan Healthcare Impact

The MHA recently released the infographic Healthcare Impact in Rural Michigan, which highlights how critical access hospitals, sole community hospitals, rural emergency hospitals and birthing hospitals support communities across the state. The infographic highlights the …


2025 Michigan Caregiver Navigation Toolkit Available

In alignment with National Caregiver Month, the MHA Keystone Center recently created the 2025 Michigan Caregiver Navigation Toolkit to support hospitals in their efforts to initiate and enhance caregiver support programming across the state. …


News to Know

  • The MHA will offer the Healthcare Leadership Academy in 2026, with cohorts meeting Feb. 25–27 and May 7–8 at the MHA Headquarters in Okemos.
  • MHA Endorsed Business Partner CyberForce|Q is hosting the Proactive Cyber Risk Measures Webinar on Jan. 29 with speakers from Trinity Health, the Michigan State Cyber Command Center and other organizations.
  • The MHA offices will be closed and no formal meetings will be scheduled Dec. 24, 2025–Jan. 1, 2026.
  • Due to the holidays, Monday Report will not be published Dec. 29 and Jan. 5 and will resume its normal schedule Jan. 12.

MHA Monday Report Dec. 15, 2025

Unemployment Benefit Waiver Bill Clears Senate; International Physician Legislation Advances

Legislation to waive the collection of improper unemployment benefits cleared the Michigan Senate in a unanimous vote, while bills creating a new pathway for internationally educated physicians advanced in the House during the week of …


2026 MHA Healthcare Leadership Academy Registration Now Open

The MHA is pleased to offer its popular Healthcare Leadership Academy in 2026. In partnership with Executive Core, two power-packed modules in February and May will feature leadership 360 feedback with personalized executive coaching, the …


Survey Seeks Insights on Rural Veterans’ Healthcare Needs

A needs assessment survey supported by the Michigan Center for Rural Health, the Improving Veterans Access to Healthcare and the Frontier Veterans program is seeking to identify the needs of veterans and their providers in …


MDHHS Launches 2025 Customer Satisfaction Survey for Public Health Laboratory Partners

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Bureau of Laboratories is inviting public health partners to complete the 2025 Customer Satisfaction Survey by Dec. 31, 2025, to gather feedback that will help improve statewide …


Building Trust and Access to Key Services Addressed by MHA Health Access & Community Impact Council

The MHA Health Access & Community Impact Council held its second meeting of the program year Dec. 4, diving into priority areas outlined in the 2025-26 MHA Strategic Action Plan. Guided by co-chairs Jeremy Cannon, …


Members of the Henry Ford Health Doula Program team.

Hospitals Help: Henry Ford Health’s Hospital-Based Doula Program

To help address the alarming rate of maternal and infant mortality, Detroit-based Henry Ford Health established a hospital-based doula program in 2024 that makes a trained professional available to provide emotional, physical and educational support …


Keckley Report

Health system transformation: why outsiders want it and insiders resist

“Key Takeaways:

  • A challenging economic climate means continuing health industry profitability is unlikely.  
  • The majority of Americans want systemic changes the system’s insiders resist.
  • Longterm, inattention to structural flaws will result in an inadequate public utility that serves all but a few that can afford more. …

As a result, the health industry’s become an enemy to the population it’s pledged to serve. Institutional distrust for government, organized religion and big business now includes the health system, especially among young Americans. …”

Paul Keckley, Dec. 7, 2025


News to Know

MHA Endorsed Business Partner CorroHealth is offering an opportunity to help members get ahead of 2026 budget pressures in coding and clinical documentation improvement.


MHA in the News

Common Ground published a story Dec. 9 on the behavioral health collaborative that the MHA has launched to address postpartum depression and perinatal mood disorders. Lauren LaPine-Ray, vice president, policy and rural health, MHA, is …

MHA Monday Report Dec. 8, 2025

Stop the Bleed Legislation Advances, Preadmission Screening Bill Introduced

Legislation protecting good Samaritans who apply bleeding-control techniques passed the Senate Civil Rights, Judiciary and Public Safety Committee, while a bill modifying timeline requirements for preadmission screening assessments of Medicaid patients was introduced during the …


CMS Releases 2026 Home Health PPS Final Rule

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a final rule updating the home health prospective payment system (PPS) for calendar year 2026. Highlights of the rule include: An updated 30-day …


