Tag: medical debt

MHA Monday Report Jan. 26, 2026

Monday Report, Member News

House Appropriations Committee Hears RHTP Testimony, IMLC Bill Advances

The Michigan House Appropriations Committee heard testimony on federal funding awarded through the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), and legislation to add Michigan back into the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC) advanced during the week of Jan. 19.  The House Appropriations Committee heard …

Legislative Policy Panel Hears Legislative Updates

The MHA Legislative Policy Panel met virtually Jan. 21 to develop recommendations on legislative and policy issues impacting Michigan hospitals. The meeting began with guest speakers from the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and The Cornerstone …

CMS Implements New Online Form for Medicare Advantage Complaints

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently implemented a new online form for providers to submit complaints related to Medicare Advantage plans. A CMS memorandum announced the implementation of the form, which is …

MHA Launches Rural Health Transformation Program Webpage

The MHA has launched a new webpage dedicated to the Rural Health Transformation Program, providing members with a centralized source of information on Michigan’s participation in the program. The webpage includes an overview of …

Updates to Michigan’s Reporter Protocols for Infants Born Exposed to Substances

Michigan has updated its mandated reporter guidance for infants born exposed to substances, establishing distinct reporting requirements for exposure to non-medically prescribed substances and exposure related to prescribed treatment. The updates are intended to clarify …

Webinar Explores Strategies to Strengthen Revenue Integrity

The MHA and MHA Endorsed Business Partner AMN Healthcare Revenue Cycle Solutions will host A Tale of Three Health Systems: Their Mid-Revenue Cycle Insights and Road to Revenue Integrity webinar from 11 to 11:50 …

Hospitals Help: Corewell Health Program Addresses Youth Vaping Prevention, Cessation

Rural schools in Newaygo County, like so many across Michigan, were seeing an increase in the number of students caught vaping. To address this community-wide concern, Corewell Health Gerber Hospital established the Corewell Health Gerber …

Keckley Report

CMS’ 2024 Health Spending Report: Key Insights

“As media attention focused on Minneapolis, Greenland and Venezuela last week, the Center for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS) released its 2024 Health Expenditures report Thursday: the headline was “Health care spending in the US reached $5.3 trillion and increased 7.2% in 2024, similar to growth of 7.4% in 2023, as increased demand for health care influenced this two-year trend. “…

The current environment for the healthcare economy is increasingly hostile to the status quo. Voters think the system is wasteful, needlessly complicated and profitable. Lawmakers think it’s no man’s land for substantive change, defaulting to price transparency, increased competition and state regulation in response. Private employers, who’ve bear the brunt of the system’s ineffectiveness, are timid and reformers are impractical about the role of private capital in the health economy’s financing.

The healthcare economy will be an issue in Campaign 2026 not because aggregate spending increased 7-8% in 2025 per CMS, but because it’s no longer justifiable to a majority of Americans for whom it’s simply not affordable. Regrettably, as noted in Corporate Board Member’s director surveys, only one in five healthcare Boards is doing scenario planning with this possibility in mind.

Paul Keckley, Jan. 18, 2026

New to KnowNews to Know

  • The MHA Person & Family Engagement Advisory Council met virtually Jan. 15 to identify ways to support the MHA strategic action plan.
  • MHA Endorsed Business Partner CyberForce|Q is hosting the webinar Proactive Cyber Risk Measures from 11 a.m. to noon ET on Jan. 29.
  • The enrollment deadline for the MHA Healthcare Leadership Academy is Feb. 6. The cohort meets Feb. 25–27 and May 7–8 at the MHA headquarters in Okemos.

 

Legislative Policy Panel Hears Legislative Updates

Member News

The MHA Legislative Policy Panel met virtually Jan. 21 to develop recommendations on legislative and policy issues impacting Michigan hospitals.

The meeting began with guest speakers from the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and The Cornerstone Group. Wendy Block, senior vice president of business advocacy, Michigan Chamber of Commerce, provided an overview on the Money Out of Politics ballot proposal. Laura Bozell, principal, Cornerstone Group, delivered a federal update on current activity in Congress.

John Karasinski, vice president, communications, MHA, presented on the MHA’s communications and marketing strategy supporting the program year’s Strategic Action Plan.

Jim Lee, senior vice president, data policy & analytics, MHA, shared next steps for the Rural Health Transformation Program, following Michigan’s $173 million award from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for fiscal year 2026, which will be administered by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) through grant programming identified in the state’s application. The MHA remains engaged and will continue advocacy with MDHHS on behalf of rural hospitals as next steps are shared.

The MHA advocacy and health finance teams shared a state legislative update, including a recap on hospital financial assistance policies, medical debt and affordability.

For more information on the MHA Legislative Policy Panel, contact Adam Carlson at the MHA.

Medical Debt Legislation Introduced, Maternal and Behavioral Health Bills Clear Senate

Member News

Legislation addressing medical debt was introduced in the Michigan Senate June 26.

The bipartisan three-bill package, Senate Bills (SB) 449, 450 and 451, codify the existence of hospital financial assistance programs (FAPs), create new reporting requirements on the benefits provided by FAPs, and prohibit medical debt from being reported by credit bureaus.

The bills, sponsored by Sen. Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing) and Sen. Jonathon Lindsey (R-Coldwater), requires the following:

  • Hospitals to develop and implement a FAP that provides up to a 100% discount based on a sliding scale for an uninsured patient whose annual income is at or below 350% of federal poverty guidelines. The FAP must also apply to a patient who owes the hospital an unpaid bill greater than 30% of their annual income.
  • Hospitals post information about the FAP on a bill, invoice and the hospital website.
  • Annual report to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) stating the number of applications to the hospital’s FAP and the benefits provided by the FAP in a given year.
  • The state to create a process for hospitals to check income eligibility of patients.
  • Prohibits a consumer reporting agency from including medical debt in a consumer credit report.

WILX News published a story on the legislation which, included a quote from MHA CEO Brian Peters. “Affordability should never be a barrier to care. Although it may look different across organizations, Michigan hospitals are already providing financial assistance programming that has long-supported patients and communities across the state,” said Peters. “While the proposed legislation may change reporting requirements, hospitals remain committed to caring for everyone who walks through their doors.”

SBs 449-451 have been referred to the Senate Health Policy Committee for further consideration and the MHA currently has a neutral position on this legislation.

Furthermore, the Senate passed legislation to address opioid use disorders and increase coverage for prenatal services during the week of June 30.

SBs 397–405 (with the exception of SB 398) passed the Senate chamber and have now been referred to the House Insurance Committee. Collectively, these bills make numerous changes to improve coverage and access for Michiganders to receive treatment for opioid use disorders. The MHA Behavioral Health Integration Council reviewed and recommended changes for SBs 397, 398, 399, 400 and 402 – which the MHA supports.

SBs 414–415 also passed the state Senate chamber July 1. The bills, sponsored by Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit) and Sen. Ruth Johnson (R-Groveland Township), require insurer and Medicaid coverage of group prenatal services. The MHA is supportive of this legislation, as well as its House counterpart bills, House Bills (HB) 4703–4704, recently introduced by Rep. Jennifer Wortz (R-Quincy).

Lastly, SB 443 was introduced in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Regulatory Affairs. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Sean McCann (D-Kalamazoo), requires health facilities to develop a surgical smoke plume evacuation plan. The MHA opposes this bill.

Members with additional questions should contact the MHA Advocacy Team.