Tag: Keckley Report

MHA Monday Report Oct. 20, 2025

Member News, Monday Report

DIFS Releases Bulletin Protecting COVID-19 Vaccinations

The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) issued a bulletin on Oct. 16, advising health insurers in the individual and small group markets to continue covering COVID-19 vaccinations without cost-sharing. The bulletin was …

McLaren Greater Lansing Hospital Nurse Honored with MHA Keystone Center Speak-up! Award

The MHA Keystone Center recognized Rachel Heise, BSN, RN at McLaren Greater Lansing Hospital, as its MHA Keystone Center Speak-up! Award recipient for the second quarter of 2025. The Speak-up! …

FBCM Hosts Inaugural Michigan Food as Medicine Summit

The Food Bank Council of Michigan (FBCM) brought together over 250 healthcare, community organization, government and other key industry leaders for the state’s inaugural Food as Medicine Summit. The two-day event aimed to build cross-sector …

MHA’s Lauren LaPine-Ray Recognized in 40 Under 40 in Public Health

Lauren LaPine-Ray, vice president, policy and rural health, has been recognized as one of the 40 Under 40 in Public Health in recognition of her work at the MHA. The de Beaumont Foundation announced the …

Rural Health Today Podcast on Breaking Down Barriers for Rural Health Providers

MHA Endorsed Business Partner ModusOne Health was recently featured on the Rural Health Today, hosted by JJ Hodshire, president and CEO, Hillsdale Hospital. The episode “Breaking Down Barriers for Rural Healthcare Providers with …

AHA Trustee Insights Highlights Aging Population and Cybersecurity Oversight

The October edition of Trustee Insights, the monthly digital package from the American Hospital Association, highlights podcasts, videos, webinars and other resources on today’s most pressing issues. The issue examines the nation’s aging population and …

Keckley Report

Healthcare’s Biggest Blindspot: Household Financial Insecurity

“The U.S. health industry revolves around a flawed presumption: individuals and families are dependent on the health system to make health decisions on their behalf. It’s as basic as baseball and apple pie in our collective world view. …

Healthcare organizations must rethink their orientations to patients, enrollees and users. All must embrace consumer-facing technologies that empower individuals and households to shop for healthcare products and services deliberately. In this regard, some insurers and employers seem more inclined than providers and suppliers, but solutions are not widely available. And incentives to stimulate households to choose “high value” options are illusory. Data show carrots to make prudent choices work some, but sticks seem to stimulate shopping for most preference-sensitive products and services.

The point is this: the U.S. economy is slowing. Inflation is a concern and prices for household goods and necessary services are going up. The U.S. health industry can ill-afford to take a business-as-usual approach to how our prices are set and communicated, consumer debt collection (aka “rev cycle”) is managed and how capital and programmatic priorities are evaluated. …”

Paul Keckley, Oct. 12, 2025

New to KnowNews to Know

MHA Endorsed Business Partner Wakely recently released its quarterly insights including the white paper, ACO Foundations: Four Pillars for Successful Risk Management in Value-based Contracts.

MHA Monday Report Oct. 13, 2025

Monday Report, Member News

Healthcare Funding Protected in New State Budget Signed by Gov. Whitmer

The Michigan Legislature’s newly passed state budget, which protects all existing healthcare funding, was signed into law Oct. 7 by Gov. Whitmer. Public Act 22 of 2025, sponsored by Rep. Ann Bollin (R-Brighton), passed by both …

Community Benefit Collaborative Members Gather for Kickoff Event

The MHA brought together the Community Benefit Collaborative members for a daylong kickoff event on Oct. 2 to network and learn from peers across the state conducting community benefit work in chronic disease, behavioral health …

CDC Updates Guidance for COVID-19 and Chickenpox Vaccines

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently updated its guidance for the COVID-19 and varicella (chickenpox) vaccines. The CDC’s decision uses an individual-based decision-making framework, referring to vaccination decisions made through shared clinical …

