Tag: MHA Monday Report

MHA Monday Report June 29, 2026

Member News, Monday Report

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 & …

House Government Operations Hears Testimony on Review Board Bills

Michigan hospitals urged lawmakers to reject House Bills (HBs) 6116-6119 during testimony before the House Government Operations Committee June 25, warning the legislation would worsen healthcare affordability challenges and jeopardize access to care across the …

Medical Debt Bills Advance, House Hears Behavioral Health Testimony

Several healthcare-related bills advanced in the Michigan Legislature during the week of June 22, including legislation addressing medical debt collections and behavioral health screenings. The Michigan House voted in support of HBs 5254–5255 …

Health & Hospital Association Elects 2026-2027 Officers and Board Members

Members of the Michigan Health & Hospital Association elected new officers and appointed board members during the association’s Annual Membership Meeting June 24. Officers of the 2026-2027 MHA Board of Trustees include Brittany Lavis, …

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Continues Longtime Investment in Safety & Quality of Healthcare

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is continuing its longstanding funding relationship with the MHA Keystone Center with a $1 million contribution that will directly support the MHA Keystone Center’s …

Hospital Executives Recognized for Exemplary Leadership

The MHA announced the winners of its 2026 Healthcare Leadership Award June 25 during its Annual Membership Meeting. Each year, the MHA recognizes outstanding individuals who have provided remarkable leadership to healthcare organizations and to the …

Ludwig Community Benefit Award Honors Hospital Programs

The MHA announced the winners of its 2026 Ludwig Community Benefit Award during the association’s Annual Membership Meeting June 25. The honorees include programs supported by Covenant HealthCare, Saginaw; McKenzie Health System, Sandusky; and Munson Medical Center, Traverse City. …

MHA Meritorious Service Award Recognizes Rick Pollack

The MHA announced Rick Pollack, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association, as the recipient of the 2026 MHA Meritorious Service Award. As the highest honor presented by the MHA, the award celebrates individuals whose leadership and lifetime contributions …

Healthcare Advocates Honored with MHA Special Recognition Award

The MHA announced three winners of its Special Recognition Award during the Annual Membership Meeting June 25, recognizing them for extensive contributions to healthcare. Each of the winners has uniquely influenced healthcare in Michigan. …

Michigan Hospital Leaders Discuss Key Healthcare Issues at Mackinac Policy Conference

Healthcare leaders from across the state joined Rich Helppie, host of The Common Bridge Podcast, May 27 at the 2026 Mackinac Policy Conference to discuss key healthcare issues impacting Michigan hospitals and the communities they serve. …

Council Explores AI, Quality Improvement and Patient Safety to Advance Community Health

The MHA Council on Health Access and Community Impact held its final meeting of the program year June 4 to examine emerging opportunities and challenges shaping healthcare delivery and advancing community health. The meeting opened …

Michigan Hospitals, Always caring, always advancing.

The Keckley Report

States, Employers and Physicians want Reforms Hospitals, Drug Companies and Insurers Oppose

“That’s life! It’s not simple. It’s not predictable. It can be frustrating. And it changes fast. That’s never been more true in U.S. healthcare. On three fronts, changes are being made to address urgent needs and bring a measure of order to chaos…

States are advancing legislation to control health costs, constrain private equity ownership, limit hospital CEO compensation, impose drug price controls and challenge consolidation. They’re not waiting on DC for solutions: states are now ground zero for health system reform.

Healthcare’s future is uncertain because life is coming at it fast. And it’s unprepared.”

Paul Keckley, June 22, 2026

News to Know

  • The MHA and Endorsed Business Partner AMN Healthcare will host the webinar, “Maximizing Every Dollar: Using AI and Data to Strategically Plan Your Workforce and Eliminate Administrative Barriers” from 11 a.m. to noon ET July 15.
  • MHA offices will close at noon July 2 and be closed July 3 in observance of Independence Day.
  • Due to the Independence Day holiday weekend, MHA Monday Report will not be published July 6. MHA Monday Report will then follow a biweekly publication schedule in July, with issues publishing July 13 and July 27. Member alerts and MHA Newsroom articles will continue to be published as needed to keep members informed of important news and advocacy updates.
  • A refreshed MHA.org will launch July 14, featuring an improved navigation and enhanced user experience to help members more easily access advocacy updates, news, events and resources.