MDHHS Launches RHTP Listserv to Share Program Updates

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) recently launched a Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) listserv to provide timely updates, announcements and resources related to the state’s implementation of the program. Hospitals, health …


Health Access & Community Impact Office Hours Launch

The MHA Health Access & Community Impact Office Hours series kicked off Nov. 24 with a session highlighting 211 and its role in addressing food access amid ongoing challenges related to food insecurity. Sarah Kile, …


Nominations Open for 2026 Michigan Hometown Health Hero Awards

The Michigan Public Health Week Partnership, a coalition of 13 statewide organizations that include the MHA, is seeking nominations by Friday, Dec. 19, for individuals and organizations that have contributed to improving the health and …


MHA Rounds graphic of Brian PetersMHA CEO Report — Dedicated to Care Every Day of the Year

During the holiday season, we look forward to annual traditions and time spent with loved ones. While many of us gather around our tables this season, we are all aware of individuals who sacrifice this special time …


Centering Lived Experiences to Improve Maternal Care: Reflections from the Birth Experience Project

Over the past year, I supported the Birth Experience Project, a mixed-methods study examining how Black women across Michigan experience pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postpartum care. As part of this effort, I assisted in analyzing …


Keckley Report

The 10 Healthcare Headlines you Might See in 2026

“2026 is a mid-term election year. In 2016 (Trump 45 Year One), Republicans controlled 31 governorships and 68 legislative chambers. This January, the GOP will control 26 governorships and 57 legislative chambers– a 15% reduction on both. Politics is divided, affordability matters most to voters and healthcare is a high-profile target for campaigns so humility, thoughtful messaging backed by demonstrable actions will be an imperative for every healthcare organization.

2026 is a HUGE year for U.S. healthcare. The outcome is unknown.”

Paul Keckley, Nov. 23, 2025

MHA Monday Report Nov. 24, 2025

MHA Submits Comments on Proposed Medicaid Mental Health Assessment Policy

The MHA recently submitted comments to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on proposed policy 2545-BH, which sets new mental health assessment requirements for Medicaid Health Plan providers caring for Comprehensive Health Care Program enrollees. Although …


2025 Michigan Caregiver Navigation Toolkit Available

In alignment with National Caregiver Month, the MHA Keystone Center recently created the 2025 Michigan Caregiver Navigation Toolkit to support hospitals in their efforts to initiate and enhance caregiver support programming across the state. The …


Report: Access, Affordability & Community Health Improved by Hospital Programming, Investments

The Michigan Health & Hospital Association (MHA) released its 2025 Community Impact Report Nov. 17 highlighting community programming and investments from Michigan hospitals that are improving access to care, addressing affordability and advancing the health of …


MHA Keystone Center PSO Hosts Virtual Care Safe Table

Registration is open for the MHA Keystone Center Patient Safety Organization (PSO) Virtual Care Safe Table in partnership with Henry Ford Health. The event will take place from 12:30 to 4 p.m. Dec. 3 at …


MDHHS Seeks Volunteers to Support Development of New EMS Credentialing Exams

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is developing a Paramedic Exam and an Instructor Coordinator Exam and is seeking volunteers to support the process. Individuals across the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and …


MHA Keystone Board Reviews Workplace Violence Prevention and Maternal Health Efforts

The MHA Keystone Board of Directors met Nov. 12 to review ongoing work to improve safety and quality across member organizations. The meeting opened with a connect-to-purpose story shared by Keystone Board Chair Doug Dascenzo, …


Caring For Those Who Provide Care

November is National Family Caregiver Month, which recognizes the 63+ million individuals across the United States who support loved ones with health needs every day.  I am one of the 63 million and provide care for both of my parents. …


Keckley Report

For Health Insurers, the Big Questions need Answers

“The federal shutdown ended Wednesday. Congress passed and the President signed a continuing resolution (CR) that extends funding and delays changes to several health programs until January 30, 2026 including community health centers, the National Health Service Corps, teaching health centers, the Acute Hospital-at-Home initiative, telehealth, disproportionate share hospital payment cuts and many others. But extension of the ACA tax credits used by 24 million to purchase coverage at a discount was not included in the deal. The Congressional Budget Office estimates more than 4 million people will lose insurance if the subsidies are not renewed at the end of the year. …

The majority of voters think the political system is not working, lending to hyper-partisanship by establishment players and lack of trust in the status quo. Misinformation is weaponized and ‘blame and shame’ tactics deployed. That’s where U.S. politics is. …

In the peer reviewed literature, health insurance coverage is strongly correlated with better health outcomes, including lower mortality, improved chronic disease management, and increased use of preventive care. But its affordability is increasingly in question.