Strengthening Rural Healthcare Through Smarter Physician Recruitment

MHA Endorsed Business Partner AMN Healthcare recently released the Rural Physician Recruiting Challenges and Solutions white paper, produced by its Physician Solutions division (formerly Merritt Hawkins). The resource identifies several approaches to address these challenges: Recruiting physicians …

Investing in Rural Hospitals Means Investing in Rural Michigan

When the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law in July, it created the Rural Health Transformation Program, a five-year, $50 billion investment in rural healthcare. The MHA Board of Trustees took swift action empowering an MHA board-appointed task force charged with creating …

Keckley Report

Shutdown Impact: The Affordable Care Act 2.0 Takes Center Stage

“In 2009, I facilitated discussions with key health industry trade associations and the White House Office of Health Reform focused on reforms to reduce costs, increase insurance coverage and improve quality by 2019. It was the Obama administration’s aim to use the health system’s bulk as a lever to stimulate recovery from the 2008-2009 recession and simultaneously increase coverage through Medicaid expansion and marketplace subsidies that for lower-income households. …

The current federal government shutdown is a tipping point for healthcare in the U.S. It’s about more than extended subsidies per Dem’s and holding the line on spending per Republicans. It’s about a growing sense of helplessness among the majority and resentment among many that institutions like the federal government, higher education, big business and healthcare are no longer motivated to serve interests beyond themselves. …

Some will harken back to the Affordable Care Act in 2010 when coverage was also the issue. We’re there again. But the bigger issue is this: extending subsidies and maintaining coverage will not lower spending or transform U.S. healthcare to an affordable, accessible, appropriately structured system of health.

The moral high ground for healthcare is in jeopardy and its direction unclear. Perhaps PPACA 2.0 is an answer. Doing nothing isn’t.”

Paul Keckley, Oct. 5, 2025

MHA Monday Report Oct. 6, 2025

Member News, Monday Report

Michigan Legislature Passes State Budget, Preserves Healthcare Funding

The Michigan House of Representatives and Michigan Senate passed a state budget protecting all existing healthcare funding on Oct. 3. House Bill 4706, sponsored by Rep. Ann Bollin (R-Brighton), passed by both chambers, includes …

CMS Shares Updates for Medicare Operations During Federal Shutdown

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently directed Medicare Administrative Contractors to hold Medicare fee-for-service claims for ten business days due to the expiration of several Medicare payment provisions and the Oct. …

Hospital Communicators Gather at MHA Communications Retreat

The 2025 MHA Communications Retreat brought together about 100 communications, marketing and public relations professionals from MHA-member facilities Oct. 1 to network and learn from peers across the state. The agenda featured sessions on reputation management …

CE Credits Available for Maternal Health Quality Improvement Modules

Continuing education (CE) credits are now available for obstetric teams that complete the Michigan Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (MI AIM) virtual modules. The approximately three-hour series consists of the following modules: MI AIM …

MDHHS Introduces New Provider Updates Under Michigan’s Mental Health Framework

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) recently introduced new requirements under the state’s Mental Health Framework to strengthen assessments, referrals and care coordination for Medicaid enrollees. These changes take effect beginning October …

MHA Rounds image of Brian PetersMHA CEO Report — Launching Collaboratives to Improve Community Health

In the healthcare community, we know that a person’s health is shaped outside the four walls of a hospital and our support must expand beyond acute care. The MHA recently launched community benefit collaboratives with …

Keckley Report

Who Owns the Public’s Health?

“September 2025 marks a significant shift in U.S. health policy, especially its approach to the public’s health. …

Public health is a vital part of the U.S. health system but a stepchild to its major players. In reality, the U.S. operates a dual system: one that serves those with insurance (public and private) and another for those without. Public health programs like SNAP, HeadStart, Federally Qualified Health Centers et. al., serve lower income and under-insured populations and integrate with local delivery systems emergency services and during mass-events like pandemics, mass-casualties and disease outbreaks. Funding for public health programs is 2-5% of total health spending shared between local, state and federal governments.