MHA in the News

The MHA garnered significant media coverage following the introduction of HB 6116-6119 June 18. Immediately after the bills were introduced, the MHA issued a statement that was included in coverage from multiple outlets, including …

 

MHA Monday Report June 22, 2026

Member News, Monday Report

House Speaker Introduces Hospital Cost Review Board and New Health Tax

Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) announced legislation June 18 that would establish a hospital cost review board and create new health facility consolidation measures. The MHA believes these proposals would severely harm hospitals, …

House Health Policy Hears Testimony on Behavioral Health Transport Legislation

Legislation addressing behavioral health transport received testimony in the House Health Policy Committee during the week of June 15, while other key healthcare bills advanced in the legislature. House Bills 5943–5944, sponsored by Reps. …

Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule Data Reporting Due July 31

The Protecting Access to Medicare Act reformed the Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule by establishing a single national fee schedule based on private-market data from applicable laboratories serving Medicare beneficiaries, including hospital outreach, …

Michigan Hospital Leaders Discuss Key Healthcare Issues at Mackinac Policy Conference

Healthcare leaders from across the state joined Rich Helppie, host of The Common Bridge Podcast, May 27 at the 2026 Mackinac Policy Conference to discuss key healthcare issues impacting Michigan hospitals and the communities they serve. …

MHA Releases Updated Medicaid and Medicare Enrollment Analysis

The MHA recently updated its analysis of Medicaid and Medicare enrollment using May 2026 data. The analysis includes program enrollment as a percentage of each county’s total population, along with the distribution of beneficiaries enrolled in fee-for-service …

June 26 Application Deadline: Excellence in Governance Fellowship

Applications for the 2026–27 MHA Excellence in Governance Fellowship are due June 26. The fellowship helps hospital board members strengthen their expertise and leadership skills to enhance their impact within their organizations. Trustees from small …

MDHHS Launches Michigan Psychiatric Bed Registry Dashboard

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) recently launched the Michigan Psychiatric Bed Registry Dashboard, a statewide tool designed to help authorized users identify available inpatient psychiatric beds and support timely placement for …

The ‘Why’ Behind Hospital Mergers and Acquisitions

When a hospital announces a merger or acquisition, the story behind the decision is rarely as simple or straightforward as a single headline may sound. It’s often a very deliberate process that involves months of rigorous research and financial analysis, and more than anything, rooted in what’s best for the communities a hospital serves. Rural hospitals across Michigan face …

Hospitals Help: MyMichigan Health, YMCA Summer Camp Gives Kids a Closer Look at Healthcare

The YMCA of Saginaw is giving local kids a front-row seat to the world of healthcare this summer thanks to a partnership with MyMichigan Health. The Health Careers Summer Camp will run daily from June …

Michigan Hospitals, Always caring, always advancing.

The Keckley Report

‘Corporate Health Insurers’: Will the Gambit Work?

“Last week, the Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare released survey results about escalating health costs placing blame squarely on ‘corporate health insurers’. The American Hospital Association, a founding member of the Coalition, reported “A survey conducted by Morning Consult on behalf the Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare, found that 47% of voters believe corporate health insurers are the primary driver of rising healthcare costs, followed by the federal government at 36% and drug companies at 34%.” (AHA June 13, 2026). …

The Coalition’s survey is notable in its specific attention to “corporate insurers” and its timing: Congress and CMS are putting final touches on the FY27 federal budget, states are managing cuts to Medicaid and new work requirements and campaign 2026 looms.

