Tag: Advocacy Day

MHA Monday Report Aug. 28, 2023

Monday Report
MHA Monday Report

MDHHS Announces Medicaid Health Plan Rebid Requirements

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced new information Aug. 22 related to the rebidding of contracts for health plans that provide services to 2.2 million Michiganders receiving coverage through Medicaid and …

Sept 1 Deadline for Wage and Occupational Mix Survey Data Revisions

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released a corrected public use file Aug. 14 containing wage and occupational mix survey data being used to develop the fiscal year 2025 Medicare wage …

New Physician Recruiting Incentives Report

AMN Healthcare’s Physician Solution division (formerly known as Merritt Hawkins) has released its Review of Physician and Advanced Practitioner Recruiting Incentives annually for the last 30 years. Cited every year by Modern Healthcare and many …

The Keckley Report

Paul KeckleyPayers declare War on Corporate Hospitals: Context is Key

“Last week, six notable associations representing health insurers and large employers announced Better Solutions for Healthcare (BSH): “An advocacy organization dedicated to bringing together employers, consumers, and taxpayers to educate lawmakers on the rising cost of healthcare and provide ideas on how we can work together to find better solutions that lower healthcare costs for ALL Americans.”…

Who will win BSH vs. Corporate Hospitals? It might appear a winner-take all showdown between lobbyists for BSH and hospital hired guns but that’s shortsighted. Both will pull out the stops to win favor with elected officials but both face growing pushback in Congress and state legislatures where “corporatization” seems more about a blame game than long-term solution.

Each side will use heavy artillery to advance their positions discredit the other. And unless the special interests that bolster efforts by payers are hospitals are subordinated to the needs of the population and greater good, it’s not the war to end all healthcare wars. That war is on the horizon. …”

Paul Keckley, Aug. 21, 2023

News to Know

  • Recognized during the MHA Annual Meeting, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Lansing) was presented with the MHA Meritorious Service Award this past week for her decades of leadership in elected office supporting healthcare.
  • The MHA encourages MHA chief nursing officers and other Michigan hospital leaders to register for Hospitals for Patient Access Advocacy Day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 13.

Laura AppelMHA in the News

Michigan 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 …

MHA Monday Report Aug. 21, 2023

Monday Report
MHA Monday Report

MHA Joins Partners to Urge Childhood Vaccinations

The MHA participated in a press conference Aug. 17 alongside representatives from I Vaccinate, the Franny Strong Foundation, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Ascension Michigan and Pontiac Middle School, to urge families …

Opportunities for Training and Placement of CHWs Available to Hospitals

The MHA has multiple higher education partners that recently received Health Resources and Services Administration grants to increase the number of community health workers (CHW) and health support workers, and these institutions are …

DEA Listening Sessions on Prescribing Controlled Substances via Telemedicine

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will be hosting two listening sessions to receive additional input concerning the practice of telemedicine with regards to controlled substances. Hosted virtually and in person from 9 a.m. …

MHA Webinar on Maximizing Contributions of Physician Board Members

How can leadership utilize the distinct skills and expertise of physician board members? The MHA webinar Maximizing Contributions of Physician Board Members will take place from noon to 1 p.m. EST Oct. 17 will present …

The Keckley Report

Paul KeckleyNot for Profit Hospitals: Are they the Problem?

“The issues facing the U.S. health industry are complex. The role hospitals will play is also uncertain. If, as polls indicate, the majority of Americans prefer a private health system that features competition, transparency, affordability and equitable access, the remedy will require input from every major healthcare sector including employers, public health, private capital and regulators alongside others. It will require less from DC policy wonks and sanctimonious talking heads and more from frontline efforts and privately-backed innovators in communities, companies and in not-for-profit health systems that take community benefit seriously.

No sector owns the franchise for certainty about the future of U.S. healthcare nor its moral high ground. That includes not-for-profit hospitals.