Studies show food, housing and income insecurity—areas targeted by public health– correlate to chronic disease prevalence and health costs. Unlike most developed systems of the world which operate at a lower cost and produce better population-health outcomes, our system perpetuates a structural divide between healthcare and public health. Integrating the two is a necessary strategy for system transformation, but a difficult task given entrenched animosity toward “the system” held by public health leaders and funding pressures.  The bridge between public health and the healthcare delivery systems is a two-lane road with lots of potholes at the federal level, and sometimes better in local communities. But funding seems to be an afterthought unless local communities deem it vital.”

Paul Keckley, Sept. 28, 2025

New to Know

News to Know

  • MHA Endorsed Business Partner (EBP) SunRx is hosting a 340B Regulatory Brief webinar Nov. 4 at 2 p.m. EDT with Bharath Krishnamurthy, health policy & analytics, American Hospital Association.
  • The American Hospital Association (AHA) is accepting applications for the AHA’s 2026 Dick Davidson NOVA Award.

 

MHA Monday Report Sept. 29, 2025

Member News, Monday Report

House Health Policy Hears Testimony on 340B Legislation

The House Health Policy Committee took up recently introduced legislation addressing 340B contract pharmacy arrangements during the week of Sept. 22. House Bill 4878, sponsored by Rep. Curt VanderWall (R-Ludington), was recently introduced and …

U.S. Senate Approves SUPPORT Act Reauthorization to Address Opioid and Mental Health Crisis

The U.S. Senate passed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025 on Sept. 18. The bill would provide more resources for preventing and treating addiction and mental illness. It passed the U.S. …

Vault Verify’s Role in HR Automation Featured in Podcast

MHA Endorsed Business Partner Vault Verify was recently featured on the RPI Tech Connect podcast episode “From Manual to Measurable: How UMMS Streamlined HR with RPI and Vault Verify.” Rebecca Hielke from the University of …

MHA Keystone Center PSO Hosts Human Errors and Design Thinking Safe Table

Registration is open for the MHA Keystone Center Patient Safety Organization (PSO) Human Errors and Design Thinking Safe Table. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 1 at the …

Catching Up on All Things Healthcare with Tina Freese Decker

The MHA released a new episode of the MiCare Champion Cast exploring state and federal healthcare priorities with Tina Freese Decker, MHA, MSIE, FACHE, president & CEO, Corewell Health and 2025 chair of the American …

Keckley Report

Responding to Trump Healthcare 2.0: Key Takeaways after 8 Months

“The Trump 2.0 administration is 8-months into its MAGA agenda. Summer has passed. Schools are open. Congress is in session. Campaign 2026 is underway. The economy is slowing and public sentiment is dropping.

For U.S. healthcare, it’s more bad news than good. The challenges are unprecedented. Most organizations—hospitals, medical groups, drug and device makers, infomediaries and solution providers, insurers, et al—are defaulting to lower risk bets since the long-term for the health system is unclear.

The good news is that the health system in the U.S. is big, fragmented, complex, expensive (5% CAGR spending increases thru 2034) and slow to change. It is highly regulated at local, state and federal levels, labor intense (20 million) and capital-dependent (government funding, private investment)—a trifecta nightmare for operators and goldmine for private investors who time the system for shareholders effectively. And it operates opaquely: business practices are hidden from everyday users and bona-fide measures of its effectiveness not widely applied or accepted. …

Trump Healthcare 2.0 is not transformational: it is transactional. It aims to simplify the system and facilitate changes certain to disrupt the status quo. Its locus of control, is Main Street USA. not Pennsylvania Ave, in DC.”

Paul Keckley, Sept. 21, 2025

New to Know

News to Know

  • More than 50 Michigan hospitals are coming together to improve outcomes in maternal health, behavioral health and chronic disease through new community benefit collaboratives.
  • The MHA Human Resources (HR) & Workforce Council met Sept. 25 to discuss current HR priorities and review its role in advancing the mission of the MHA and the role of human resource leaders.
  • MHA Endorsed Business Partner (EBP) SunRx is hosting a 340B Regulatory Brief webinar Nov. 4 at 2 p.m. EDT with Bharath Krishnamurthy, health policy & analytics, American Hospital Association.
  • The American Hospital Association (AHA) is accepting applications for the AHA’s 2026 Dick Davidson NOVA Award.