Every hospital and insurer—whether not for profit or investor owned, independent or affiliated, large or small—is impacted by growing hostility toward corporatization in healthcare. How organizations respond will determine the ultimate transformation of the system.”

Paul Keckley, June 14, 2026

News to Know

The MHA and Endorsed Business Partner AMN Healthcare will host the webinar, “Maximizing Every Dollar: Using AI and Data to Strategically Plan Your Workforce and Eliminate Administrative Barriers” from 11 a.m. to noon ET July 15.

MHA in the News

Lauren LaPine-Ray, vice president, policy & rural health, MHA, and executive director, MHA Center of Rural Excellence, spoke with Crain’s Detroit Business following the June 16 closure announcement for Sturgis Hospital. LaPine-Ray highlighted the significant …

MHA Monday Report June 15, 2026

Monday Report, Member News

Behavioral Health Screening Legislation Advances

The House Health Policy Committee advanced legislation addressing preadmission screening assessments for behavioral health patients, as other healthcare bills advanced in the legislature during the week of June 8. The House Health Policy Committee voted …

Michigan Hospital Leaders Discuss Key Healthcare Issues at Mackinac Policy Conference

Healthcare leaders from across the state joined Rich Helppie, host of The Common Bridge Podcast, May 27 at the 2026 Mackinac Policy Conference to discuss key healthcare issues impacting Michigan hospitals and the communities they …

MHA EventsMichigan for Vaccines Launches Statewide Coalition

The MHA hosted the launch of Michigan for Vaccines May 10 at the MHA Capitol Advocacy Center. The coalition was created to strengthen Michigan’s commitment to evidence-based vaccine recommendations. It brings together healthcare organizations and other …

Bipartisan Policy Center to Host Webinar on Rural Health Transformation Program

The Bipartisan Policy Center will host a webinar June 30 from 11 a.m. to noon EDT on how states are leveraging funding through the Rural Health Transformation Program to strengthen rural healthcare delivery through …

Advancing Community Health Requires Whole-Person Care

In my years at the bedside and now as a nurse leader in Northern Michigan, I’ve witnessed healthcare at its most complex and its most human. I’ve worked across rural communities where healthcare access isn’t a given. …

Hospitals Help: UM Health-Sparrow Mobile Clinic Bridges Care Gaps

Directly fulfilling its mission to bridge healthcare gaps, the University of Michigan (UM) Health-Sparrow Mobile Health Clinic delivers critical, no-cost medical services directly to communities in need across Mid-Michigan. The 40-foot RV is handicap accessible …

Michigan Hospitals, Always caring, always advancing.

The Keckley Report

The Good, Bad and Ugly in Healthcare all in One Week

“Summer is here and its first week is in the books. Like politics, the economy and life in general, it brought the good, bad and ugly attention to healthcare in the U.S. …

But the bad and ugly news about healthcare seems to dominate media coverage, especially in social media where fact-checking is often shortcut.

For me, the highlight of the week was AHA’s statement committing itself to the pursuit affordability across the system by marshalling its peers to create meaningful solutions. Sign me up. Collaboration is the starting point. Transparency in its deliberations will be necessary to building trust in this process. Inclusion of all proposed solutions subjected to objective review will be its necessary start.  And timing is key: election season tends to distort messaging and draw critics. The urgency of direction is no less key: ideally, meaningful direction and substantive recommendations should follow soon after but be independent of Campaign 2026 results in state and federal elections.”

Paul Keckley, June 7, 2026

News to Know

MHA Endorsed Business Partner CorroHealth is hosting the webinar Root Cause to Revenue: Winning the Battle Against DRG Downgrades July 29 from 2 to 3 p.m. ET.

