MHA Monday Report May 27, 2024

Governor Signs Mental Health Parity Law and Other Legislative Updates

Gov. Whitmer signed Michigan’s first mental health parity law May 21. The bipartisan legislation requires insurance coverage for mental health and substance use disorder treatments at the same level as physical health services. Senate Bill …

Deadline Approaching for MHA Excellence in Governance Fellowship

Applications for the 2024 – 2025 MHA Excellence in Governance Fellowship, held from October 2024 through June 2025, are due June 28. Governing board members enrolled in the fellowship will learn how to frame problems …

MHA Webinar Reviews Workplace Safety and Privacy Laws

The MHA Health Foundation is hosting the Balancing Workplace Safety Privacy Laws webinar scheduled from 11 a.m. to noon, June 11. The webinar will address how hospitals balance the safety, security and privacy of patients, …

Collaborating to Address EMS Challenges

Following National EMS Week, it’s important to recognize how we can continue to support the dedicated teams providing lifesaving care every day to Michigan patients and communities. In my role as director of health policy …

Deadline to Register for MHA Workforce Recruitment Models Webinar

Registration closes May 29 for the MHA webinar Recruitment Models that Grow a Strong and Patient-Centered Workforce scheduled from noon to 1 p.m. May 30. The webinar highlights the MHA Person & Family Engagement Roadmap, …

The Keckley Report

Hospital Price Transparency: Is the Juice worth the Squeeze?

“Academic researchers and economists have concluded that hospital price transparency has not led to reduced heath spending overall nor lower hospital prices. Per a recent systematic review: “No evidence was found for impact on the outcomes volume, availability or affordability. The overall lack of evidence on policies promoting price transparency is a clear call for further research… Price-aware patients chose less costly services that led to out-of-pocket cost savings and savings for health insurers; however, these savings did not translate into reductions in aggregate healthcare spending. Disclosure of list prices had no effect, however disclosure of negotiated prices prompted supply-side competition which led to decreases in prices for shoppable services.”

Per Wall Street Journal actuaries, hospital price increases account for 23% of annual health spending increases but vary widely based on factors other than their underlying costs. Determining how hospital prices are set remains beyond the scope of conventional pricing models. …

Is the Juice worth the Squeeze for hospital price transparency efforts? To date, proponents say yes, opponents say no, and each side has valid concern about use by consumers. But unless one believes the role of consumers as purchasers and users of the system’s service will diminish in coming years, the safe bet is hospital price transparency will play a bigger role. …”

Paul Keckley, May 20, 2024