News Coverage Continues Focus on Medicaid

Laura Appel

The MHA received media coverage during the week of July 28 that continued to focus on the impact the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) will have on Medicaid.

Bridge published an op-ed Aug. 1 from MHA CEO Brian Peters refuting public claims defending Medicaid funding cuts in the OBBBA. Peters describes how the cuts will have real consequences for real people, spanning all populations.

“When hospitals lose Medicaid dollars, the burden shifts to other patients, including those with employer-sponsored insurance,” said Peters. “Costs go up. Wait times increase. Local access to specialty care dries up. Employers and families alike will feel the ripple effects, both in their insurance premiums and at the distance they must travel for care.”

WZZM 13 published a story July 30 on the 60th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid being established by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The story references a media statement published by the MHA on the subject.

Laura AppelA story also aired July 30 during the FOX 47 evening news broadcast about how Medicaid changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) will impact rural healthcare providers. MHA Executive Vice President Laura Appel was interviewed as part of the story.

Appel also appears in a Crain’s Detroit Business article about healthcare affordability that was sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM). Representatives from various Michigan businesses and healthcare groups were invited to join BCBSM and Crain’s in the executive roundtable.

Appel spoke to the cost pressures impacting hospitals and the role hospitals have in addressing rising healthcare costs.

“Most hospitals across our state are looking for those partnerships because they can’t afford to do it on their own,” said Appel in relation to hospitals pursuing mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures.

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

Setting the Record Straight on OBBBA Impacts

The MHA received media coverage during the week of July 21 that focused on setting the record straight about the impacts of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) on hospitals.

The Detroit News published an opinion response from MHA CEO Brian Peters and Michigan League for Public Policy President and CEO Monique Stanton about the harmful consequences to Michiganders and healthcare from the OBBBA. This response follows an editorial from The Detroit News published July 12 that defended the cuts to Medicaid.

“Michigan hospitals are bracing for a $6 billion loss in Medicaid funding over the next decade,” said Peters and Stanton. “When coverage declines, so do reimbursements, but the volume of those seeking care does not. That means fewer resources to staff emergency rooms, provide specialty care or keep maternity units open. When that happens, everyone, not just Medicaid recipients, feels the impact.”

MHA Executive Vice President Laura Appel also appeared on The WILS Morning Wake-up on WILS-AM 1320 in Lansing on July 22 to discuss the OBBBA with host Mike Austin.

Lastly, Peters also provided a statement for a FOX 47 story on July 24 expressing the MHA’s opposition to Senate Bills 296 and 297, which would limit any hospital’s ability to require mandatory overtime to just during declared emergencies.

“Requiring nurses to work overtime is rarely used, but hospitals and nursing leaders need the flexibility to make decisions that may require staff to work outside of their normal schedules to ensure patient care when unforeseen circumstances occur in their local communities,” said Peters.

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