MHA in the News

MHA CEO Brian Peters recently appeared in an AARP-sponsored segment that aired in the Grand Rapids and Lansing markets to discuss the importance of Medicaid for Michigan residents. Peters highlighted concerns that changes outlined in …

MHA Monday Report June 8, 2026

Member News, Monday Report

House Judiciary Hears Testimony on Violence Against Healthcare Workers Legislation

Legislation addressing violence against healthcare workers heard testimony in the House Judiciary Committee during the week of June 1, while other MHA-backed bills saw action in the legislature. House Bills 4532–4534, which aim to …

MDHHS Finalizes Specialty Behavioral Health Services Location Policy

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) recently finalized Medicaid Policy Bulletin MMP 26-17, effective July 1, 2026, which clarifies reimbursement requirements for specialty behavioral health services provided through Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans …

MDHHS Expands Medicaid Coverage for Pharmacist-Provided Services

The MDHHS recently issued Medicaid Policy Bulletin MMP 26-20, expanding coverage for pharmacist-provided services effective July 1, 2026, pending approval of a state plan amendment by the Centers …

MDHHS Accepting Applications for Opioid Treatment Access Internship Stipend Program

The MDHHS is accepting applications through June 15 for the Michigan Opioid Treatment Access Internship Program, which provides financial support to students completing unpaid internships that prepare them …

Workforce Resources and Webinar Available for Healthcare Providers

The MHA and Endorsed Business Partner AMN Healthcare continue to support workforce strategies that improve access to care for hospitals and health systems. AMN will host a webinar, “Maximizing Every Dollar: Using AI and Data …

Michigan Hospitals Help Advance Care for Sickle Cell Patients

Michigan hospitals are committed to investing in efforts that advance the health of the patients and communities they serve every day. With grant funding from the MDHHS,  the Bronson Health Foundation, Children’s Hospital …

MHA Rounds graphic of Brian PetersMHA CEO Report — A Call to Strengthen Healthcare Through Collaboration

Our nation’s healthcare system is at a crossroads. Rising costs, workforce shortages and expanding patient needs are placing unprecedented pressure on hospitals and the communities that depend on them. Accepting this strain as status quo is not an option. …

Michigan Hospitals, Always caring, always advancing.

The Keckley Report

In Healthcare: 10 Issues where States are Accelerating Policy Changes

“In the United States, laws that define how our health system operates have evolved over our 250-year history. They’re built on allopathic medical pedagogy borrowed from our European roots and evolve around clinical innovations and technologies that improve outcomes and extend life. …

Healthcare’s future in the U.S. will continue to be framed by federal policies and the political system from which its laws originate, but its transformational changes will increasingly originate in states where affordability, funding and system effectiveness issues are tackled head-on.”

Paul Keckley, May 31, 2026

News to Know

The MHA recently launched Always Caring, Always Advancing, a new multi-year, statewide public affairs campaign highlighting the powerful stories of caregivers and patients across Michigan.

MHA in the News

During the Mackinac Policy Conference MHA CEO Brian Peters sat down with leaders across the state to discuss advancing more collaborative, affordable and outcomes-driven care across Michigan. Peters joined Paula Cunningham, Michael Patrick Shields and …

MHA Monday Report June 1, 2026

Monday Report, Member News

Register for Always Caring, Always Advancing Webinar

The MHA is hosting a member webinar introducing Always Caring, Always Advancing, a new multi-year statewide public affairs campaign, from 1 to 2 p.m. on June 3. The campaign is designed to highlight the impact …

HRSA Finalizes Maternity Care Target Area Changes

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) recently finalized updates to the criteria for designating Maternity Care Health Professional Target Areas, effective Aug. 15, 2026. The revised methodology removes the Social Vulnerability Index and …

Application Deadline Nears for MHA Governance Fellowship

The application deadline for the 2026-27 cohort of the MHA Excellence in Governance Fellowship is June 26. Trustees from small and rural hospitals to large health systems across the state have graduated from this one-of-a-kind …

Hospitals Help: Schoolcraft Memorial Expands Access to Financial Assistance for Rural Residents

The teams at Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital are working to expand access to financial assistance to ensure residents across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula don’t delay or forego essential care. As rising healthcare costs continue to impact communities …

Michigan Hospitals, Always caring, always advancing.