Tax credits will be in the news until the end of the year and prominent in Campaign 2026 politics but the value proposition on which the industry has operated will be the focus beyond. Like every sector in healthcare, increased scrutiny is certain.”

Paul Keckley, Nov. 16, 2025


New to KnowNews to Know

  • The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently announced 2026 premiums, deductibles and coinsurance amounts for Medicare Parts A and B.
  • The MHA offices will be closed and no formal meetings will be scheduled Nov. 27 and 28 in honor of Thanksgiving.
  • Due to the holiday, Monday Report will not be published Dec. 1 and will resume its normal schedule Dec. 8.
  • The American Hospital Association released the first three chapter of its 2025 National Governance Report.

MHA in the News

The MHA received media coverage during the week of Nov. 17 covering the Rural Health Transformation Program, the MHA’s Community Impact Report and medical debt. Bridge published a story Nov. 19 on the Rural Health …

MHA Monday Report Nov. 17, 2025

Notable Healthcare Legislation Clears House, Senate Committees

Legislation on physician assistant licensure compact agreements, international medical school graduates, hospital price transparency measures and medical debt collection advanced in the Michigan House and Senate during the week of Nov. 10. In the House …


CMS Releases CY 2026 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a final rule to update the physician fee schedule for calendar year (CY) 2026. Highlights of the final rule include: Implementing the one-time 2.5% …


Congressmen Bergman Supports Save America’s Rural Hospitals Act

U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI) recently co-sponsored H.R. 3684, the Save America’s Rural Hospitals Act of 2025, which would strengthen financial stability and access to care for rural hospitals and healthcare providers across the country. …


MHA Board of Trustees Shares Learnings from Ice Storm and Reviews Strategic Action Plan

The MHA Board of Trustees’ Nov. 12 meeting featured presentations from board members Ed Ness, president and CEO, Munson Healthcare; Lydia Watson, president and CEO, MyMichigan Health; and Karen Cheeseman, president and CEO, Mackinac Straits …


New MHA Infographic Showcases Rural Michigan Healthcare Impact

The MHA recently released the infographic Healthcare Impact in Rural Michigan, which highlights how critical access hospitals, sole community hospitals, rural emergency hospitals and birthing hospitals support communities across the state. The infographic highlights the …


New Endorsed Business Partner SmarterDx Provides Clinical AI to Support Financial Outcomes and Quality Scores

The MHA’s Endorsed Business Partner program promotes industry-leading firms. The EBP program connects member hospitals to solutions that alleviate pain points. The MHA recently endorsed SmarterDx, a national leader in revenue integrity solutions, offering advanced clinical …


Webinar Kicks Off MHA Health Access & Community Impact Office Hours

The MHA will host an informational webinar from noon to 12:45 p.m. Nov. 24 featuring 211, in the first session of the Health Access & Community Impact Office Hours series. The series is designed to …


Celebrating the Power — and Promise — of Rural Healthcare

As a healthcare leader, physician and someone born and raised in the Thumb of Michigan, National Rural Health Day is very personal to me, my colleagues and the communities we serve every day at Scheurer Health. …


Keckley Report

Why Healthcare Affordability is Increasingly Problematic to Working Age Populations

In what political pundits called a sweeping win by Democrats in Tuesday’s elections, affordability and costs of living emerged as the issues that mattered most to voters. It’s no surprise.

Since 2019 before the pandemic, prices have increased for American businesses and households due to inflation:

Personal Consumption Expenditures inflation which measures monthly business spending increased 3.5% annually. The Consumer Price Index, which measures monthly changes in household spending increased 3.87% annually over the same period (2019-2025).

