The Legislature acted on several healthcare-related bills during the week of May 16. The governor signed several bills into law to plan for new funding from the national opioid settlement and to allow for certain out-of-state prescriptions. In the House …
The registration deadline for the MHA Annual Membership Meeting is May 27. The in-person event will take place June 29, 30 and July 1 on Mackinac Island. The mobile meeting app for the MHA Annual Membership Meeting features an updated list …
The MHA Keystone Center is partnering with MHA Endorsed Business Partner HSS to offer in-person security risk assessments for its members. This assessment aims to provide an objective evaluation of threats to patients and staff and develop a corrective action plan. …
Suicide safety continues to be a priority for accrediting organizations such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and The Joint Commission, requiring many providers to evaluate various policies and processes. They include how to keep suicidal patients safe when care is needed …
Every year, National Hospital Week serves as an opportunity to highlight hospitals, health systems, healthcare workers and the innovative ways they are supporting and connected to the community. For 2022, the MHA celebrated by showcasing member hospital and health system staff across social …
MHA CEO Brian Peters presented as the keynote speaker at the Rotary Club of Lansing’s weekly meeting May 13, discussing the MHA’s work supporting hospitals and healthcare systems across the full care continuum. …
The MHA recently became home to a new group of tenants at its Okemos headquarters: a family of Canada geese, including several freshly hatched goslings. The geese originally occupied a section of the headquarters parking lot, where the mother goose nested for many weeks under the guard of father goose. …
The Keckley Report
The FTC Will Be Healthcare’s Biggest Headache Until 2025
“In healthcare, the event potentially most consequential to consumers for at least the next 3 years happened last week—the Senate confirmation of Alvaro Bedoya to the Federal Trade Commission. The addition of the 40-year old attorney, professor and digital privacy expert gives Democrats a 3:2 majority at a critical time …”
The MHA responded to several media requests the week of May 16 on topics including price transparency, workforce challenges and the shortage of contrast media.
The registration deadline for the MHA Annual Membership Meeting is May 27. The in-person event will take place June 29, 30 and July 1 on Mackinac Island.
The mobile meeting app for the MHA Annual Membership Meeting features an updated list of attendees and sponsors and offers other essential information about the event. Members can take advantage of this timesaving and convenient tool by downloading it on a mobile device. The app can be downloaded by accessing a dedicated link with the desired device. The app is sponsored by the Michigan Association of Nurse Anesthetists.
Registration is open for the Links Fore Health golf outing, whichsupports health improvement initiatives led by hospitals and health systems. The outing is a nine-hole scramble, and golfers may register individually or in pairs. Prizes are given in a variety of categories. The Links Fore Health outing sponsor partner is Kitch Drutchas Wagner Valitutti & Sherbrook.
COVID-19 vaccination is required for attendees 12 years of age and older; details surrounding the vaccination verification process are outlined in the Code of Conduct section of the annual meeting webpage. Members with questions should email the MHA or call (888) 413-2118.
COVID-19 hospitalizations in Michigan have been rising in recent weeks, with 875 adults hospitalized with confirmed or suspected cases on May 11; 77 of that number were in intensive care units. In addition, 36 children were in the hospital with confirmed or suspected cases on that date. A daily average of over 2,700 cases …
Legislation enhancing hospital flexibility for anesthesia care went into full effect May 10 following official confirmation from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that it had received the letter of attestation sent by the governor. This was the final step needed for the provisions in House Bill …
Several bills impacting hospitals were acted upon during the week of May 9. Bills to plan for new funding from the national opioid settlement and to allow for certain out-of-state prescriptions were sent to the governor. In the Senate, testimony was taken on a bill to create a new license for …
The registration deadline is May 27 for the MHA Annual Membership Meeting June 29, 30 and July 1 on Mackinac Island. COVID-19 vaccination is required for attendees 12 years of age and older; details surrounding the vaccination verification process are outlined on the Code of Conduct …
Strategic thinking is a critical skill for all healthcare leaders, and the future belongs to organizations whose governing boards, working in strategic partnership with management, help envision the future and assist in discerning and framing questions the organization should ask of itself to prepare for the future. …
Antibiotics have transformed the practice of medicine, making once lethal infections readily treatable and other medical advances possible. Like all medications, antibiotics can have serious unintended consequences, such as causing a patient to have an adverse drug reaction or a patient misusing the …
The Keckley Report
Overturning Roe v. Wade Creates Immediate Challenges for Healthcare
“Politico broke its story at 8:32 pm last Monday: ‘Supreme Court has voted to overturn abortion rights, draft opinion shows.’ …
“Their reporting was based on a leaked copy of the February 10, 98-page draft of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s opinion on behalf of the court’s 5 conservative justices …
“The final ruling is expected next month but the immediate implications for the healthcare industry are significant.”
