The MHA Legislative Policy Panel convened May 24 to develop recommendations for the MHA Board of Trustees on legislative initiatives impacting Michigan hospitals. The meeting was highlighted by a presentation on potential state licensure of …
Action was taken the week of May 22 on a variety of bills that would make improvements to the Healthy Michigan Plan, require adult changing tables be included in future construction or renovation projects and …
Legislation to create Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) was signed by Gov. Whitmer May 22. These new public acts allow for certain individuals, including healthcare providers, to file an ERPO if a person is a …
The MHA has been in frequent contact with members of the Michigan Congressional delegation since the association was made aware of shortages of the chemotherapy drugs carboplatin and cisplatin. Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor) and …
The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs recently published updated rules related to hospitals. Those updates include the following: Final EMS Life Support Agencies and Medical Control Rule The final rule, effective May …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released the timetable and preliminary hospital data that will be used to develop the Medicare wage index for fiscal year 2025, which begins Oct. 1, …
The MHA recently expanded its analysis of enrollment data to reflect Medicare and Medicaid enrollment as a percentage of each county’s total population and the split for Medicare and Medicaid between fee-for-service and managed care …
The MHA Keystone Center is partnering with the Michigan Health Endowment Fund and RUSH University Medical Center to host a virtual roundtable from 10 to 11:15 a.m. June 21 on implementing caregiver navigation programs in …
Approximately 80 leaders responsible for quality, safety and patient experience and patient care participated in an MHA webinar to review the newly released MHA Person & Family Engagement (PFE) Roadmap, which includes recommended policies to re-engage …
Since 1990, the MHA has honored member healthcare organizations working to enrich the overall welfare of their local communities through the Ludwig Community Benefit Award. This year, the MHA is excited to showcase all award nominees, …
“For healthcare, this divergence of views is problematic the proposed debt ceiling compromise includes reducing SNAP benefits (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), imposing work requirements for “able-bodied” Medicaid recipients and cutting community health centers budgets—all hit low-income and underserved populations hardest. In these populations, social determinants of health (SDOH) i.e., food insecurity, unsafe/unhealthy housing, inadequate transportation et al play a central role in their health and its costs, but not much is done. …
Abundant health services research points to one conclusion: the inadequacy of solutions to the nation’s burgeoning social issues aka ‘social determinants of health’ results in poorer health status and higher health costs. Disparities persist. Structural flaws and divergent views about public health have calcified its neglect. It’s’ a disconnect the health system is prompted to fix. …”
The MHA received media coverage the week of May 21 regarding the continued shortage of cancer drugs carboplatin and cisplatin and hospital workforce shortages. MHA representatives appearing in published stories include CEO Brian Peters, Executive …
Harmful legislation was introduced in the Michigan Legislature May 11 that proposes mandated nursing staffing ratios, which would exacerbate existing shortages and restrict important access to healthcare services for Michigan patients. The MHA voiced their …
Manufacturing delays at several pharmaceutical companies are causing nationwide shortages of two critical chemotherapy medications – forcing Michigan hospitals and health systems to find alternative treatments for patients, some of which may be less effective. …
Registration is due May 26 for the MHA Annual Membership Meeting June 28 through 30 at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. Education sessions highlight tactics to address structural inequalities by leveraging data and partnerships, …
During the week of May 7, the MHA celebrated National Hospital Week (NHW) by sharing a series of videos featuring healthcare, education, government and agriculture leaders across the state thanking Michigan hospitals and healthcare workers …
With the closure of nursing homes and long-term care facilities, hospitals and health systems need options to care for seniors. Dually eligible frail seniors are one of the most complex cohorts with multiple comorbidities, frequent hospital admissions and readmissions, and expensive care needs that span acute, post-acute and long-term care. …
Registrations closes May 22 for the MHA webinar Person & Family Engagement: A Roadmap to Patient-Centered Care and Outcomes from 8:30 to 10 a.m. ET May 24. The webinar will review the newly released MHA …
Strategic thinking is a critical skill for all healthcare leaders and the future belongs to organizations whose governing board, working in strategic partnership with management, helps envision the future and assists in discerning and framing …
Since 1990, the MHA has honored member healthcare organizations working to enrich the overall welfare of their local communities through the Ludwig Community Benefit Award. This year, the MHA is excited to showcase all award nominees, …
“While Congressional leaders play chicken with the debt ceiling this week, antipathy toward hospitals is mounting. To be fair, hospitals are not alone: drug companies and PBMs share the distinction while health insurers, device companies, medical groups and long-term care providers enjoy less attention…for now.