But in the same period, prices for healthcare services–hospitals, physician services, insurance premiums and long-term care–have taken an odd turn: for businesses, they’ve decreased but for consumers, they increased. It reflects the success whereby businesses have shifted health benefits costs to employees or suspended benefits altogether, and it explains why consumers are bearing more direct responsibility for healthcare costs and are increasingly price sensitive. …

Healthcare service providers can ill afford to neglect affordability. It more than measuring medical debt, posting prices and referencing concern on websites. It’s about earning the trust and confidence of future generations through concrete actions that increase household financial security beginning with healthcare spending. …”

Paul Keckley, Nov. 9, 2025


New to KnowNews to Know

MHA members are encouraged to register for the webinar How Leading Health Systems Are Rebuilding Talent Pipelines — and Keeping Them Full Through Early Student Loan Support, led by Clasp, scheduled from 9 to 9:30 a.m. Dec. 2.


MHA in the News

9&10 News aired a story Nov. 11 about how health insurance rate increases will lead to lower health insurance enrollment, harming healthcare access. MHA CEO Brian Peters is quoted in the story expressing the need …

MHA Monday Report Nov. 10, 2025

Congressman Bergman Co-Sponsors Critical Access Hospital Relief Act

U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI) recently co-sponsored HR. 538, the Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2025, which would remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient services at critical access hospitals. The bill, introduced in January 2025, would amend …


State and Medical Partners Urge Michiganders to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine

To help ensure access to the COVID-19 vaccine for all residents, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs and Department of Insurance and Financial Services …


MMMS and FIMR Aligned Recommendations to Improve Maternal and Infant Health

The Michigan Maternal Mortality Surveillance (MMMS) and Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) programs recently released aligned recommendations at improving outcomes across the maternal and infant health continuum. MMMS reviews cases of maternal deaths that occur …


Honoring Veterans Through Improved Access & Care Coordination

When observing Veterans Day, it’s important to recognize how healthcare organizations can meaningfully work together to improve health outcomes and address the unique needs of service members and their families. …


Key Findings from the Michigan Interpreter Needs Assessment Report

Understanding the critical role interpreters play in hospitals, the MHA Health Foundation recently contributed funding to support the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs in conducting a needs assessment of Michigan’s interpreter landscape. …


MHA Rounds graphic of Brian PetersMHA CEO Report — Streamlining Medicaid Work Requirements

As states work toward establishing Medicaid work requirements that are a core element of H.R. 1, it’s more important than ever that we reduce the administrative burden associated with verification for beneficiaries. …


Keckley Report

The Structural Flaws that Must be Fixed to Transform the U.S. Health System

“Such is the case for health insurance coverage for millions in the U.S. as the federal government shutdown enters Week 6. Democrats are holding out for continuation of Affordable Care Act (ACA) insurance subsidies that enable 22 million to “buy” insurance cheaper, and Republicans are holding out for federal spending cuts reflected in the One Big Beautiful Act (July 2025) that included almost a trillion reduction in Medicaid appropriations thru 2036.

ACA subsidies at the heart of the shutdown successfully expanded coverage in tandem with Medicaid expansion but added to its costs and set in motion corporatization and consolidation in every sector of the health system. The pandemic exposed the structural divide between public health programs and local health systems, and insurance premium increases and prior authorization protocols precipitated hostility toward insurers and blame games between hospitals, insurers and drug companies for perpetual cost increases. …

Sixteen years later, healthcare is once again the eye of the economic storm. Insiders blame inconsistent regulatory enforcement and lack of adequate funding as root causes. Outsiders blame lack of cost controls. consolidation and disregard for affordability. Thus, while attention to subsidized insurance coverage and SNAP benefits might temporarily calm public waters, they’re not the solution. …

Healthcare’s the same. Outside forces seen or not will impact its future dramatically. Plans have to be made though Black Swans like the pandemic are inevitable.  But long-term planning built on plausible bets are necessary to every healthcare organization’s future.”

Paul Keckley, Nov. 2, 2025


New to KnowNews to Know

  • MHA offices will be closed and no formal meetings will be scheduled Nov. 11 in honor of Veterans Day.
  • The MHA will host a virtual member forum from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Nov. 7 to outline the MHA 2025-26 Strategic Action Plan approved by the MHA Board of Trustees.
  • Amy Brown, chief nursing officer, MHA, recently joined MHA Endorsed Business Partner (EBP) AMN Healthcare on the episode “Empowering Nurses Through Advocacy and Innovation” of the Elevate Care Podcast.
  • MHA EBP SunRx is continuing a webinar series about 340B Rebate Model Briefings on Nov. 13 and Nov. 20.