The MHA received media coverage the week of May 9 on an upcoming implicit bias training requirement and extending Medicaid coverage to 12 months postpartum.
The registration deadline is May 27 for the MHA Annual Membership Meeting June 29, 30 and July 1 on Mackinac Island. COVID-19 vaccination is required for attendees 12 years of age and older; details surrounding the vaccination verification process are outlined on the Code of Conduct section of the annual meeting webpage.
On June 30 the lineup of outstanding healthcare experts include Scott Gottlieb, MD, a physician and former commissioner of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, and Wright Lassiter III, president and CEO of Henry Ford Health and board chair of the American Hospital Association. On July 1, Tim Alberta, an award-winning journalist and writer for The Atlantic will share his views on federal and state politics, and street artist David Garibaldi, who has performed at the NBA finals and was a finalist on network TV’s America’s Got Talent, will create four paintings before attendees’ eyes and share his journey from a street artist to performing on the biggest stages in the world.
In addition to the numerous networking opportunities, attendees cansupport health improvement initiatives led by hospitals and health systemsby registering to play in the Links Fore Health golf outing. The outing is a nine-hole scramble, and golfers may register individually or in pairs. Prizes are given in a variety of categories. The Links Fore Health outing sponsor partner is Kitch Drutchas Wagner Valitutti & Sherbrook.
Members with questions should email the MHA or call (888) 413-2118.
The full Michigan House and Senate advanced their budget recommendations for the fiscal year 2023 budget beginning Oct. 1. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services budget bills, House Bill 5784 and Senate Bill 828, were reported to the opposite chambers for further consideration in the coming weeks. Both budget proposals …
The MHA Graduate Medical Education (GME) Advocacy Day welcomed 32 physician residents from more than a dozen member hospitals to the MHA Capitol Advocacy Center offices May 5 for a day of meetings with members of the Michigan Legislature and their staffs. Each group of residents met with a combination of lawmakers and legislative …
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services recently issued an L-letter regarding attending physician claim edits that were implemented Jan. 1, 2022. The letter addresses concerns raised by the MHA and hospitals regarding the claim edit that has resulted in denied claims. …
The Keckley Report
Why May 2022 is Pivotal to U.S. Healthcare: Four Reasons
“Since March 2020, America’s focus has been on the pandemic. … Since January 2022, the U.S. economy has eclipsed its 41-year record inflation rate … Since February 24, 2022, America’s attention has been drawn to the Ukrainian invasion by Russia and NATO’s response. …
“And starting yesterday, May begins in what is likely the most consequential for healthcare in years due to the cumulative impact …”
MHA EVP Laura Appel appears in a State of Reform article on bills that would create specialty integrated plans to cover specialty behavioral health benefits.
The Michigan House Appropriations Committee reported out April 26 their budget recommendation for the fiscal year 2023 budget beginning Oct. 1. House Bill 5784 protects hospital priorities, including maintaining …
The MHA Unemployment Compensation Program (UCP) was recognized by the National Association of State Workforce Agencies April 27 for the MHA UCP’s commitment to utilizing the NASWA’s nationwide …
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services recently released a proposed policy for Medicaid coverage of doula services effective Oct. 1, 2022, contingent upon approval by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The MHA supports this proposal and agrees with …
The 2022 MHA Annual Membership Meeting will return to an in-person meeting June 29, 30 and July 1 on Mackinac Island. COVID-19 vaccination is required for attendees 12 years of age and older, and details surrounding the vaccination verification …
COVID-19 has reshaped the healthcare environment. Emerging trends will have implications for years to come and the way hospitals and boards lead through recovery — be it financial, clinical or emotional …
The Keckley Report
The Long-term Consequence of Physician Employment in U.S. Healthcare
“The short-term impact of physician employment is closely monitored. But the long-term consequence of employed physicians is somewhat unclear. Currently, four major players are prominent in the mix; physician employment plays a critical role in each.”
The MHA will host a lunch and learn webinar from noon to 12:45 p.m. ET May 11 with MHA Endorsed Business Partner NextJob to provide an update on the latest labor market trends and leading practices to attract and keep valuable employees.
“Medical education does not exist to provide students with a way of making a living, but to ensure the health of the community.” ― Rudolf Virchow
As we enter the final two months of the MHA program year, our “all-hands-on-deck” prioritization of the healthcare workforce continues, and I am pleased to share that we have made significant strides in this regard. Included in that progress is work with our partners in higher education, other Michigan healthcare associations, hospital clinical leaders and the Michigan Legislature.
