Tag: CMS

News to Know – May 18, 2026

Member News
  • New to KnowThe MHA Person & Family Engagement Advisory Council (PFEAC) met May 14 to examine patient journey mapping, a method used to document and visualize the patient experience across healthcare touchpoints, from recognizing a health need through treatment and ongoing care. PFEAC members and the MHA Health Access & Community Impact Council are collaborating to identify where patients may feel disconnected during the care process and explore opportunities to strengthen connections with healthcare providers and community partners to improve patient and family wellbeing. Questions about the council can be directed to Erin Steward.
  • Hospitals paid under the Medicare Inpatient Prospective Payment System must submit a calendar year 2025 occupational mix survey to the Medicare Administrative Contractor by June 30. Survey results will be used to adjust the Medicare wage index for fiscal years 2028, 2029 and 2030. Members may contact the MHA health finance team for educational resources.
  • Applicable laboratories, including hospital outreach laboratories, must report private payer data under the Protecting Access to Medicare Act from Jan. 1 through June 30, 2025, during the reporting window open through July 31, 2026. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires submission through its Enterprise Portal. Reported data will be used to develop 2027 Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule rates, with possible payment reductions of up to 15% for certain tests. Additional CMS reporting resources are available online. Members with questions may contact the MHA health finance team.

Keystone Quality and Safety Work Highlighted at MICAH QN Meeting

Member News, Patient Safety and Quality

Kristy Shafer, senior manager, MHA Keystone Center, and senior lead quality improvement advisor for Superior Health, presented the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) quality improvement program at the Michigan Critical Access Hospital Quality Network (MICAH QN) quarterly meeting May 7 in Traverse City.

The MHA Keystone Center is a member of Superior Health, a quality-improvement joint venture that seeks to improve outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries. As one of the Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) for the CMS 13th Scope of Work, Superior Health is recruiting Michigan hospitals, nursing homes and clinics for its no-cost program. Members interested in participating are encouraged to enroll by May 27.

Several presenters also highlighted past MHA Keystone Center initiatives, including its emergency department medication for opioid use disorder (ED MOUD) programming and a Patient Safety Organization (PSO) Safe Table series.

Amy DeKorse presenting during the MICAH QN Meeting.
Amy DeKorse presenting during the MICAH QN Meeting.

Amy DeKorse of Munson Healthcare led a discussion on substance use and behavioral health in patient safety and quality. The discussion highlighted collaborative work between the Michigan Opioid Partnership and the MHA Keystone Center on an ED MOUD initiative to expand access to evidence-based treatment statewide and support transitions to long-term office-based care following discharge. From 2019 to 2023, approximately half of Michigan emergency departments participated in the initiative. ED MOUD learning modules remain available to members at no cost on Key Learnings.

Heather Githu, MAS, BSN, RN, CPPS, regional director of patient safety, University of Michigan Sparrow, is a member of the MHA Keystone Center Adverse Event Review Committee and presented during a three-part PSO Safe Table high-reliability series in 2025 focused on healthcare reliability and patient safety practices. Julia Harbuck-Valley, quality manager, Scheurer Health, also highlighted the MHA Keystone Center and encouraged organizations to participate in its patient safety and quality trainings.

Members with questions may contact Kristy Shafer at the MHA Keystone Center.

CMS Releases FY 2027 LTCH Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule

Member News

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 include:

  • Increasing the standard LTCH PPS rate by a net 2.7%, after the 0.8 productivity cut and budget neutrality adjustments, from $50,824 to $52,177 for LTCHs that successfully comply with the CMS quality reporting program and electronic health record requirements. LTCHs that do not meet the requirements for these programs are subject to a 2-percentage-point reduction in the annual update.
  • Continue paying cases at the site-neutral rate if they fail to meet LTCH criteria.
  • Maintaining the fixed-loss amount for high-cost outlier cases at the current $78,936 for standard LTCH payment rate cases. Site-neutral payment cases are subject to the inpatient PPS fixed loss amount, proposed at $51,679.
  • Increasing the labor-related share of the standardized operating rate slightly from 72.9% to 73%.
  • Removing two measures from the LTCH Quality Reporting Program (QRP) and from public display beginning with the FY 2028 payment determination. If finalized, LTCHs would not be required to report calendar year 2026 data for the COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage Among Healthcare Personnel measure. The CMS also proposes to remove the COVID-19 Vaccine: Percent of Patients/Residents Who Are Up to Date measure beginning with the FY 2028 payment determination.
  • Revising the LTCH QRP data submission deadlines beginning with the FY 2029 LTCH QRP to reduce the timeframe for data submission from four and a half months after the end of the performance period to 45 days.

