LARA Updates Implicit Bias Training Rules

The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) recently released the final draft of the Public Health Code – General Rules to allow asynchronous teleconference or webinars as acceptable modality of training as part of the implicit bias training standards. Webinars and asynchronous teleconference were previously prohibited because they didn’t allow for interaction between students and the instructor. These rules will be filed with the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules and become effective March 23, 2023

Under the updated rules, individuals applying to renew their license will be allowed to satisfy the implicit bias training standard through webinars offered by acceptable sponsors. Another positive rule change is the allowance of implicit bias training to satisfy other training or continuing education requirements.

Members with questions should contact Renée Smiddy at the MHA.

MHA Monday Report Sept. 12, 2022

MHA Monday Report

Healthcare Remains Michigan’s Largest Private-sector Employer Despite Pandemic Losses

The Partnership for Michigan’s Health reports healthcare directly employed nearly 572,000 Michigan residents in 2020, demonstrating that healthcare continues to be the largest private-sector employer in the state despite staffing losses attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2022 release …


Lt. Gov. Hosted at Capitol Advocacy Center


MHA Drafts Comments on 340B Provisions and REH Payment Policies


MHA Offering Basics of Case Management Boot Camp


Implicit Bias Trainings Available to Meet LARA Requirement


Webinar Explores Guidelines for Strategic Planning


Virtual Nurse Preceptor Academy Supports New Employee Training and Retention


MHA CEO Report – Time to Focus on Cybersecurity


AHA Trustee Insights Outlines Financial Turnaround and Succession Planning


Paul KeckleyThe Keckley Report

In Campaign 2022, Healthcare Voters Will Matter More

“Today begins the countdown to election day November 8: in 63 days, voters will elect 36 Governors, 30 State Attorneys General, 27 Secretaries of State, 35 US Senators, 435 US House of Representatives and State Legislators in 46 states. It’s a consequential election for the country and for its healthcare industry…

Campaigns will avoid healthcare issues other than abortion. Conceding that healthcare is expensive and access uneven, most midterm campaigns will default to partisan themes…”

Paul Keckley, Sept. 6, 2022


News to Know

  • The deadline to provide contact information in preparation for the state’s anticipated grant program to implement an Emergency Department Medication for Opioid Use Disorder program has been extended to Sept. 23.

MHA in the News

MHA CEO Brian Peters

Implicit Bias Trainings Available to Meet LARA Requirement

The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) revised Public Health Code Rules requiring implicit bias training for all professions licensed or registered under the Public Health Code took effect in June. Implicit Bias trainings are still available for those needing to meet the requirement.

The Office for Health Equity and Inclusion at Michigan Medicine is hosting a 1-hour, live virtual course called Building Toward Belonging: Implicit Bias Training (LARA Compliant) for $150 per participant. The following groups qualify for a $50 per person discount:

  • University of Michigan alumni and retirees.
  • Non-profit workers.
  • K-12 workers.
  • Groups of 10+ (must be registered together).

Those who fall within one of the above categories can contact the team to request a promo code. For teams of 50 or more, a request can be made at least 6-8 weeks in advance for scheduling a virtual session outside of the posted dates.

The Michigan Health Council is also offering implicit bias trainings in two formats, hybrid or live guest lecture, over the next several months. In a hybrid delivery model, learners will watch a one-hour video on demand and attend a one-hour webinar to engage in a robust discussion and group exercises. Registration for this training is available for $50 per person.

With a guest presentation, organizations can offer the training to staff onsite at their convenience. The presentation will include an introduction to implicit bias followed by targeted exercises, discussion and evaluation questions. Members may contact Kristin Sewell for pricing and availability.

Implicit Bias Trainings Available to Meet LARA Requirement

The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) revised Public Health Code Rules requiring implicit bias training for all professions licensed or registered under the Public Health Code took effect in June. Implicit Bias trainings are still available for those needing to meet the requirement.

The Office for Health Equity and Inclusion – Michigan Medicine is hosting Building Toward Belonging: Implicit Bias Training (LARA Compliant), a 1-hour, live virtual course.

Building Toward Belonging: Implicit Bias Training is being offered for $150 per participant.

The following groups qualify for a $50 per person discount:

  • University of Michigan alumni and retirees
  • Non-profit workers
  • K-12 workers
  • Groups of 10+ (must be registered together)

If you fall within one of these categories, send an email to OHEI-training@med.umich.edu and request a promo code for the category you qualify for.

Community Group Session Rates: If your team has 50 or more participants, you can request a virtual session outside of our currently posted schedule. This session would be scheduled for a time that works for your team and requests must be submitted in this form at least 6-8 weeks in advance.

The Michigan Health Council is also offering implicit bias trainings in two formats, hybrid or live guest lecture, over the next several months.

In a hybrid delivery model, learners will watch a one-hour video on demand and attend a one-hour webinar to engage in a robust discussion and group exercises with the instructor and other learners. This training is available for $50 per person. Register here.

With a guest presentation, organizations can offer the training to their staff on-site at their convenience. The presentation will include an introduction to implicit bias and targeted exercises, discussion, and evaluation questions. Members may contact Kristin Sewell via email or at 517-908-8243 for pricing and availability.