The darkening cloud that hovers over not-for-profit health systems needs attention, but not alone, despite efforts to suggest otherwise. Clarifying the community-benefit standard is a start, but not enough. Are NFP hospitals a problem? Some are, most aren’t but all are impacted by the darkening cloud. …”

Paul Keckley, August 14, 2023

News to Know

  • The Healthcare Association of Hawaii has compiled a list of trustworthy local organizations that are accepting monetary contributions amid the recent wildfires of Maui, Hawaii.
  • The MHA encourages MHA chief nursing officers and other Michigan hospital leaders to register for Hospitals for Patient Access Advocacy Day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 13.
  • QURE Healthcare was approved for associate membership June 2023.

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. …

MHA Monday Report Aug. 14, 2023

Monday Report
MHA Monday Report

CMS Releases FY 2024 Skilled Nursing Facility Final Rule

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a final rule to update the Medicare fee-for-service prospective payment system for skilled nursing facilities for fiscal year (FY) 2024, which begins Oct. 1, 2023. The rule includes: Continuation …

FY 2024 LTCH Prospective Payment System Final Rule Released

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently released a final rule to update the Medicare fee-for-service long term care hospital (LTCH) prospective payment system for fiscal year (FY) 2024. Specifics of the rule include the …

The Keckley Report

Paul KeckleyThe Three Major Challenges for Private Equity Investors in Healthcare Services

“The healthcare services market in the U.S. is worth $3.5 trillion and is forecast to increase at 5%/yr. for the next decade. It’s traditionally dominated by nonprofit operators and market conditions that favor incumbents over newbies, bigger over smaller and business to business (B2B) models over business to consumer (B2C). That’s changing. Investor-ownership in healthcare services is increasing. Distinctions between privately operated PE owned hospitals and services providers and investor-owned publicly traded operators are being scrutinized by regulators even as the tax-exempt status enjoyed by not-for-profits is under the microscope.

Access to capital that’s cost-effective is critical to the future of health services providers. PE will be increasingly part of that discussion and with it, added risk.”

Paul Keckley, August 7, 2023

News to Know

The MHA encourages MHA chief nursing officers and other Michigan hospital leaders to register for Hospitals for Patient Access Advocacy Day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 13 at the MHA Capitol Advocacy Center in downtown Lansing to discuss the substantial harm that proposed legislation mandating registered nurse staffing ratios would have on patient access to care, and real solutions to train and hire more nurses.

Brian PetersMHA in the News

The 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 …

News to Know – Aug. 14, 2023

Member News

The MHA encourages MHA chief nursing officers and other Michigan hospital leaders to register for Hospitals for Patient Access Advocacy Day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 13 at the MHA Capitol Advocacy Center in downtown Lansing to discuss the substantial harm that proposed legislation mandating registered nurse staffing ratios would have on patient access to care, and real solutions to train and hire more nurses. Questions about registration may be directed to Meghan Protz-Sanders at the MHA. Please contact Elizabeth Kutter at the MHA for any further details or questions.

MHA Monday Report Aug. 7, 2023

Monday Report
MHA Monday Report

capitol buildingGovernor Signs New Budget Including Investments in Hospitals

Gov. Whitmer signed the fiscal year 2024 state budget Aug. 1, which includes $92 million in new investments directly to hospitals. It specifically provides $59 million to support increased Medicaid reimbursement rates at Level I …

Michigan Supreme Court Decides Auto No-Fault Retroactivity Case

The Michigan Supreme Court issued an opinion July 31 upholding the Michigan Court of Appeals’ decision that changes to the auto no-fault law passed in 2019 on attendant care and other lifetime benefits cannot be …

CMS Releases FY 2024 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System Final Rule

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a final rule to update the Medicare fee-for-service hospital inpatient prospective payment system for fiscal year (FY) 2024. The final rule: Increases the …

CMS Releases FY 2024 Final Rule for Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a final rule to update the Medicare fee-for-service prospective payment system for inpatient rehabilitation facilities for federal fiscal year (FY) 2024. Key provisions …

CMS Releases FY 2024 Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Final Rule

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a final rule to update the Medicare fee-for-service prospective payment system for inpatient psychiatric facilities for fiscal year (FY) 2024, which begins …