The Keckley Report

“With 6 months until the mid-term elections, and media coverage of polls increasing, it’s important that healthcare stakeholders understand public views of the system, and more important, the beliefs that underly these views. …

The public’s belief in the health system needs immediate attention not to justify yesterday’s business practices but its commitment to a transformed system tomorrow. Public opinion about the U.S. health system is concerning.”

News to Know

  • Community Health Improvement Week is June 8-12.
  • The May edition of Trustee Insights, the monthly digital resource from the American Hospital Association, explores essential traits that support meaningful board oversight, strategic insight and positive working relationships, as well as the evolving cybersecurity threat landscape and key actions trustees can take to strengthen governance.

MHA Monday Report May 25, 2026

Member News, Monday Report

Business leaders attend a Hospitals & Affordability presentation hosted by the MHA and Livonia-Westland Chamber of Commerce.

Livonia-Westland Business Leaders Meet with MHA on Affordability

The MHA partnered with the Livonia-Westland Chamber of Commerce on May 14 to host an event at its Livonia offices to engage with business leaders about healthcare costs, listen to their needs and collaborate on …

Coverage is Care at Trinity Health Michigan

Significant changes to Medicaid are expected to take effect in 2027, bringing new requirements and processes that could increase the risk of coverage loss for eligible individuals if systems are not prepared. …

Hospitals Help: Pine Rest Launches First-of-its-Kind Pediatric Psychiatric Urgent Care

Hospitals are there in life’s most critical moments, supporting people at all walks of life and expanding access to care beyond the bedside. For children and families experiencing behavioral health crises, timely care can make …

The Keckley Report

Trump Administration Takes Aim at Healthcare: What MAGA Voters Believe

“These actions are consistent with the administration’s growing disdain for the healthcare industry as the mid-term election nears. Its gleeful rebuke of two-term Louisiana Republican Senator Bill Cassidy’s primary defeat Saturday a case in point: Cassidy chaired the Senate HELP committee and clashed with HHS Director RF Kennedy Jr. over MAHA initiatives like vaccine policies. A physician, he practiced gastroenterology with a specialty in hepatology (liver disease) before entering politics and was frequently differed with the administration’s health policies. …

The industry is on the defensive. Insurers, hospitals, home care and prescription drug sectors are considered complicit in the system’s failings.

The industry’s aware, but to date, its defense of the status quo has been ineffective. Its primary response has been a blame game against offending sectors, over-regulation and macro-economic pressures while buying time even as voter discontent grows.”

Paul Keckley, May 18, 2026

News to Know

MHA offices will be closed Monday, May 25 in observance of Memorial Day.

 

MHA Monday Report May 18, 2026

Monday Report, Member News

House Passes Multiple Healthcare Bills

The Michigan House passed legislation related to third-party litigation financing, Medicaid prescription requirements and surgical smoke plume evacuation during the week of May 11. Lawmakers also introduced legislation related to behavioral health transportation services and …

State House Minority Leader Addresses Legislative Policy Panel

State House Minority Leader Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton) addressed the MHA Legislative Policy Panel May 13 at the MHA Capitol Advocacy Center, providing the panel with a legislative and political update and sharing his commitment to …

2026 Healthcare Leadership Academy Cohort Completes Program

In partnership with Executive Core, the MHA recently celebrated the successful completion of the 2026 Healthcare Leadership Academy, which supports the development of emerging healthcare leaders across Michigan. Through two in-person modules, participants developed skills …

Keystone Quality and Safety Work Highlighted at MICAH QN Meeting

Kristy Shafer, senior manager, MHA Keystone Center, and senior lead quality improvement advisor for Superior Health, presented the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services quality improvement program at the Michigan Critical Access Hospital Quality …

MHA Keystone Center to Present During National Caregiver Webinar

The National Alliance for Caregiving will host the webinar “Practical Methods for Integrating Caregivers into Care Delivery” from 1 to 2 p.m. ET May 27, highlighting how hospitals and health systems are embedding caregivers into care models …