 

MHA Monday Report Sept. 22, 2025

Monday Report, Member News

MHA EventsHospital Nurses Ensure Healthcare Stays Top of Mind for State Legislators

The Michigan Organization for Nursing Leadership and the American Nurses Association of Michigan hosted more than 75 nurses from across the state for an advocacy day at the Michigan State Capitol on Sept. …

Michigan House Passes Important Medical Decisionmaker Legislation

The Michigan House of Representatives unanimously approved legislation Sept. 18 to establish next-of-kin designation, allowing certain family members of an incapacitated patient to make medical decisions on their behalf. House Bills 4418 and 4419, sponsored …

MHA Keystone Center PSO Hosts Human Errors and Design Thinking Safe Table

Registration is open for the MHA Keystone Center Patient Safety Organization (PSO) Human Errors and Design Thinking Safe Table. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 1 at the …

State’s Chief Medical Executive Issues Standing Recommendation for COVID-19 Vaccine Access

Michigan’s Chief Medical Executive, Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, issued a Standing Recommendation on Sept. 19 that expands eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines, ensuring access for all residents six months and older. The recommendation follows Executive Directive 2025-7 from Governor …

Latest AHA Trustee Insights Explores Board Culture and Workforce Strategy

The September edition of Trustee Insights, the monthly digital package from the American Hospital Association (AHA), highlights the podcasts, videos, webinar and other resources available on today’s most pressing issues. The issue provides a checklist for …

Keckley Report

Healthcare: Lost but Making Record Time

‘“Lost but making record time”—that’s an apt description of where U.S. healthcare is. Attributed to Yankee’s legend Yogi Berra, it captures the absurdity of misguided efficiency and unbridled innovation without direction. The growing level of anxiety, frustration, uncertainty and even fear that grips the nation is also at play in across every organization in healthcare. The destination for the industry is unknown, but the pace is quickening. …

I am optimistic about U.S. healthcare’s future because each of the changes above is resident and ‘newer and better’ is necessary to our collective success. The big unknown is who will step forward to lead healthcare’s response. Being ‘lost but making record time’ is not a plan, it’s an excuse.’”

Paul Keckley, Sept. 14, 2025

New to Know

News to Know

The American Hospital Association (AHA) is accepting applications for the AHA’s 2026 Dick Davidson NOVA Award.

 

 

MHA Monday Report Sept. 15, 2025

Member News, Monday Report

MHA Hosts Successful Community Impact Advocacy Day

The MHA hosted more than 110 hospital leaders from across the state for a Community Impact Advocacy Day at the Michigan State Capitol on Sept. 10. Hospital leaders spoke with lawmakers on pressing hospital and …

Registration for 2025 Communications Retreat Closes Sept. 19

Registration closes Sept. 19 for the 2025 MHA Communications Retreat, which will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 1, at the Henry Center for Executive Development in Lansing. This year’s …

Michigan Hospital Collaboratives Launch to Improve Community Health

More than 50 Michigan hospitals are coming together to improve outcomes in maternal health, behavioral health and chronic disease across the state through new community benefit collaboratives launched by the Michigan Health & Hospital Association …

Keckley Report

It’s the (Health) Economy Stupid!

“Friday’s Labor Department release of its August jobs report prompted political and media pundits to conclude the U.S. economy has entered a period of downturn.