One aspect of our workforce efforts is not new. For many years, the MHA has led a special Graduate Medical Education (GME) Advocacy Day, hosted at our MHA Capitol Advocacy Center (CAC) in downtown Lansing. At this event, medical students, residents from teaching hospitals and academic medical centers, and other key leaders converge on the Capitol and meet with legislators to discuss the vital importance of GME funding in the state budget process.
After a brief hiatus due to the pandemic, we are excited to play host once again for this important in-person event, as we will welcome our colleagues to the CAC on May 5.
When this event began, the primary focus was to express the importance of GME and the national prominence that Michigan has earned in medical education. We have more than 7,200 physician residents currently working in the state, which ranks fourth in the nation. In addition, Michigan is third in the country for student enrollment in public medical schools. The investment Michigan makes in GME is very valuable, as every $1 in GME generates $2.53 in federal funding in fiscal year 2022. While the current rate is enhanced due to the existing public health emergency, there is no question that GME funding for Michigan’s beginning physicians is a wise investment for the future healthcare workforce in our state. GME also improves access to care, as it allows physicians to further their medical education while delivering much-needed care to patients throughout Michigan in teaching hospitals, community clinics and laboratories.
The vital role of GME in filling the talent pipeline is more important today than ever, as Michigan hospitals (and the healthcare delivery system in general) struggle with workforce shortages that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Those shortages across the state have caused Michigan to lose approximately 1,300 staffed hospital beds over the past 18 months. Nationally, the physician shortage is estimated to be between 37,800 and 124,000 by 2034, including primary care and nonprimary care specialties, as the Association of American Medical Colleges estimates two out of every five active physicians will be 65 or older within the next 10 years.
The participants in our GME Advocacy Day have experienced many of the challenges that we’ve shared with elected officials: stress, burnout, workplace violence, vaccine hesitancy and significant loss of life due to COVID-19 and a host of other medical issues. Their perspective is extremely valuable as we make the case for funding and public policy that ensures the viability of our healthcare infrastructure for years to come. In addition to full funding of the traditional GME pool, there are several related items on the radar screen here in Lansing, including:
Included in the state’s Higher Education budget proposal is House Bill 5785, which would provide funding to create a healthcare workforce collaborative between the MHA and Michigan’s public and private post-secondary educational institutions. This partnership would not only provide employers with a better understanding of statewide graduates in health professions, but further improve the knowledge of employment opportunities in healthcare for post-secondary education institutions throughout the state. Included in the collaborative would be the creation of a searchable and accessible repository that allows healthcare employers to understand current educational trends and provides prospective employees easy access to healthcare positions throughout the state.
The MHA also supports legislation designed to incentivize more medical school and advanced practice nursing program preceptors by providing new tax credits. Senate Bills 998 and 999 would create a new tax credit for individuals who agree to work as a preceptor for required clinical rotations. We believe this legislation could help increase the capacity for clinical rotations at hospitals across the state, which would also improve the talent pipeline.
As we advocate in support of GME and related issues, we of course greatly appreciate the collaboration of our friends from the Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS) and Michigan Osteopathic Association (MOA). Together, our three associations make up The Partnership for Michigan’s Health, which has a long history of working together on healthcare issues of common interest, including the achievement of major medical liability reforms in the early 1990s, which established the foundation for much of our advocacy work in the Legislature and the courts ever since.
Most recently, the collective voice of our three associations, along with associations representing various other areas of healthcare, led to successfully securing $300 million in state funding for the recruitment, retention and training of healthcare workers. Collectively, the Healthcare Workforce Sustainability Coalition was created to focus on workers already within the healthcare workforce. Gov. Whitmer also recently signed Senate Bill 247 that would decrease wait times for commercial insurance prior authorization requests, a priority for all three associations. We are also united in our opposition to Senate Bill 990 that would create a serious public health risk by licensing naturopathic practitioners and classifying them as physicians. As healthcare associations, the professional careers of our members are dedicated to serving their patients and protecting the health and safety of the public. This opposition is an example of our need to protect the public from a practice that lacks scientifically proven treatment methods and clinical training.
In addition, we have long collaborated with MSMS and MOA to produce The Economic Impact of Healthcare in Michigan Report, which provides a detailed look at the extensive roles hospitals and health systems play in their local economies. Work is underway on the next issue of the report. The MHA Keystone Center Board of Directors has also designated one seat each for the MSMS and the MOA since its inception to ensure physician representation as we strategize on safety and quality improvement issues. And finally, the MHA and the MOA literally got closer last year when the MOA relocated its offices to the MHA headquarters building in Okemos – an arrangement that is unique anywhere in the country.