Hospitals Help: Memorial Healthcare Prioritizes Infection Control for Long-Term Care Residents

Michigan hospitals have long prioritized infection control and prevention, investing in resources that strengthen safety and quality measures for their patients and staff. The MHA Keystone Center is committed to supporting these efforts. Healthcare teams …

News to Know

  • The MHA Person & Family Engagement Advisory Council met May 14 to examine patient journey mapping, a method used to document and visualize the patient experience across healthcare touchpoints, from recognizing a health need through treatment and ongoing care.
  • Hospitals paid under the Medicare inpatient prospective payment system must submit a calendar year 2025 occupational mix survey to the Medicare Administrative Contractor by June 30.
  • Applicable laboratories, including hospital outreach laboratories, must report private payer data under the Protecting Access to Medicare Act from Jan. 1 through June 30, 2025, during the reporting window open through July 31, 2026.

MHA in the News

The MHA received coverage in a May 12 Crain’s Detroit Business story examining insurance contract negotiations with hospitals. In the article, MHA CEO Brian Peters emphasized that reimbursement contracts between hospitals and insurance companies often …

MHA Monday Report May 11, 2026

Member News, Monday Report

 

Medical Residents Highlight Workforce Needs During 2026 GME Capitol Day

The MHA Graduate Medical Education (GME) Capitol Day welcomed nearly 30 physician residents from member hospitals to the MHA Capitol Advocacy Center offices May 6 for a day of meetings with members of the Michigan …

Safe Table to Focus on Medication Safety in Rural Hospitals

The MHA Keystone Center Patient Safety Organization will host an in-person Safe Table on May 28 at Mackinac Straits Hospital in St. Ignace. The session will focus on strategies to prevent medication errors in …

CDC Restores Immunization Schedules After Federal Court Order

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) restored the official U.S. child, adolescent and adult immunization schedules to the July 2, 2025, versions in compliance with the March 16 federal court ruling in American …

MHA Leaders Present at Michigan State of Reform Health Policy Conference

The 2026 Michigan State of Reform Health Policy Conference convened May 5 in East Lansing, MI, to discuss the most pressing challenges across the healthcare continuum. Lauren LaPine-Ray, DrPH, MPH, vice president, policy & rural …

House Passes 2026 Farm Bill with Rural Health Provisions

The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 7567, the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026, on April 30, which includes several provisions supporting rural healthcare infrastructure, broadband expansion and behavioral health services. The …

Protect MI Care Coalition Toolkit Available to Hospitals

The Protect MI Care coalition recently shared a toolkit of resources to help coalition partners make their voices heard in support of maintaining state funding for the Michigan Medicaid program. MHA members are encouraged to …

MHA EventsRegistration for MHA Annual Membership Meeting Closes May 22

Registration for the MHA Annual Membership Meeting June 24-26 at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island closes May 22. The event is an opportunity to learn, network and celebrate the accomplishments of the program year. …

Final Federal Loan Rule Maintains Narrow Professional Degree Definition

The U.S. Department of Education recently released a final rule implementing changes to federal student loan programs under the Reimagining and Improving Student Education initiative. The final rule includes changes to graduate and professional …

Hospital CEOs Highlight Value of Governance Fellowship

Applications are being accepted for the 2026-27 Excellence in Governance Fellowship, scheduled from October 2026 through June 2027. Chief executive officers who sponsored their board members to participate in the fellowship, as well as program …

MHA Rounds graphic of Brian PetersCEO Report — No One Knows Healthcare Better than Hospitals

Skyrocketing healthcare costs are impacting families and communities across the state. No one is more committed to addressing this problem than those providing care around the clock. Despite being on the frontlines, hospitals are under fire. …

Hospitals Help Us. Here’s How We Can Help Them.

