MHA Board of Trustees Urges Members to Contact Lawmakers to Oppose Hospital Review Board Legislation

The MHA Board of Trustees held its final meeting of the 2025-26 program year June 24 during the MHA Annual Membership Meeting. The meeting began with a presentation by board member Beth Charlton, President & CEO, Covenant Healthcare, Saginaw, that highlighted several examples within her health system that offered opportunities to advance patient safety and quality and to affirm a culture of safety.

Board members received a state legislative briefing on the status of House Bills 6116-6119, which would establish a hospital cost review board and create new health facility consolidation measuresThe board urged hospitals to contact their lawmakers immediately to ask them to oppose these bills and to explain how these government price controls will harm their hospitals and jeopardize their communities’ access to care if the bills become law. Members may reference talking points and bill summaries to help guide conversations with lawmakers.

Jonathan Martin, bureau chief and senior political columnist, POLITICO, joined the board as a guest speaker. He shared insights on the current political environment in Washington and how the rise of social media algorithms has fueled identity politics. Martin also emphasized that face-to-face conversations with lawmakers remain the most effective way to diffuse partisanship and create better policy solutions.

The board held annual corporate meetings for four MHA-affiliated entities: the MHA Service Corporation, the MHA Keystone Center, the MHA Health Foundation and the newly formed MHA Center of Rural Excellence. The MHA Executive Committee approved membership applications from First Financial Bank, Inhospital Physicians and Pioneer Specialty Hospitals. Members with questions about the actions of the MHA Board of Trustees may contact Amy Barkholz at the MHA.

MHA Monday Report May 19, 2025

Healthcare Legislation Advances in House, Senate

Numerous healthcare bills including the Nurse Licensure Compact, Interstate Medical Licensure Compact and the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) budget advanced in the Michigan Legislature during the week of May 12. …


Legislative Policy Panel Acts on Advocacy Priorities for Michigan Hospitals

The MHA Legislative Policy Panel met May 14 at the MHA Capital Advocacy Center to develop recommendations for the MHA Board of Trustees on legislative initiatives impacting Michigan hospitals. MHA Capitol Advocacy Center staff provided …


Healthcare Makes $100+ Billion Impact to Michigan’s Economy

The MHA published results from the 2025 Economic Impact of Healthcare in Michigan report as part of National Hospital Week (May 11-17), demonstrating a $106 billion total economic impact healthcare had in fiscal year 2023, the most recent data available. …


Deadline Approaching to Register for MHA Annual Membership Meeting

The deadline to register for the 2025 MHA Annual Membership Meeting is Friday, May 23. The event will be held June 25 through 27 at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. The annual meeting offers …


LARA Finalizes Osteopathic Licensing and Practice Rules

The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) recently finalized administrative rules that update licensing and practice standards for osteopathic medicine and surgery in Michigan, effective May 8, 2025. The revised rules, issued through the …


Members Discuss Cyberattack Preparedness in MHA Virtual Forum

More than 80 information systems, clinical and administrative leaders joined the MHA’s virtual member forum May 9 to discuss strategies for preparing for and responding to cyberattacks. Leaders shared insights and lessons learned from real-world …


MDHHS Updates MMR Vaccine Guidance Amid Measles Outbreaks

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) updated guidance May 9 on the administration and reimbursement of the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. The bulletin outlines how providers may administer and receive …


Latest AHA Trustee Insights Outlines Fundraising as a Growth Strategy

The May edition of Trustee Insights, a monthly digital publication from the American Hospital Association, explores how fundraising can serve as a low-risk growth strategy for hospitals and health systems. One article focuses on the …


Nurses Share Insights on Balance, Technology and the Future of the Profession in New Survey

The MHA has endorsed AMN Healthcare as a national leader in workforce solutions. AMN Healthcare’s 2025 Survey of Registered Nurses measures the insights and direction of the nursing profession using responses from more than 12,000 nurses. MHA …