The MHA will provide a hospital-specific impact analysis and additional details in the coming weeks. Members are encouraged to submit comments to CMS by June 9 and notify Vickie Kunz at the MHA of any identified issues by June 1. CMS is expected to release a final rule around Aug. 1.

MHA Monday Report April 27, 2026

Member News, Monday Report

House, Senate Advance Budget Proposals; MHA-Supported Bills Move

Budget proposals from the House and Senate advanced in their respective chambers, while MHA-supported legislation saw action during the week of April 20. House Bill 5619, sponsored by Rep. Ann Bollin (R-Brighton), passed the …

Keystone Board Advances Safety Priorities, Plans Upcoming Work

The MHA Keystone Center Board of Directors met April 8 to discuss safety and quality priorities, review governance actions and plan for the upcoming program year. Brook Watts, MD, chief quality officer, Michigan Medicine, shared …

LARA Background Check Requirements to Impact Hospice Licensing

The MHA has been working with the Michigan HomeCare & Hospice Association to raise awareness of upcoming enforcement by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) related to background check and fingerprinting requirements. …

MHA Annual Membership Meeting Explores Perception and Affordability

The MHA membership will convene in person for the MHA Annual Membership Meeting June 24-26 at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. The annual meeting will feature an outstanding lineup of experts discussing key topics, …

Continuum of Care Consortium Seeks Member Participation

The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Bureau of Survey and Certification is organizing a Continuum of Care Consortium. This group is designed to bring together hospital and long-term care providers …

MHA Keystone Center Pilot Reduces Caregiver Strain

The MHA Keystone Center, in partnership with the Michigan Health Endowment Fund, released findings from a two-year pilot since implementing the Michigan Caregiver Navigation Toolkit in acute care settings. Results show reductions in caregiver strain and …

Hospitals Help Prioritize Patient and Family-Centered Care

Hospitals are improving the health and well-being of communities through a care model that fosters collaboration between clinicians, patients and their support systems. Person- and Family-Centered Care — often referred to as Patient and …

Keckley Report

For Hospitals, the Future’s not a Repeat of the Past

“Per AHA President and CEO: “The timing of our presence and voice in Washington is especially important this year. Health care affordability remains in the spotlight. Congress is discussing the prospects of one or two more reconciliation packages this year, even as we are asking them to examine the overreach and mitigate certain health care provisions from last year’s package. And we are 199 days from the midterm elections…” (AHA Today April 17, 2026)

The reality is this: hospitals have lost much of the good will they earned during the pandemic. Pushback by AHA against hospital price transparency, site neutral payments, 340B changes et al. have been successful. But heightened visibility about executive compensation, profitability, tax exemptions, private equity ownership concerns and for-profit venture-development has eroded Congressional favor, exacerbated nurse and physician burnout and lessened community support. AHA is aware. …

I do not think the future of the U.S. health system will be a repeat of its past. That’s good news and bad news for hospitals.”

Paul Keckley, April 19, 2026

MHA in the News

Adam Carlson, senior vice president, advocacy, MHA, joined JJ Hodshire, president and chief executive officer, Hillsdale Hospital, for a press conference April 17 to discuss how proposed cuts to Medicaid will further destabilize hospitals …

MHA Monday Report April 20, 2026

Member News, Monday Report

House Budget Proposal Advances; Other Hospital Bills See Action

Several healthcare bills, including mandatory nurse overtime, medical debt collections, prescribed pediatric extended care facilities and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services budget, saw action in the legislature during the week of April 13. The Michigan Senate voted in support …

MHA Unemployment Compensation Program Receives Fifth Consecutive Award for Outstanding Performance

The MHA Unemployment Compensation Program was recognized by the National Association of State Workforce Agencies April 17 for its continued commitment to using the State Information Data Exchange System to receive new claims and respond to …

Trinity Health Michigan Team Members Recognized with MHA Keystone Center Speak-up! Award

The MHA Keystone Center recognized Camryn Smith and Alicia Evans, medical assistants at Trinity Health IHA Medical Group, as its quarterly MHA Keystone Center Speak-up! Award recipients. The Speak-up! Award …