Media Recap: Implicit Bias Training & Medicaid Maternal Health Coverage

Brian Peters

The MHA received media coverage the week of May 9 on the upcoming Public Health Code Rules requiring implicit bias training for all professions licensed or registered under the Public Health Code and the recently approved extension by The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of Michigan Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program coverage for 12 months after pregnancy.

Bridge published May 11 a story on the healthcare industry’s reaction to the June 1 implementation date of the implicit bias training requirement. MHA CEO Brian Peters is quoted in the article expressing the positive reaction from hospitals on the requirement and their commitment to eliminate health disparities.

“There’s been no push back,” said Peters. “Everyone realizes this is the right thing to do.”

State of Reform also published May 10 an article on the increase in coverage for postpartum mothers from 60 days after birth to a full year in Michigan. Laura Appel, executive vice president of government relations and public policy, MHA, spoke with State of Reform on the importance of this coverage extension towards addressing maternal mortality and racial disparities.

“It feels counterintuitive to why healthcare coverage for women would end 60 days after they gave birth,” said Appel. “You would in no way expect coverage to end so quickly.”

MHA Monday Report April 25, 2022

MHA Monday Report

capitol building

Senate Moves Appropriations Subcommittee Budgets and Advances Opioid Settlement Legislation

The Michigan Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services reported out April 20 their budget recommendation for the fiscal year 2023 budget beginning Oct. 1. Senate Bill 828 protects hospital priorities including maintaining funding for the Healthy Michigan Plan …


DIFS Utilization Review Decisions Favor Hospitals

The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) issued in early April two important utilization review decisions in favor of hospitals related to auto no-fault insurance reimbursement. Under the new system enacted as part of Public Act 21 of 2019, hospitals …


LARA Rules Requiring Implicit Bias Training Take Effect June 1

The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) revised Public Health Code Rules requiring implicit bias training for all professions licensed or registered under the Public Health Code, except for Veterinary Medicine, effective June 1. …


CMS Releases FY 2023 Proposed Rule to Update Hospital IPPS

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a proposed rule to update the Medicare fee-for-service hospital inpatient prospective payment system for fiscal year 2023. When all proposed changes are considered, the rule is expected to result in a net decrease …


Cybersecurity Member Forum Scheduled for June 2

The MHA will host a cybersecurity member forum from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 2 at the Henry Center for Executive Development. Increasing cybersecurity threats support the need for leaders to identify vulnerabilities of medical devices and supply chains, to select staff who can lead threat mitigation …


Long-term Acute-care Hospital Payment System Proposed Rule Released

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently released a proposed rule to update the Medicare fee-for-service long-term care hospital prospective payment system for fiscal year 2023. …


Webinar Focused on Long-Term Goal Planning and Accountability

Successful stewardship of an organization is central to the role of governance. In many boardrooms, an inward, short-term operational focus robs governing boards of their attention to external forces and long-term strategic imperatives. It takes discipline and a symbiotic relationship between the board …


Nurse Preceptor and Clinical Faculty Academy Available Online

New nurses can be overwhelmed with responsibilities, which is why nurse preceptors make a difference. Nurse preceptors help new nurses develop their professional identity, access appropriate clinical research and learn from mistakes. …


The Keckley Report

Paul Keckley

Why Not-for-profit Hospitals Are Soft Targets

“Last week, the Lown Institute issued its latest report card on not-for-profit hospitals finding most undeserving of their tax breaks. …

“In response, the American Hospital Association (AHA) released a statement criticizing the Lown Institute’s ‘faulty methodology’ and defending hospitals’ use of financial resources.”

Paul Keckley, April 18, 2022

Brian Peters Discusses Implicit Bias Training Requirement with Modern Healthcare

Brian Peters

MHA CEO Brian Peters speaks with Modern Healthcare Managing Editor Matthew WeinstockModern Healthcare published an interview with MHA CEO Brian Peters June 7 discussing the new administrative rules adopted by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs that require implicit bias training as part of the knowledge and skills necessary for licensure or registration of healthcare professionals in Michigan. The interview is part of The Check Up, a Modern Healthcare video interview series with executives from across the healthcare industry on key leadership issues.

The story includes a video interview between Peters and Modern Healthcare Managing Editor Matthew Weinstock. Throughout the conversation, Peters discusses the MHA’s support of efforts to reduce barriers to access care address and to eliminate health disparities. Also discussed was the MHA membership’s commitment to lead on this issue, with Peters citing the MHA Pledge to Address Racism and Health Inequities as an example. A transcript of the interview is also available in the story.

“The Michigan Health and Hospital Association is very supportive of this direction that Governor Whitmer and her team is taking and this is a group effort,” said Peters. “This is, as I’ve said for a long time, an all hands on deck effort. Because if it is strictly hospitals or strictly a physician practices or strictly skilled nursing facilities that are doing this work, we’re never going to get where we need to be. This is something that the entire care continuum, but even beyond the care continuum, we need to join arms. We need to learn from each other. I think this is a step in the right direction. It’s one step of what I think will be many steps that that will be necessary in this journey. But the bottom line is we’re on the journey and that’s something to celebrate. I think having the conversation and the sunlight, if you will, on this issue finally is something to have to be very proud of. I know we’re very excited to be part of this work.”

Read the article