The report showed a light uptick in the unemployment rate to 4.3% and anemic job growth for the month—+22,000 new jobs added offset by adjustments for June and July (-21,000). Those numbers that prompted headlines like these: …

For healthcare, this picture is extremely problematic. Here’s why:

In the 12th paragraph of BLS news release, it noted: “In August, health care added 31,000 jobs, below the average monthly gain of 42,000 over the prior 12 months. Employment continued to trend up over the month in ambulatory health care services (+13,000), nursing and residential care facilities (+9,000), and hospitals (+9,000).” It’s not a new trend: over the last 10 years, healthcare has accounted for a disproportionate share of job growth …

Healthcare is the economy’s most important industry. Modernizing its workforce is the industry’s more urgent challenge. This puts enormous pressure on organizations to re-think “human resources” and modify compensation and performance expectations for every employee.”

Paul Keckley, Sept. 7, 2025

New to Know

News to Know

The American Hospital Association (AHA) is accepting applications for the AHA’s 2026 Dick Davidson NOVA Award.

MHA Monday Report Sept. 8, 2025

Member News, Monday Report

House Budget Threatens Hospitals, Workforce and Patient Access

The budget passed by the Michigan House of Representatives on Aug. 26 includes harmful cuts to hospitals that could jeopardize more than 20,000 jobs, according to the MHA. Estimates released Sept. 3 indicate the cuts …

MHA CEO Brian Peters Responds to House Speaker Comments

MHA CEO Brian Peters responded to negative comments made by Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) during a press conference on Sept. 3. Speaker Hall’s press conference presentation included a segment on hospital funding, …

Sept. 24 Webinar Outlines the OBBBA Impact

The MHA will host the webinar Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and Board Planning for the Impact from 8 to 9 a.m. on Sept. 24. The session is designed for trustees and …

2025 Communications Retreat Qualifies for APR CEU Credit

Registration remains open for the 2025 MHA Communications Retreat scheduled Wednesday, Oct. 1 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Henry Center for Executive Development in Lansing. The retreat qualifies for one continuing education …

Webinar Explores Partnerships to Advance Integrated Behavioral Healthcare

The Center of Excellence for Integrated Health Solutions and the American Hospital Association will host the webinar Advancing Integrated Care Via Collaborative Partnerships: Hospitals, Health Systems, Community Mental Health Centers and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, on Tuesday, …

MHA Rounds graphic of Brian PetersMHA CEO Report — Patients Over Politics

Most people will find themselves in a hospital at one point or another, whether it’s to hold a loved one’s hand, welcome a child or receive needed – perhaps even life-saving – care.

Keckley Report

September 2025 for Healthcare: The Four Areas of Focus for Operators

“August passed with a flurry of events that produced emotional whip-lash in the public’s psyche: highs sparked by the engagement of pro-football all-star Travis Kelce to iconic superstar Taylor Swift and the return of college football to a low headlined by another mass casualty incident. This time, a mentally-ill lone gunman murdered two innocent kids and sent 17 wounded to Minneapolis hospitals for care. …

Summer is over. September is here. It’s the month when presumably normalcy returns in most communities and households. Schools start. Pro football starts. Routines are set. It’s the last month of fiscal year 2025 for the federal government and in Michigan and Alabama (46 states began FY26 July 1, NY started April 1 and Texas September 1). It’s when Congress returns from its August recess to wrap up unfinished business for FY25 and organize for FY26 initiatives. It’s when incumbent members of the House and Senate decide whether to run again or not, and when Supreme Court justices and clerks prep for their loaded 2025-2026 docket that features arguments about conversion therapy, the Chevron doctrine and more.

For healthcare organizations, September 2025 will not be normalcy. Business plans and strategies extending through 2027 will be impacted by actions and events that occur in the next 30 days. …“

Paul Keckley, Sept. 1, 2025

New to Know

News to Know

  • The American Hospital Association (AHA) is accepting applications for the AHA’s 2026 Dick Davidson NOVA Award.
  • MHA Endorsed Business Partner CyberForce|Q will host an in-person Coffee & Collab for cybersecurity leaders on Sept. 16 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. ET at CyberForce|Q headquarters in Plymouth, MI.
  • In the latest episode of the MiCare Champion Cast, MHA CEO Brian Peters and Tina Freese Decker, MHA, MSIE, FACHE, president & CEO, Corewell Health and 2025 chair of the AHA, explores state and federal healthcare priorities.