MDHHS Convenes Statewide RHTP Advisory Council

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) convened the first Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) Advisory Council meeting on April 13. Three rural hospital leaders from MHA-member hospitals serve on the council: Julie …

CMS Releases FY 2027 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a proposed rule to update the Medicare fee-for-service inpatient prospective payment system for fiscal year (FY) 2027. Highlights of the proposed rule include: …

LARA to Host Webinar on Proposed Psychiatric Hospital Licensing Rule Changes

The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), through its Bureau of Community Health Systems, will host a webinar from 3 to 3:30 p.m., May 7, to review proposed updates to administrative rules …

MEJI Seeks Input on Guardianship Training Initiative

The Michigan Elder Justice Initiative (MEJI) is seeking feedback from members to help shape upcoming guardianship training. Members are encouraged to complete a brief survey to share input on what is needed, how it should …

Upcoming Opportunities to Prioritize Workplace Safety

As MHA CEO Brian Peters stated in his April CEO Report, it’s critical – especially during Workplace Violence Prevention Month – to prioritize the safety and well-being of healthcare workers. The MHA Keystone Center and …

Hospitals Help: Bronson Drives Change in Maternal and Infant Health

From prenatal care and labor and delivery to neonatal intensive care and postpartum follow-up, Bronson Healthcare plays a critical role in influencing health outcomes for mothers and babies across Southwest Michigan. In celebrating a historic …

Keckley Report

The AHA Annual Membership Meeting: Three Issues that Require Attention

“This weekend, the American Hospital Association will convene its 2026 Annual Membership Meeting in DC. Its purpose is to equip leaders to engage with lawmakers and government officials on issues of consequence to hospitals.

The agenda includes panels on age-friendly health systems, post-acute services, AI and more, interspersed with punditry from members of Congress and political commentators. It’s a federally-focused meeting at a time when the current administration has signaled distaste for healthcare and frustrations with hospitals. …

Key questions for hospitals: What does value mean in our organization? To whom is our value focus directed? Is quality in our organization an end in itself or a means to a financial result? Is participation in VBC projects helpful to our organization or is watchful waiting prudent?

The American Hospital Association, its state affiliates and its members face unprecedented challenges in 2026 and beyond. While attention is focused on short-term rules and regulations that protect hospital revenues (340B, site neutral payments, Medicaid cuts, et al), equal consideration is needed to the long-term role and scope of hospitals in emergent systems of health. That makes the AHA Board’s selection of retiring CEO Rick Pollock’s successor and the deliberation of the AHA Board about the long-term future for hospitals even more consequential.”

Paul Keckley, April 12, 2026

New to Know

News to Know

  • Applications are being accepted for the 2026-27 MHA Excellence in Governance Fellowship for hospital and health system trustees.
  • MHA Endorsed Business Partner SmarterDx is hosting the webinar “Making the Case for AI-Powered CDI” May 7 at 1 p.m. ET in partnership with ACDIS.

MHA in the News

Recent coverage of the Michigan Senate’s April 15 action on mandatory nurse overtime highlighted the MHA’s active engagement in ensuring hospital concerns were reflected in the final package. MHA Chief Nursing Officer Amy Brown was …

CMS Releases FY 2027 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule

Member News

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a proposed rule to update the Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) for fiscal year (FY) 2027. Highlights of the proposed rule include:

