Tag: Healthcare Costs

FREEP Op-Ed: Access to Care is a Promise — and Hospitals Are Keeping It

Member News, MHA In The News

The Detroit Free Press published an op-ed Oct. 21 from MHA CEO Brian Peters that affirms the commitment of hospitals to patients and shares the actions hospitals are taking to keep costs low for patients. Those include moving care to more affordable settings, using lower-cost medication alternatives when appropriate, improving care coordination and expanding the behavioral health workforce.

Peters highlights the cost pressures impacting hospitals, including the rise in prescription drug costs, labor and inflation. He also discusses how public reimbursements routinely fail to cover the cost of that care and the issues it can cause to access to healthcare services when combined with rising costs.

“We’re the backbone of access: the nurse at the bedside at 3 a.m., the surgical team on call, the therapist helping a child walk again. Michigan hospital teams will keep showing up with compassion and professionalism,” Peters said.

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

Media Recap: Medicaid and Healthcare Costs

Member News, Issues in Healthcare, MHA In The News

The MHA received media coverage during the week of Aug. 18 that continued to focus on the impact the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) will have on Medicaid as well as comments related to the impact hospital consolidations have on healthcare access.

Gongwer published a story Aug. 20 on the impact hospital consolidations have on healthcare costs and access to care for employees. MHA CEO Brian Peters was quoted in the article disputing the claim that hospitals are profiteers.

“Bashing community hospitals and the 220,000 hospital workers who show up every day of the year to care for Michigan patients is misguided and inflammatory,” said Peters. “Hospitals are focused on providing safe, high-quality, affordable care in every community they serve.”

NPR also published a story following an interview with Peters regarding the impact the OBBBA and new work requirements will have on healthcare in Michigan.

“The state of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has estimated that as many as 700,000 Michiganders could lose coverage because of the reconciliation bill,” said Peters.

The new work requirements will necessitate that hundreds of thousands of enrollees document their eligibility every six months. Peters noted in the interview that there’s no evidence of widespread waste and abuse in the state’s Medicaid program.

“When you look at the Medicaid population here in the state of Michigan, we know that almost all of those folks are working and working full time,” said Peters.

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