MI care mattersMHA Podcast Explores “Healthiest” Healthcare Jobs in Michigan

The MHA released another episode of the MiCare Champion Cast, which features interviews with healthcare policy experts in Michigan discussing key issues that impact healthcare and the health of communities. On the first episode of …

MHA Rounds Report - Brian Peters, MHA CEOMHA CEO Report — Added Association Value

The healthcare industry is a vital cornerstone of any community, providing essential medical services to people in times of need – not to mention our role as economic engines. Behind the scenes, …

The Keckley Report

Thinking Long-Term: Changes in Five Domains will Impact the Future of the U.S. System but Most are Not Prepared

“What’s ahead? Everyone in the U.S. health system is aware that funding is becoming more scarce and regulatory scrutiny more intense, but few have invested in planning beyond tomorrow and the day after. Unlike drug and device manufacturers with global markets and long-term development cycles, insurers and providers are handicapped. Insurers respond by adjusting coverage, premiums and co-pays annually. Providers—hospitals, physicians, long-term care providers and public health programs– have fewer options. For most, long-range planning is a luxury, and even when attempted, it’s prone to self-protection and lack of objectivity. …

In 10 years, the health system will constitute 20% of the entire U.S. economy and play an outsized role in social stability. It’s path to that future and the greater good it pursues needs charting with open minds, facts and creativity. Society deserves no less. …“

Paul Keckley, July 31, 2023

News to Know

The MHA encourages MHA chief nursing officers and other Michigan hospital leaders to register for Hospitals for Patient Access Advocacy Day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 13 at the MHA Capitol Advocacy Center in downtown Lansing to discuss the substantial harm that proposed legislation mandating registered nurse staffing ratios would have on patient access to care, and real solutions to train and hire more nurses.

Brian PetersMHA in the News

The 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 …

News to Know – Aug. 7, 2023

Member News

The MHA encourages MHA chief nursing officers and other Michigan hospital leaders to register for Hospitals for Patient Access Advocacy Day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 13 at the MHA Capitol Advocacy Center in downtown Lansing to discuss the substantial harm that proposed legislation mandating registered nurse staffing ratios would have on patient access to care, and real solutions to train and hire more nurses. Questions about registration may be directed to Meghan Protz-Sanders at the MHA. Please contact Elizabeth Kutter at the MHA for any further details or questions.

MHA Monday Report July 31, 2023

Monday Report
MHA Monday Report

Hospitals for Patient Access Advocacy Day Scheduled

MHA chief nursing officers and other Michigan hospital leaders are encouraged to register for Hospitals for Patient Access Advocacy Day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 13 at the MHA Capitol Advocacy Center in …

CMS Releases Medicare Physician Fee Schedule CY 2024 Proposed Rule

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its calendar year (CY) 2024 proposed rule for the physician fee schedule. The rule proposes a decrease to the conversion factor by 3.34%, to $32.75 in …

Toolkit Created to Strengthen Caregiver Support Programs

The MHA Keystone Center recently released the Michigan Caregiver Navigation Toolkit to guide hospitals and health systems implementing and maintaining caregiver navigation programs. These initiatives are designed to support caregivers in their role by providing …

CMS Releases Occupational Mix Data

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released July 12 the fiscal year 2025 Hospital Wage Index Development Timetable, a public use file (PUF). The PUF contains data reported by prospective payment system hospitals on …

AI and Workforce Development Webinar Series Offers CME Credit

The MHA and other state hospital associations are hosting a webinar series in partnership with the Huron Consulting Group Aug. 10 through Nov. 9 from 1 – 2 p.m. EST. CME and continuing education credit …

Corewell Health’s Freese Decker Named AHA Chair-elect Designate

The American Hospital Association (AHA) Board of Trustees elected Tina Freese Decker, president & chief executive officer, Corewell Health as its Chair-elect Designate July 16. Freese Decker will be Chair-elect in 2024 and become the …

The Keckley Report

Paul KeckleyThe Four Issues that will Impact Healthcare Services Providers and Insurers Most in the Last Half of 2023 and First Half of 2024

