The MHA received media coverage on a variety of topics during the weeks of Aug. 1 and Aug. 8. Areas of focus included health insurance tax credits from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), healthcare benefits in the Inflation Reduction Act, growing demand for healthcare careers and more.
Crain’s Detroit Business published Aug. 2 a Letter to the Editor on the importance of permanently writing into law ARPA health insurance tax credits that was signed by Laura Appel, executive vice president of government relations and public policy, MHA, along with Dominick Pallone, executive director, Michigan Association of Health Plans; Julie Novak, CEO, Michigan State Medical Society; and Phillip Bergquist, CEO, Michigan Primary Care Association. Together, they describe how the expanded income tax credits helped 67,000 Michigan residents gain access to health insurance.
“Premium tax credits serve as a key that unlocks greater access to this care and the healthier future we need. We must protect them before it’s too late. We call on lawmakers to work with urgency to see that ARPA’s health insurance tax credits are permanently written into law before they expire at the end of this year.”
An article on the fastest growing job opportunities in Michigan through 2030 was also published by Crain’s, which includes several healthcare careers at the top of the list. The article quotes Brian Peters discussing the state funding available for community colleges to partner with a four-year institution to offer a bachelor’s degree in nursing on a community college campus.
“Staffing shortages are impacting Michigan hospitals throughout the state, particularly in the areas of nursing,” said Peters. “This plan will help us get more highly-skilled professionals into the field quickly and increase access to nursing education in more communities across the state.”
Lastly, Crain’s published a story Aug. 12 that includes a quote from the MHA celebrating the federal Inflation Reduction Act including an extension for three years of expanded subsidies to reduce Health Insurance Marketplace premiums and insulin being capped at $35 a month for Medicare patients.
Additional news clips included a statement provided to MiBiz on a Michigan Court of Appeals ruling Aug. 1 that allowed county prosecutors to pursue criminal charges in most abortion cases until an Oakland County circuit court judge granted a temporary restraining order to block local prosecutors from enforcing the law later that same day. Becker’s Hospital Review also published an interview with MHA CEO Brian Peters on a variety of topics in preparation for Peters serving on a panel at Becker’s 10th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable conference in November.