Hospitals are soft targets. They’re also vulnerable. They operate in a sector that’s labor intense, capital intense and highly regulated by federal, state and local governments. They’re high profile: many advertise regionally/nationally, all claim unparalleled clinical excellence and unfair treatment by health insurers. …
Most hospital boards of directors, especially not-for-profit organizations, are not prepared to calibrate the pace of these changes nor active in developing scenario possibilities for their future. That’s the place to start. …“
The MHA and Endorsed Business Partner AMN Healthcare Language Services are hosting the webinar New Organizational Responsibilities in Health Equity Regulation: ACA Section 1557 from 3 to 4 p.m. ET June 14.
Completed 2022 occupational mix surveys must be submitted by acute care hospitals paid under the Medicare prospective payment system to the Medicare Administrative Contractor by June 30, 2023.
The MHA received media coverage the week of May 15 regarding a shortage of two critical chemotherapy medications, hospital nurse staffing legislation and the well-being of hospital workers. A press release was published May 17 by the …
Harmful nurse staffing legislation was introduced May 11 in the Michigan Legislature that would mandate nurse staffing ratios, require public disclosure of the ratios and restrict mandatory overtime for nurses. The bill package is pushed by the Michigan Nurses Association and was ….
Behavioral health emergency department (ED) boarding data the MHA has been collecting on a weekly basis from acute care hospitals across Michigan since March 2023 is now available on the Health Data webpage of the …
The MHA membership will convene in person for the MHA Annual Membership Meeting June 28 through 30 at Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. The annual meeting will feature an outstanding lineup of speakers, the family …
After delaying the final rule for ending COVID-19 telehealth prescribing rules, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has issued a temporary rule to allow the following: The full set of telemedicine flexibilities regarding prescription of controlled …
The MHA is partnering with DataGen to host two free webinars focused on Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) quality-based programs, which can reduce hospital inpatient FFS payments by up to 6%, depending upon hospital performance. The webinars …
Fractured social contracts in today’s world have changed the healthcare landscape and culture. There is a convergence of patient consumerism and digital transformation happening, and those who focus on patient-centered care and person and family …
The MHA Keystone Center PSO is hosting a Health IT & Risk Safety Safe Table from 12:30 to 3 p.m. June 14. The event will be held at Goshen Health, located at 200 High Park …
Public Sector Consultants and Health Management Associates are partnering with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to gather the perspectives of people impacted by the direct care worker and behavioral health workforce …
When stakeholders gather to discuss community vitality, the health and wellbeing of the community is not only about access to safe, affordable healthcare, but about non-medical health influences that have an impact on the community. …
Michigan Medicaid began reimbursing doula services provided to individuals covered by or eligible for Medicaid as of Jan. 1, 2023. Doula providers are required to be on the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services …
“The national spotlight this week will be on the debt ceiling stand-off in Congress, the end of Title 42 that enables immigrants’ legal access to the U.S., the April CPI report from the Department of Labor and the aftermath of the nation’s 199th mass shooting this year in Allen TX.
The official end of the Pandemic Health Emergency (PHE) Thursday will also be noted but its impact on the health industry will be immediate and under-estimated. …
In the weeks ahead as the debt ceiling is debated, the Federal FY 2024 budget finalized and campaign 2024 launches, the societal value of the entire health system and speculation about its preparedness for the next pandemic will be top of mind. …“
Upon the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, the Health Resources & Services Administration will end a 2020 policy allowing hospitals to use 340B drugs for eligible patients in new hospital locations, even if they have not yet appeared on a filed Medicare cost report.
The MHA is hosting the webinar MHA Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE): An Alternative to Traditional Nursing Home care from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. May 23.
Completed 2022 occupational mix surveys must be submitted by acute care hospitals paid under the Medicare prospective payment system to the Medicare Administrative Contractor by June 30, 2023.