Hospitals show up for Michigan communities around the clock to provide care, support families and strengthen the places we call home. In honor of National Hospital Week, MHA teams asked members across the state to …

Keckley Report

In US Healthcare, It’s Incrementalism before Transformation by Necessity

“This will be a quiet week for healthcare in DC with major hearings, confirmations and legislative votes not scheduled.

Last week was relatively calm as well. The House Ways and Means Committee heard testimony from hospital CEOs of HCA, ECU Health, Common Spirit and NY Presbyterian featuring accusations of price gauging and unnecessary costs. And a study that found an OpenAI model outperformed doctors in diagnostic reasoning stirred attention in the physician and healthcare tech worlds where AI’s a dirty word to some and salvation to others. …

Transformation of the system, and a clear destiny for its future are secondary to self-preservation in US healthcare today. Our investors and lenders expect it, Board compensation committees reward it, and our workforce depends on it.”

Paul Keckley, May 4, 2026

MHA in the News

Bridge Michigan published a story May 7 detailing how federal funding cuts to Medicaid will further exacerbate rural hospitals’ capacity to treat and transport patients requiring more specialized care. Lauren LaPine-Ray, DrPH, MPH, vice president, …

MHA Monday Report March 23, 2026

Monday Report, Member News

Mandatory Overtime, Assisted Outpatient Treatment Legislation Advances

Several key healthcare bills, including mandatory nurse overtime, assisted outpatient treatment, Certificate of Need and site-neutral payment policies, saw action in the legislature during the week of March 16. The Senate Regulatory Affairs …

Michigan Legislature Announces Commitment to Pass the IMLC Before March 28 Deadline

Following negotiations finalized March 19, Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) announced plans to pass legislation authorizing Michigan’s continued participation in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC). The MHA thanks state lawmakers for their commitment …

MHA Shares Latest Medicare and Medicaid Enrollment Analysis

The MHA recently updated its analysis of Medicaid and Medicare enrollment based on February 2026 data. The analysis includes program enrollment as a percentage of each county’s total population and the split between fee-for-service and …

The MHA Annual Membership Meeting Offers Learning and Networking

The MHA membership will convene in person for the MHA Annual Membership Meeting June 24-26 on Mackinac Island. The event provides an opportunity to learn, network and celebrate …

Federal Court Pauses Vaccine Policy Changes

A U.S. District Court judge issued a ruling March 16 in American Academy of Pediatrics v. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that places a hold on several changes to federal vaccine policy made over the past …

Health Access & Community Impact Office Hours Highlight 211 Data

The MHA will host the next Health Access & Community Impact Office Hours session on April 29 from noon to 12:45 p.m., featuring Michigan 211. The session, Understanding Regional Needs: A Data Driven Look at Michigan’s …

Applications Open for Governance Fellowship, Current Class Convenes

The MHA is now accepting applications for the Excellence in Governance Fellowship which will be held from October 2026 through June 2027. The comprehensive program is designed to support hospital and health system trustees in strengthening governance …

The State of Healthcare Leadership: Risks, Reality and Readiness

MHA Endorsed Business Partner AMN Healthcare and B.E. Smith recently released the Healthcare Leadership Trends for 2026 Report, based on a national survey of more than 700 healthcare executives across hospitals and health systems. The report …

Hospitals Help Michigan Students Pursue Healthcare Careers

Healthcare remains the state’s largest employer of direct, private-sector jobs. With this in mind, hospitals are finding innovative ways to give Michigan students the opportunity to gain real-world exposure to clinical and non-clinical healthcare roles. …

Keckley Report

Health Literacy: Out of Sight, Out of Mind in the Healthcare Industry

“Of industries monitored in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ industry classifications (NAICS), healthcare is unique: its business model is based on business to business (B2B) transactions between suppliers (drugs, devices, technology, hospitals, ancillary facilities), intermediaries (GPOs, PBMs, insurers, brokers) and retail distributors (physicians, pharmacists, therapists, et al) in which end-users (consumers) have limited influence and unpredictable financial responsibility. The acceptance of low health literacy is institutionalized in state and federal regulatory oversight, labor rules and scope of practice determinations and funding by private investors, public appropriations, employer contributions and out-of-pocket payments by consumers. Its acceptance is inconsistent with aims to make it more accessible, affordable and effective. …

For too long, health literacy has been relegated to discussions among public health officials. Its neglect is harmful to every organization in healthcare and to its long-term sustainability. Boards should weigh in, and policymakers should act. Health literacy can ill-afford being out of sight, out-of mind in the U.S. health system and in the society we serve.”