The Reality for Medicaid Patients Entering the ED With a Behavioral Health Crisis

Imagine this: You enter a hospital emergency department for chest pain. The clinicians onsite confirm you’re having a heart attack, but before can receive lifesaving care, you must wait for a second pre-admission screening from an agency outside of the hospital. …


Keckley Report

The Value-based Care Agenda in Trump 2.0 Healthcare

“Central to both efforts is the administration’s mandate to reduce federal spending which it deems achievable, in part, by replacing fee for services with value-based payments to providers from the government’s Medicare and Medicaid programs. The CMS Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) is the government’s primary vehicle to test and implement alternative payment programs that reduce federal spending and improve the quality and effectiveness of services simultaneously. ….

Recent efforts by the Trump Healthcare 2.0 team and its leadership appointments in CMS and CMMI point to a value-agenda will change significantly. Alternative payment models will be fewer and participation by provider groups will be mandated for several. Measures of quality and savings will be fewer, more easily measured and and standardized across more episodes of care. Financial risks and shared savings will be higher and regulatory compliance will be simplified in tandem with restructuring in HHS, CMS and CMMI to improve responsiveness and consistency across federal agencies and programs. …

Trump Healthcare 2.0 value-based care is a take-no prisoners strategy in which private insurers in Medicare Advantage have a seat at their table alongside hospitals that sponsor ACOs and distribute the majority of shared savings to the practicing physicians. But the agenda will be set, and re-set by the administration and link-minded physician organizations like America’s Physician Groups and others that welcome financial risk-sharing with Medicare and beyond.”

Paul Keckley, May 12, 2025


New to KnowNews to Know

MHA Endorsed Business Partner Medical Solutions, will host the free webinar Workforce Wellness: Effective Approaches to Foster Well-being and Retention in Healthcare from 1 to 2 p.m. ET May 19.


MHA in the News

Laura Appel

The MHA received news coverage during the week of May 12 related to federal Medicaid funding cuts and the release of the hospital economic and workforce impact data. …

MHA Service Corporation Board Highlights Solutions and Mission

The MHA Service Corporation (MHASC) board held its final meeting of the 2023-2024 program year June 26 focused on supporting the MHA Strategic Action Plan priorities of workforce support and innovation, viability, behavioral health and health equity. The Board explored strategies to invest and diversify products and services, as well as how the MHA could approach “mission-focused” partnerships.

The board was joined by Dr. John Crongeyer, CEO, ModusOne Health, for an overview of the only physician-founded and physician-run Clinical Diagnosis Improvement (CDxI®) company that delivers robust monthly leaderboard-style reporting of provider accuracy in diagnosing patients on the conditions that most directly affect quality metrics and the financial bottom line. The MHASC is planning to launch new endorsed business partnerships in the coming months.

The MHASC board made several appointments and reappointments, adding depth and breadth of expertise by welcoming new board members Brian Brown, regional vice president of marketing & business development, McLaren Health Care, Grand Blanc; Ane McNeil, senior vice president of human resources, Trinity Health, Livonia; and Andrea Poulopoulos, senior vice president of supply chain, Corewell, Grand Rapids. The board affirmed the reappointments of Saju George, regional CEO, Prime Healthcare, Garden City, and vice chair Bill Manns, CEO, Bronson Healthcare, Kalamazoo. The board also recognized outgoing board members for their service, including inaugural chair Gwen MacKenzie, senior advisor, McKinsey and Company; Deloris Hunt, retired chief human resources officer, Michigan Medicine; Scott McLean, former managing director, Corewell Health Ventures; and Brian Connolly, Connolly Associates.

The MHASC mission is to deliver innovative solutions that help improve value and performance through its Unemployment Compensation Program, Data Services and Endorsed Business Partner program. Visit the MHA Business Services webpage to learn more about resources available.

Members with questions regarding the MHASC Board may contact Ruthanne Sudderth at the MHA.