The MHA received media coverage the week of May 8 regarding nurse staffing legislation, healthcare worker shortages, the ending of the COVID-19 public health emergency and more. A joint media statement was published May 11 …
Legislation to increase the penalties for assaulting healthcare employees and volunteers was introduced in the state House of Representatives during the week of May 1. Additional legislation was introduced to remove unnecessary provisions of the …
The Partnership for Michigan’s Health reports healthcare directly employed nearly 568,000 Michigan residents in 2021, demonstrating that healthcare remains the largest private-sector employer in the state despite continued staffing losses attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. …
The MHA is hosting a webinar from 8:30 to 10 a.m. May 24 to review the newly released MHA Person & Family Engagement Roadmap, which includes recommended policies to re-engage patients and caregivers and …
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services issued a final Medicaid Policy Bulletin May 1 with revisions to the Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems Policy. In response to the proposed policy issued April 1, …
The MHA Keystone Center presented Cheryl Kay, RN, at E.W. Sparrow Hospital with the quarterly MHA Keystone Center Speak-up! Award, which celebrates individuals or teams in Michigan hospitals demonstrating a commitment to the prevention of …
The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is delaying draft rules that proposed stricter telehealth limits on providers prescribing controlled substances, like buprenorphine for opioid use disorder or Adderall for ADHD. The DEA will temporarily extend …
With the closure of nursing homes and long-term care facilities, hospitals and health systems need options to care for seniors. Dually eligible frail seniors are one of the most complex cohorts with multiple comorbidities, frequent …
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. On episode 29, State Representative …
Since 1990, the MHA has honored member healthcare organizations working to enrich the overall welfare of their local communities through the Ludwig Community Benefit Award. This year, the MHA is excited to showcase all award nominees, …
Talent acquisition is always top of mind for all business leaders. Demand for workers now outpaces supply throughout the U.S., but particularly here in Michigan due to our demographic realities, including an aging baby-boom generation entering retirement in significant numbers. …
“Tit for Tat battles in healthcare are nothing new. Last week, they were on full display. …
Most of the food fights in healthcare like last week’s revolve around each sector’s unique response to the three challenges above. That’s why they exist: to protect the interests of their members and advocate on their behalf. All believe their mission and vision is essential to the greater good and the moral high ground theirs. Some are imperiled more than others: not for profit, rural and safety net hospitals, long-term care operators, direct caregivers and public health programs at the top of this list.
Educating lawmakers is necessary but what’s needed is serious, objective forward-looking definition of the U.S. health system’s future. The tit for tat game will not solve anything. That’s where we are. …“
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services created a series of short videos to help providers and community partners navigate policies impacted by the ending of the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.
Completed 2022 occupational mix surveys must be submitted by acute care hospitals paid under the Medicare prospective payment system to the Medicare Administrative Contractor by June 30, 2023.
The MHA received media coverage the week of May 1 on the economic impact of healthcare in Michigan and planned state legislation that would require nurse-to-patient staffing ratios in hospitals. Crain’s Grand Rapids Business published …
National Hospital Week 2023 is May 7-13. To align with the American Hospital Association theme #WeAreHealthcare, the MHA will be sharing a series of videos across social media featuring local leaders to demonstrate how the work of Michigan’s hospitals and health systems impacts all communities and industries.
Registration remains open for the 2023 MHA Annual Membership Meeting, scheduled June 28 through 30 at Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.The annual meeting will feature an outstanding lineup of healthcare experts, including Brian Castrucci, DrPH, MA, president and CEO of the deBeaumont Foundation and author of “Talking Health.” Castrucci will speak on defining public health, reframing public health assumptions and bringing data to life through storytelling. Members with questions should email the MHA or call (517-323-3443).
Completed 2022 occupational mix surveys must be submitted by acute care hospitals paid under the Medicare prospective payment system to the Medicare Administrative Contractor by June 30, 2023. Hospitals are required to complete the survey every three years, with results from the 2022 survey to be used to adjust the Medicare wage index for fiscal years 2025, 2026 and 2027. Hospitals are encouraged to review their 2019 survey and determine whether there have been payroll changes, new job codes or job descriptions added, etc., to streamline the completion process. It is important to note that contact labor should be included in the various categories of the survey. Resource materials from the educational webinar hosted by the MHA in late January are available upon request. Members with questions should contact Vickie Kunz at the MHA.