  • Mandating participation in the expanded Comprehensive Joint Replacement Model by all acute care hospitals paid under the inpatient prospective payment system beginning Oct. 1, 2027, for beneficiaries undergoing lower extremity joint replacements in the inpatient or outpatient setting.
  • Increasing the standardized operating rate by a net 3.2%, after a 0.8% productivity cut and budget neutrality adjustments, from $6,752.61 to $6,967.87 for hospitals that successfully comply with the CMS quality reporting program and electronic health record requirements. Hospitals that do not meet these requirements are subject to a reduced annual update.
  • Increasing the federal capital rate by 4%, from $524.15 to $545.22.
  • Increasing the cost outlier threshold by 28%, from $40,397 to $51,704, to maintain the target of paying 5.1% of aggregate inpatient prospective payment system payments as outliers.
  • Maintaining the current labor-related share of the standardized operating rate at 66% for hospitals with a wage index greater than 1.0 and 62% for those with a wage index equal to or less than 1.0.
  • Decreasing disproportionate share hospital and uncompensated care payments by $564 million nationally. Uncompensated care payments will be allocated using the average of the three most recent years of audited Worksheet S-10 data.
  • Updating Medicare Severity-Diagnosis Related Group relative weights using FY 2025 MedPAR claims data and updated cost report and cost-to-charge ratios.
  • Adding 14 new Medicare Severity Diagnosis-Related Groups while deleting 18, with most changes within Major Diagnostic Category 05, Diseases and Disorders of the Circulatory System; Major Diagnostic Category 08, Diseases and Disorders of the Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue; and Major Diagnostic Category 13, Diseases and Disorders of the Female Reproductive System.
  • Modifying off-campus provider-based location rules by changing the “same patient population” criteria. Specifically, CMS proposes limiting the referral-based 75% test to outpatient departments only. Inpatient facilities seeking provider-based status could continue using the alternative ZIP code overlap test, but would no longer be allowed to use the referral-based test to meet the location requirement.
  • Adopting eight measures for the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program, including 3 measures not previously used in CMS quality programs:
    • Excess Days in Acute Care After Hospitalization for Diabetes
    • Advance Care Planning
    • Hospital Harm – Postoperative Venous Thromboembolism
  • Adopting one measure on sepsis readmissions for the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program for the FY 2029 program year.

The MHA will provide a hospital-specific impact analysis and additional details on the proposed rule in the near future. Members are encouraged to submit comments to CMS by June 9 and to notify Vickie Kunz of any issues identified by June 1.  The CMS is expected to release a final rule around Aug. 1.

MHA Monday Report April 13, 2026

Member News, Monday Report

Michigan Health & Hospital Association Establishes MHA Center of Rural Excellence

The Michigan Health & Hospital Association (MHA) announced April 10 the establishment of the MHA Center of Rural Excellence, a 501(c)(6) organization created to formalize and strengthen the collective voice of rural hospitals through support tailored …

State Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks Addresses MHA Board

The MHA Board of Trustees welcomed Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) as a guest speaker at its April 8 board meeting at the MHA Capitol Advocacy Center in downtown Lansing. Sen. Brinks shared …

CMS Releases FY 2027 Proposed Rules Across Care Settings

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released several proposed rules for fiscal year (FY) 2027 that update Medicare payment systems and quality reporting requirements.

MDHHS Recommends Early Measles Vaccination in Select Counties and Extends RSV Immunization Season

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is recommending early measles vaccination for infants in select southeast Michigan counties and extending the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunization season through April 30, in …

Keystone Quality and Safety Dashboard Provides At-a-Glance Insights

The MHA Keystone Center recently rolled out its Quality and Safety Dashboard, a resource that helps Michigan hospitals monitor performance, identify improvement opportunities and reduce patient harm. The dashboard provides an at-a-glance view of performance …

MHA Submits Comments on Proposed Behavioral Health Medicaid Policy

The MHA recently submitted comments to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on proposed policy 2553-BH, which addresses reimbursement for specialty behavioral health services based on service location. While the policy largely reflects …

Council Workgroups Advance Care Delivery Strategies

The MHA Council on Health Access and Community Impact, established in June 2024, brings together voices from across the MHA membership to advance a shared commitment to improving healthcare and health outcomes. Over the past …

MDHHS Seeks Applications for Loan Repayment Program to Expand Substance Use Disorder Treatment

The MDHHS is accepting applications through April 30 for the Michigan Opioid Treatment Access Loan Repayment Program, which supports providers who offer or expand access to opioid addiction …

YesRx Donation Drive Expands Access to Cancer Medications

The MHA continues to support the YesRx statewide cancer medication donation drive, taking place April 20-24, to help expand access to treatment and reduce medication waste across Michigan. YesRx is a statewide cancer drug repository …

Hospitals Help: Hillsdale Works to Improve Access for Rural Residents

Rural hospitals are the heart of their communities, providing care close to home in addition to jobs, stability and reassurance that help is nearby in life’s most pivotal moments. Despite their essential role, rural providers …