MHA in the News

The MHA received media coverage the week of Sept. 1 on the state budget and COVID-19 vaccines. Several news outlets published stories related to the harmful impacts to healthcare found in the state budget bill …

 

MHA Monday Report Sept. 1, 2025

Member News, Monday Report

House Budget Includes Harmful Hospital Funding Cuts

The Michigan House of Representatives voted 59-45 on Aug. 26 for a state budget that includes harmful cuts to hospital funding and healthcare measures. This proposed budget includes: New language placing $2.5 billion of hospital …

DIFS Finalizes Newborn Insurance Enrollment Document for Hospitals

The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) recently finalized the educational document that hospitals are now required to provide to parents of newborns under Public Act 250 of 2024 (House Bill 4173 of …

Speakers Announced for 2025 Communications Retreat

The MHA has confirmed speakers and topics for the 2025 MHA Communications Retreat scheduled Wednesday, Oct. 1 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Henry Center for Executive Development in Lansing. The lineup features: …

ACP and MDHHS to Host Vaccine Policy and Practice Webinar

The American College of Physicians (ACP), in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), will host the public health webinar, From Policy to Practice: What Internists Need to Know About the …

MDHHS Updates Mental Health Framework Webpage

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has updated its Mental Health Framework (MHF) webpage with new resources for providers. Recordings and slide decks for the MHF 101 webinar and the MichiCANS Screener …

Registration Open for the Michigan Food as Medicine Summit

Registration is open for the inaugural Michigan Food as Medicine Summit, scheduled for Oct. 7-8 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center in East Lansing. The event will bring together healthcare, food systems, policy and …

AMN Physician Incentive Survey Results

MHA Endorsed Business Partner AMN Healthcare recently released the 2025 Review of Physician and Advanced Practitioner Recruiting Incentives, produced by its Physician Solutions division (formerly Merritt Hawkins). For 32 years, the Review has been a key …

Catching Up on All Things Healthcare with Tina Freese Decker

The MHA released a new episode of the MiCare Champion Cast exploring state and federal healthcare priorities with Tina Freese Decker, MHA, MSIE, FACHE, President & CEO, Corewell Health and 2025 Chair of the American …

Latest AHA Trustee Insights Examines the Role of Boards in Workforce Strategy

The August edition of Trustee Insights, the American Hospital Association’s (AHA) monthly digital package, highlights podcasts, videos, webinars and other resources on today’s most pressing issues. The issue includes a special-edition paper on trends shaping care …

Keckley Report

Is Health Insurer Criticism Justified?

“Since the murder of UnitedHealth executive Brian Thompson in New York City December 4, 2024, attention to health insurers has heightened. National media coverage has been brutal. Polls have chronicled the public’s disdain for rising premiums and increased denials. Hospitals and physicians have amped-up campaigns against prior authorization and inadequate reimbursement. …

Most Americans think not having health insurance is a bigger risk than going without. But most also think healthcare is fundamental right and the government should guarantee access through universal coverage. Having private insurance is not the issue: having insurance that ensures access to doctors and hospitals when needed reliably and affordably is their unmet need. …

Criticism of the health insurance industry is justified for the most part but the rest of the story is key. The U.S. system is broken and everyone knows it. But health insurers are not alone in bearing responsibility for its failure though their role is significant.”

Paul Keckley, Aug. 24, 2025

New to KnowNews to Know

MHA offices will be closed and no formal meetings will be scheduled Sept. 1 in observance of Labor Day.