I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention the MHA’s new focus on engaging with our physician leaders. For the first time ever, the MHA will be hosting activities dedicated to our physician leaders during our MHA Annual Meeting, including several sessions that will include CME credits. MHA Chief Medical Officer Dr. Gary Roth is leading these efforts, which complement his work throughout the pandemic engaging with our health system chief medical officers to facilitate consistent and reliable dialogue that allowed the MHA to efficiently provide policy updates to our clinicians as well as real-time feedback to policymakers. We’re extremely fortunate to have Dr. Roth, as the MHA is one of just a few state hospital associations with a full-time CMO on its leadership team.
Lastly, in an effort to fully support our physician colleagues (and other caregivers), the MHA Keystone Center is offering the Well-being Essentials for Learning Life-Balance (WELL-B) webinar series to prevent healthcare burnout by delivering weekly webinars on evidence-based well-being topics, including prevalence and severity of burnout, relationship resilience and being present. It is encouraging to see that over 4,000 individuals have already signed up for this innovative program.
As you can see, there is no magic pill that can solve the healthcare staffing crisis overnight. It will take many years and a multitude of public and private solutions to protect access for all of Michigan’s communities. GME is one of those key solutions, and we call on our elected officials – and all Michiganders – to give it the support it deserves.
The number of confirmed and suspected cases of COVID-19 in Michigan went up April 7-13 from the previous week, rising from an average of 750 per day to 1,104 per day. Out of the 7,725 confirmed and suspected cases that week, 81 Michiganders …
The MHA Board of Trustees met at the MHA’s downtown Lansing offices April 13 and were joined by Michigan House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Chair Thomas Albert (R-Lowell). Albert provided an update on the progress of the fiscal year 2023 state budget, which includes funding for …
The Michigan Legislature returned from its spring recess during the week of April 11, taking up several bills impacting hospitals. In the House, the state’s higher education …
MHA members will return to an in-person annual meeting June 29 through July 1 on Mackinac Island. COVID-19 vaccination is required for attendees 12 years of age and older; details surrounding the vaccination verification process are outlined …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently approved an extension of Michigan Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program coverage for 12 months after pregnancy, up from 60 days, effective April 1, 2022. This coverage extension is expected to apply to approximately 16,000 pregnant and …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently released a proposed rule to update the Medicare fee-for-service prospective payment system for skilled nursing facilities for fiscal year 2023. …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently released a proposed rule to update Medicare fee-for-service hospice payment rates, wage index, beneficiary cap amount and quality reporting program requirements for fiscal year 2023, which begins Oct. 1, 2022. …
The MHA Excellence in Governance Fellowship is the best choice to help prepare health organization board members to excel in performing their vital responsibilities as hospitals and health systems navigate an environment where COVID-19 is endemic. Launched 20 …
The MHA submitted a comment letter April 14 on behalf of its rural hospital members to the Federal Communications Commission in response to its request for input on proposed rulemaking to improve the Rural Health Care Program. …
The MHA released another episode of the MiCare Champion Cast, which features interviews with healthcare policy experts in Michigan on key issues that impact healthcare and the health of communities. …
National organizations are recognizing April as Workplace Violence Awareness Month and Minority Health Month, each of which are key priorities for the Michigan Health & Hospital Association. The Alliance Against Workplace Violence is leading efforts for Workplace Violence Awareness Month while the U.S. …
The Keckley Report
U.S. Healthcare and Inflation: A Tipping Point
“Inflation hit a 40-year high of 7.9% in the first quarter of 2022. Driven by higher gas and food prices, the average household’s expenses have increased $433/month this year and the end is not in sight.
“It is taking its toll on consumers– disproportionately in lower income households, rural communities, the unhealthy and frail elderly and non-white populations. Recent polling underscores the gravity of the public mood.”
MHA members will return to an in-person annual meeting June 29 through July 1 on Mackinac Island. COVID-19 vaccination is required for attendees 12 years of age and older; details surrounding the vaccination verification process are outlined on the Code of Conduct section of the annual meeting webpage. The meeting’s outstanding lineup of healthcare experts include Scott Gottlieb, MD, a physician and former commissioner of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, and Wright Lassiter III, president and CEO of Henry Ford Health. Gottlieb will speak about systemwide failure across government institutions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the policies and investments essential to prepare the United States for future threats. Lassiter will address diversity, social justice and healthcare strategic priorities.
The annual meeting also includes the popular family event with games and entertainment, the ice cream social, the Links Fore Health golf outing fundraiser, and many more opportunities for relationship building.
Register by May 27 to attend this memorable event. Opportunities for sponsorship of the annual meeting are available through May 6. Members with questions should email the MHA or call (888) 413-2118.