Keckley Report

In OMB’s FY 2027 Proposed Budget, Healthcare is the Big Loser

“In 1970 before there was ESPN Sports Center, there was ABC’s “Wide World of Sports” and its iconic montage opening featuring a disastrous ski jump attempt by Yugoslavia’s Vinko Bogataj and Jim Kay’s voice-over “the thrill of victory and agony of defeat.” It’s an apt framework for consideration of current affairs in the U.S. today and an appropriate juxtaposition for consideration the winners and losers in the White House Office of Management and Budget FY2027 released Friday. …

In its current form, this budget is unlikely to be enacted October 1, 2026: it’s best viewed as a signal from the White House about priorities it deems most important to the MAGA faithful in Congress, 28 state legislatures and 26 Governors’ offices controlled by Republicans. Though its explosive growth in of War Department funding to $1.5 trillion is eye-popping, cuts to healthcare are equally notable. Both are calculated bets as the mid-term election draws near (six months) and clearly OMB is betting healthcare cuts will be acceptable to its base. …

This budget proposal clearly illustrates why state legislators and Governors will play a bigger role in its future at home and abroad. And it means consumer (voter) awareness and understanding on key issues will be key to the system’s future, lest it is remembered for the agony of its defeat than the thrill of its victory.”

Paul Keckley, April 6, 2026

New to KnowNews to Know

The MHA will host a Health Access and Community Impact Office Hours session April 29 from noon to 12:45 p.m. ET, featuring Michigan 211.

MHA in the News

Elizabeth Kutter, vice president and deputy general counsel, MHA, joined Paul W. Smith for a WJR Spotlight interview April 9 about the value the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program brings to Michigan communities. The conversation …

CMS Releases FY 2027 Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities Proposed Rule

Member News

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a proposed rule to update the Medicare fee-for-service prospective payment system for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPF) for fiscal year (FY) 2027.

Key provisions of the proposed rule include:

  • Increasing the IPF prospective payment system (PPS) federal per diem base rate by a net 2.2% after all adjustments, from $892.87 to $912.58 for IPFs that comply with the CMS IPF Quality Reporting Program (QRP) requirements. The rate for providers that fail to report quality data is $894.74.
  • Increasing the electroconvulsive therapy payment per treatment by a net 2.2% from $673.85 to $688.73 for IPFs that comply with IPF QRP requirements and $675.26 for IPFs that fail to report data.
  • Increasing the labor-related share from the current 79% to 79.1%.
  • Continuing to use the pre-reclassification and pre-floor hospital inpatient PPS wage indexes while soliciting input on alternative data sources, such as Bureau of Labor Statistics data for the IPF wage index.
  • Decreasing the cost outlier threshold by 3.9%, from $39,360 to $37,820, to achieve the 2% target for outlier payments compared with aggregate payments.
  • Limiting total outlier payments to no more than 20% of a facility’s total payments. If finalized, facilities that exceed this cap would no longer receive outlier payments.
  • Updating the IPF QRP to:
    • Remove two measures:
      • Alcohol Use Brief Intervention Provided or Offered and Alcohol Use Brief Intervention (SUB-2/2a) measure.
      • Tobacco Use Treatment Provided or Offered at discharge (TOB-3/3a) measure.
    • Implement the IPF-Patient Assessment Instrument (IPF-PAI) to collect and submit certain standardized patient assessment data beginning Oct. 1, 2027, for the FY 2029 payment determination. The CMS proposes two methods for IPF-PAI data submission: a free CMS-developed web application or two Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resource (FHIR) application programming interfaces. This would be the first time the CMS would include data submission via the FHIR standard in a QRP.

The MHA will provide facilities with a facility-specific impact analysis and additional details on the proposed rule in the coming weeks.  Members are encouraged to submit comments to the CMS by June 1 and notify Vickie Kunz at the MHA of any issues identified by May 22.

MHA Monday Report April 6, 2026

Member News, Monday Report

MHA EventsHospital HR Professionals Gather at MHA Human Resources Conference

The MHA welcomed human resources leaders from across the state for the 2026 MHA Human Resources Conference March 24 in Lansing. Attendees gathered for a day of learning, networking and discussions focused on the workforce …

CMS Issues Guidance on Updated Federal Dietary Guidelines

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a Quality & Safety Special Alert Memo reminding critical access hospital providers of their responsibilities for patient food and nutrition services under existing …

MHA Annual Membership Meeting Strengthens Statewide Collaboration

The MHA Annual Membership Meeting will be held June 24-26 on Mackinac Island. It will include education sessions that deliver tactics and perspectives to shape the future, recognition of prestigious individuals leading transformation and numerous …