“As first half 2023 financial results are reported and many prepare for a busy last half, strategic planning for healthcare services providers and insurers point to 4 issues requiring attention in every boardroom and C suite …

These issues frame the near-term context for strategic planning in every sector of U.S. healthcare. They do not define the long-term destination of the system nor roles key sectors and organizations will play. That’s unknown. …”

Paul Keckley, July 24, 2023

Hospitals for Patient Access Advocacy Day Scheduled

Member News

MHA chief nursing officers and other Michigan hospital leaders are encouraged to register for Hospitals for Patient Access Advocacy Day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 13 at the MHA Capitol Advocacy Center in downtown Lansing to discuss the substantial harm that proposed legislation mandating registered nurse staffing ratios would have on patient access to care, and real solutions to train and hire more nurses.

MHA members will have the opportunity to have one-on-one meetings with lawmakers, engage with legislative leadership and more throughout the Michigan Capitol and legislative offices.

Action may be taken on these bills by lawmakers in September. Strong representation from MHA membership is important to demonstrate the seriousness of the legislation.

MHA members should register through the MHA member portal by Wednesday, Sept. 6.

MHA members are encouraged to meet with lawmakers in advance of the event. Members can also use the MHA action alert on these bills through the Legislative Action Center on the MHA website to express opposition to a one-size-fits-all legislative mandated ratio.

Questions about registration may be directed to Meghan Protz-Sanders at the MHA. Please contact Elizabeth Kutter at the MHA for any further details or questions.

Expanding Advocacy Roots with the Next Generation

Member News
SciPol-Detroit in front of the Capitol.

The MHA collaborated with Wayne State University for the first-ever student-led advocacy day March 22. Science Policy Network-Detroit (SciPol- Detroit) is a student organization at Wayne State that aims to advocate for science-related issues in Detroit. Over 20 undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty with science-based backgrounds visited Lansing to discuss evidence-based ideas for future legislation. SciPol-Detroit members, including doctoral and nursing students, met with lawmakers from their local communities and key health policy committee leadership. Students advocated for legislation surrounding air pollution, lead testing and behavioral health.

MHA and Michigan State Medical Society staff members shared career development opportunities with the students. Staff members emphasized the importance of developing meaningful connections with local lawmakers and associations to kickstart career goals and help shape laws that will impact their profession.

The MHA is working towards establishing a pipeline program with Wayne State University, beginning with the Government Relations and Health Policy Fellowship. The MHA hopes to introduce more students with science-based backgrounds to the realm of health policy. For some students, this event was their first exposure to advocacy.

Members with questions about future advocacy days may contact Sean Sorenson-Abbott at the MHA.

MHA Visits Capitol Hill with Member Hospitals for AHA Advocacy Day

Member News
MHA and Michigan hospital representatives pictured with Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Midland).
MHA and Michigan hospital representatives pictured with Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Midland).
MHA and Michigan hospital representatives pictured with Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Midland).

The MHA visited Capitol Hill in Washington DC last week to emphasize year-end priorities to Michigan’s congressional delegation.

The MHA and several hospital representatives met with House members and with U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow to deliver the message that pending Medicare cuts are unsustainable and unacceptable. Memorial Healthcare CEO Brian Long joined the group to request prompt action to prevent the forthcoming 4% Statutory Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) sequester and extend or make permanent the low-volume adjustment and the Medicare-dependent hospital programs. Without an extension, these critical rural programs expire Dec. 16 and will reduce reimbursement to Michigan hospitals by more than $12 million annually. The MHA also pushed for making permanent the expansion of telehealth services and extending the hospital-at-home program. The members of the Michigan congressional delegation were receptive to these requests and generally expressed optimism that the pending Medicare reductions would be paused or even repealed.

The MHA also took part in both the American Hospital Association and Children’s Hospital Association advocacy briefings, which concurrently took place in DC. Both associations discussed their central priorities as the lame duck session nears its end and a new Congress prepares to enter Capitol Hill.

Members with questions about end of year priorities or future advocacy days on Capitol Hill may contact Laura Appel at the MHA.