MHA in the News

Bridge published a story Nov. 5 sharing five reasons why health insurance rates are rising at increasing rates in the state, which included workforce challenges, expiring enhanced premium tax credits, inflation and drug prices. …

MHA Monday Report Nov. 3, 2025

Compact Bills Receive Bipartisan Support in Michigan House

The Michigan House of Representatives passed legislation during the week of Oct. 27 to add the state to the speech-language pathologist and audiologist licensure compact, as well as the professional counselor licensure compact. House …


MHA Keystone Center Annual Report Highlights Safety and Quality Initiatives

The MHA Keystone Center recently released its 2024-25 annual report, which demonstrates Michigan hospitals’ commitment to improving outcomes and advancing care. The report highlights MHA Keystone Center-led safety and quality initiatives, including: A five-year collaboration with …


First Legislative Policy Panel Meeting of New Program Year

The MHA Legislative Policy Panel held its first meeting of the 2025-26 MHA program year at the MHA Capital Advocacy Center on Oct. 29 to develop recommendations on legislative issues impacting Michigan hospitals. The meeting …


Superior Health Recruiting Hospitals, Clinics and Nursing Homes for Quality Improvement Assistance Program

The Superior Health Quality Alliance – a coalition of eight Midwest healthcare quality improvement organizations, including the MHA Keystone Center – is actively recruiting participants for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 13th …


Small or Rural Council Kicks off 2025-26 Program Year

The MHA Small or Rural Hospital Council convened its first meeting of the 2025–26 program year, chaired by Ross Ramsey, CEO, Scheurer Health. The meeting focused on the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), state and federal budget …


AAP and Common Health Coalition Review Updated Vaccine Guidance

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Common Health Coalition hosted the webinar “Hot Topics on Respiratory Vaccines: Clearing the Air on Liability and Practice Considerations” Oct. 21. Legal, clinical and communication experts discussed …


In Case You Missed It

MHA Supports Expanded Medicaid Coverage for Postpartum Mental Health Screenings

The MHA recently submitted comments to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services in support of the proposal to expand Medicaid coverage for maternal mental health screenings up to 12 months postpartum. Postpartum depression affects one in eight individuals, …


Investing in Rural Hospitals Means Investing in Rural Michigan

When the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law in July, it created the Rural Health Transformation Program, a five-year, $50 billion investment in rural healthcare. The MHA Board of Trustees took swift action empowering an MHA board-appointed task force charged with creating …


Keckley Report

Focus Group Insight: Do Consumers Care about Healthcare Prices (Really)?

“Efforts to activate consumer attention to healthcare prices is very much a work in process despite significant policy efforts toward price transparency for drug prices and hospital “shoppable” services. To date, results have been modest.

Might that change? That’s the question Boards and C Suites across the health continuum must answer. Insiders think it’s unlikely; outsiders hope they’re wrong. If price transparency is the pre-cursor improved value in healthcare spending for most services, the proof is lacking to date.

Do Consumers Care about Healthcare Prices (Really)? Some do. More will. And all say it’s important. But until and unless price comparison becomes a staple in American household spending behavior, little will change.  …

Like healthcare, frontline workers take the heat when policies and procedures fall short. While C suites are under pressure to operate profitably, frontline teams absorb the hits. I found myself reflecting on our frontlines who experience the same every day and have written commendation letters to AA for the “above and beyond” help I got from the Charlotte service desk that got me home eventually.”

Paul Keckley, Oct. 26, 2025


New to KnowNews to Know

  • The MHA will host a virtual member forum from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Nov. 7 to outline the MHA 2025-26 Strategic Action Plan (SAP) approved by the MHA Board of Trustees.
  • MHA Endorsed Business Partner (EBP) CommerceHealthcare® will host the webinar Navigating Medical Debt: Trends and Strategic Responses from 11 to 11:30 a.m. ET Nov. 4.
  • MHA EBP SunRx is hosting a 340B Regulatory Brief webinar at 2 p.m. EDT Nov. 4 with Bharath Krishnamurthy, health policy & analytics, American Hospital Association.

MHA in the News

The MHA received media coverage during the week of Oct. 27 as MHA CEO Brian Peters discussed the value of hospitals in light of rising insurance premiums. MIRS published a story Oct. 30 looking at …