Excellence in Governance Fellowship Offers Meaningful Dialogue Among Trustees and Experts

Applications are now being accepted for the 2026-27 cohort of the MHA Excellence in Governance Fellowship, a rigorous and comprehensive program delivering tools and knowledge in effective governance. Hospital and health system governing board members …

Hospitals Help: Kalkaska Memorial Walks Beside Patients at Discharge

Patients often feel most vulnerable during the transition from hospital to home – especially if questions linger, follow-up care is extensive or there’s any risk of complications. Knowing this, hospitals are finding ways to ensure …

MHA Rounds image of Brian PetersMHA CEO Report — Violence Is Not Part of the Job

Healthcare workers accept extraordinary responsibility in their role as caregivers for their community, but fearing for their own safety is never something they should have to accept as part of the job. …

March Recap

March was marked by a strong focus on National Nutrition Month, highlighting how hospitals are advancing Food as Medicine efforts across Michigan. The following articles recap key conversations and initiatives supporting improved health outcomes through nutrition.

Food as Medicine: How Trinity Health Is Advancing Health Through Nutrition

Food is Medicine. Health by Food. ProduceRx. The integration of healthy food into healthcare is gaining attention under many names, but the message remains the same: access to healthy foods as a part of care. …

Health Access & Community Impact Council Focuses on Food as Medicine

The MHA Health Access & Community Impact Council convened virtually March 5 to discuss strategies to improve health outcomes through stronger integration of social and clinical care. In recognition of National Nutrition Month, members also explored …

Hospitals Expand Food Access Through Community Benefit Collaboratives

As many observe National Nutrition Month, hospitals across the state are implementing programs to address chronic disease through nutrition education and expanded food access. This work is being done through the MHA Community Benefit Collaboratives, which support efforts to improve Michiganders’ health outcomes in …

Keckley Report

Reality Check: the New Healthcare Advisory Committee

“Last week, Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert Kennedy and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Director Mehmet Oz announced appointments to the new Healthcare Advisory Committee (HAC).

Its 18 members were selected from 400 nominees and will serve two-year terms. The group includes 4 health system executives, 5 physician leaders, 4 policy analysts, 3 ‘others’ (including motivational speaker Tony Robbins) and 2 Ex Officio (Non‑Voting) Members (Kimberly Brandt, JD — CMS Deputy Administrator & COO Stephanie Carlton, CMS Chief of Staff). …

The U.S. health system is in chaos. Its long-term destination is unknown. It’s near-term is mired in political brinksmanship and discontent about its costs and affordability. It is unhealthy. Majorities in both parties, and independent voters think the system is broken but few know what a viable alternative might be. Lost but making record time!!!”

Paul Keckley, March 29, 2026

New to KnowNews to Know

  • MHA Endorsed Business Partner i2G Systems is hosting the webinar Pathway to Prevention April 22 from 11 a.m. to noon ET.
  • The American Hospital Association (AHA) is accepting applications for the 2027 AHA Foster G. McGaw Prize.

MHA in the News

The MHA received media coverage during the week of March 30 following Executive Vice President of Government Relations and Public Policy Laura Appel’s participation in two panels focused on key healthcare challenges and opportunities. WZMQ …

CMS Issues Guidance on Updated Federal Dietary Guidelines

Member News

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a Quality & Safety Special Alert Memo reminding hospitals and critical access hospital providers of their responsibilities for patient food and nutrition services under existing Medicare Conditions of Participation.

The memo follows the release of the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and directs hospitals to review and update their menus and nutrition practices to better align with current federal recommendations.

Medicare already requires hospitals to provide meals that meet patient nutritional needs under the oversight of a qualified dietitian.

The updated guidelines emphasize diet quality, including limiting highly processed food, sugary drinks and refined carbohydrates, while encouraging whole and minimally processed foods.

This update does not create new requirements but reinforces existing expectations. Hospitals that do not meet current standards may still face enforcement actions under existing rules. The Cornerstone Group, the MHA’s Washington, D.C.-based government affairs representation, provided an additional analysis on the requirements.

Hospitals are encouraged to evaluate their current nutrition practices and make updates as appropriate while continuing to meet the needs of individual patients.

Members with questions may contact Lenise Freeman at the MHA.