Paul Keckley, March 15, 2026

MHA Monday Report March 16, 2026

Member News, Monday Report

Medical Debt Legislation Clears Senate, MHA-Supported Bills Advance in the House

Legislation addressing medical debt collection processes and hospital financial assistance policies passed the Michigan Senate, while the House of Representatives moved MHA-supported bills during the week of March 9.  The Senate voted in support of Senate Bills 449, 450 and 451 as well as …

Healthcare Leadership Award Nominations Due March 27

The MHA is now accepting nominations for the annual Healthcare Leadership Award, which recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership within their healthcare organization and community. Trustees, executives, physicians, nurses and other outstanding leaders are eligible for consideration. …

DEA Final Rule Takes Effect for EMS Controlled Substances

A new Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) final rule took effect March 9, codifying regulations enacted in 2017 within the Controlled Substances Act related to the handling of controlled substances by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) …

Health Access & Community Impact Council Focuses on Food as Medicine

The MHA Health Access & Community Impact Council convened virtually March 5 to discuss strategies to improve health outcomes through stronger integration of social and clinical care. In recognition of National Nutrition Month, members also explored …

Applications Open for 2027 AHA Foster G. McGaw Prize

The American Hospital Association (AHA) is accepting applications for the annual 2027 AHA Foster G. McGaw Prize now through May 5, 2026. The prize celebrates hospitals and health systems that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to …

Hospitals Help: Bronson Healthcare Guides Patients Through Billing, Benefits and Financial Support

Navigating healthcare billing and out-of-pocket costs can be overwhelming. In order to let patients focus on healing, many hospitals are expanding the role of financial counselors, social workers and patient navigators. For example, financial counselors …

Keckley Report

Healthcare Workforce Modernization Needed

“Last week, the war in Iran intensified and Kristi Noem’s tenure as DHS Secretary came to an unceremonious close. Perhaps lost in the noise was the February jobs report issued Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. It showed a surprising decline in job growth prompting speculation the economy might have taken a downward turn. …

Healthcare is capital intense: it needs appropriations from government and in-flows from employers and individual taxpayers to pay its bills. Most of that pays for its labor costs. Today, most Board agenda include updates on labor relations, human resource management issues and workforce adequacy—it’s standard fare. And all weigh options to outsource and devour progress reports from HR management on AI-enabled investments anticipated to reduce labor costs. …

If the overall economy is dependent on healthcare to produce an appropriate share of job growth while reducing overall costs, modernizing its workforce is key. It must include unpaid caregivers, licensed and unlicensed providers and technology-enabled solution providers—not just traditional licensed professional groups and their academic partners. That’s not going to happen in the current political environment where each sector’s primary focus is protecting reimbursement and guarding against scope of practice threats.

The health system needs transformation. Workforce modernization is where to start.”

Paul Keckley, March 8, 2026

New to KnowNews to Know

  • The MHA membership will convene in person for the MHA Annual Membership Meeting June 24–26.
  • MHA Endorsed Business Partner CyberForce|Q is hosting the Navigating AI’s Impact on Cyber Hygiene webinar March 25 from noon-1 p.m. ET.

MHA in the News

The MHA partnered with Crain’s Content Studio to facilitate a healthcare affordability discussion, which was highlighted in its Detroit and Grand Rapids publications. Healthcare and business leaders examined the complex factors driving healthcare costs and …