MHA in the News

The MHA received a host of media coverage from across the state during the week of Aug. 25 after the MHA issued a media statement reacting to the state budget bill passed Aug. 26 by …

MHA Monday Report Aug. 25, 2025

Monday Report, Member News

CMS Releases FY 2026 Final Rule for Skilled Nursing Facilities

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a final rule to update the Medicare fee-for-service prospective payment system for skilled nursing facilities for fiscal year (FY) 2026. Key provisions include: Increasing the per-diem federal rate …

MHA Community Benefits Survey for FY 2024 Now Open

The MHA is now accepting submissions for the fiscal year (FY) 2024 Community Benefits Survey. Member hospitals are encouraged to participate, as the survey results are vital to demonstrating the value of hospital community benefit …

Trustee Webinar Outlines the OBBBA Impact

The MHA will host the webinar Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and Board Planning for the Impact from 8 to 9 a.m. Sept. 24. The session is designed for trustees and hospital leaders and will highlight considerations …

MHA EBP care.ai Shares Case Study on Virtual Care Expansion

MHA Endorsed Business Partner (EBP) care.ai recently shared an insightful case study on how a 22-bed virtual care pilot with Henry Ford Health is expanding across 13-acute care hospitals, including a chief nursing informatics …

Keckley Report

The Medical Profession at a Crossroad

“When I was a grad student at Ohio State in the ‘70’s, one of the most challenging courses I took was “Primary Research Methods in Analyzing Public Data” –an elective. …

The data show the majority of physicians are unhappy and uncertain about the future of the profession. The data show they’re working harder and doing more with less. The data show they’re concerned about the future of the health system and think it’s heading in the wrong direction. The data show employed physicians are increasingly dissatisfied in their hospital and private equity relationships. The data show that physicians share of the growing health spending pie is shrinking: from 21.1% in 2000, to 20.1% in 2023 and projected to 19.9% in 2025 and 19.5% in 2033. And data show the profession, along with nurses and pharmacists, enjoys the public’s trust to figure things out. …

Might defining a vision for a transformed ‘U.S. System of Health’ be the focus for the medical profession? There’s plenty of data to digest to deliberate objectively. Its willingness and ability to set aside its factionalism for the greater good is the biggest question facing the profession. And the widely-recognized dysfunction of the current U.S. health system presents the urgent opportunity for the profession to step forward. That’s the cross facing the profession.”

Paul Keckley, August 17, 2025

New to KnowNews to Know

The MHA is developing its 2025-2026 events and education calendar, featuring professional development opportunities, networking events and timely, relevant offerings for members.

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 will have on Medicaid as well as comments related to …

MHA Monday Report Aug. 18, 2025

Member News, Monday Report

CMS Releases FY 2026 LTCH Prospective Payment System Final Rule

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a final rule to update the Medicare fee-for-service long-term care hospital (LTCH) prospective payment system for fiscal year (FY) 2026. Specifically, the …

MHA Keystone Center and MI AIM Announce Recipients of Maternal Health Education Grant

The MHA Keystone Center, in collaboration with the Michigan Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (MI AIM), recently announced a partnership with UnitedHealthcare to offer $25,000 grants to birthing hospitals in Michigan to purchase equipment …

CMS Releases FY 2026 Final Rule for Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a final rule to update the Medicare fee-for-service prospective payment system for inpatient rehabilitation facilities for fiscal year (FY) 2026. Key provisions include: …

Keckley Report

Health Industry Notoriety is a Two-Edged Sword: Four Considerations as the Mid-Term Elections Near

“Keeping track of all things healthcare is a formidable task.  Last week’s news is no exception: …

These events and actions illustrate the administration’s “flood the zone” strategy and its propensity to dictate news cycles in media coverage. They also reflect the ubiquitous role played by healthcare in our society as an employer and economic engine.

Collectively, they appear to cast the industry in a negative light reinforcing populist’ suspicions about affordability, price transparency, corporatization and cost-containment. And they lend to growing disfavor among lawmakers, employers and critics. …”

Paul Keckley, Aug. 10, 2025

New to KnowNews to Know

  • Registration is open for the 2025 MHA Communications Retreat from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 1 at the Henry Center for Executive Development in Lansing.
  • In the latest episode of the MiCare Champion Cast, MHA CEO Brian Peters and MHA Board Chair Bill Manns, president and CEO, Bronson Healthcare, explore what’s top of mind in healthcare as the 2025-2026 program year kicks off.