The release of the Michigan Senate and House Appropriations Health and Human Services Subcommittee budgets April 25 include broad investments in healthcare and specific investments advocated for by the MHA. The state budget is at …
Registration remains open for the 2023 MHA Annual Membership Meeting, scheduled June 28 through 30 at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. The annual meeting will feature an outstanding lineup of healthcare experts, including Brian …
The MHA issued a request for proposal March 16 for a $50 million competitive grant program for Michigan healthcare entities to expand access to pediatric inpatient behavioral health services. The funding was appropriated by …
The U.S. Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will end enforcement discretion for telehealth providers who utilize remote communication products that don’t comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of …
The MHA hosted a human resources member forum April 26 at the MHA Headquarters in Okemos and virtually with about 200 leaders participating. Moderators Patrick Irwin, vice president, human resources, South Market, Henry Ford Hospital …
To help members understand the difference in scope of practice between licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and registered nurses (RNs) under the Michigan Public Health Code, the MHA has developed a new member resource, Understanding LPN …
Since 1990, the MHA has honored member healthcare organizations working to enrich the overall welfare of their local communities through the Ludwig Community Benefit Award. This year, the MHA is excited …
In conjunction with the MiCare Champion Cast, Hillsdale Hospital released an episode of the Rural Health Rising podcast April 27 featuring MHA CEO Brian Peters. Joining hosts Jeremiah Hodshire, CEO of Hillsdale Hospital, and Rachel …
Governing board members are valuable spokespeople for their hospitals because they represent the voice of the community in support of important policy viewpoints and strategic positions. The MHA Board Governance Education webinar series, which includes …
“Last week, 35,000 gathered in Chicago to hear about the future of health information technologies at the HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition where generative AI, smart devices and cybersecurity were prominent themes. …
The upcoming debt ceiling debate comes at a pivotal time for healthcare because it does not enjoy the good will it has in decades past. The pandemic, dysfunctional political system and the struggling economy have taken a toll on public confidence. Long-term planning for the system’s future is subordinated to the near term imperative to control costs in the context of the debt ceiling debate. …“
The Rural Health Redesign Center and Mathematica are hosting a webinar May 1 from 11 a.m. to noon ET for hospitals interested in the rural emergency hospital (REH) designation.
The MHA received media coverage the week of April 24 regarding the MHA Keystone Center’s work implementing the Age-friendly Health Systems initiative throughout Michigan and how Michigan health systems are utilizing foreign nurses to fill …
The Rural Health Redesign Center and Mathematica are hosting a webinar May 1 from 11 a.m. to noon ET for hospitals interested in the rural emergency hospital (REH) designation. The Rural Health Redesign Center provides no-cost technical assistance to eligible hospitals interested in REH conversion. The webinar will provide an overview of the REH program and the requirements that are important for interested hospitals to consider before converting. Registration for the event is required. Members with questions about the webinar should contact Mathematica. Members with questions about the REH designation in Michigan should contact Lauren LaPine at the MHA.
Several bills tracked by the MHA saw further action in the Michigan Legislature the week of April 17. Committees in the House and Senate took votes on bills to create a new tax credit for blood donations and to allow …
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services COVID-19 public health emergency will expire May 11, 2023. The end of the PHE will eliminate several pandemic flexibilities, while others have been extended by Congress. …
The MHA Unemployment Compensation Program (UCP) was recognized by the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) April 19 for the MHA UCP’s commitment to utilizing the NASWA’s nationwide, web-based system SIDES for receiving new claims …
The Michigan Physician Order for Scope of Treatment is an optional advance care planning form for adult patients with advanced illness or frailty for whom, based on their current medical condition, death would occur …
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Technology, Management & Budget announced the state will construct a new $325 million psychiatric hospital located at the current site of Hawthorn Center …
A hospital governing board must truly understand factors influencing their community’s healthcare and recruit trustees with the competencies needed to effectively guide annual priorities, objectives and strategies for the hospital. The March edition of Trustee Insights, the …
“In recent months, compensation for hospital CEOs has received heightened attention among regulators, policymakers, academic researchers and in media …
The burden falls on Boards to bolster messaging to address transparency concerns, misinformation and disinformation on a broad range of issues including CEO pay. It falls on the Board compensation committees to justify adjustments to compensation that address the long-term sustainability of the organization, incorporating measures in addition to financial performance in evaluating the CEO’s performance. And increasingly, the relationship between the CEO’s pay to the short and long-term performance of the organization and to the “average worker’s pay” will be closely scrutinized.“
The MHA membership will convene in person for the MHA Annual Membership Meeting June 28 through 30 at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.
The Root Cause Coalition is accepting requests for proposals by April 24 to present at the 8th Annual National Summit on the Social Determinants of Health Dec. 3-5 in Kansas City.
Crain’s Grand Rapids Business published a story April 20 on the annual release of the West Michigan Works! list of “hot jobs,” with nearly half of the 100 high-demand careers being in health-related professions. …
The MHA membership will convene in person for the MHA Annual Membership Meeting June 28 through 30 at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. The annual meeting will feature an outstanding lineup of speakers, including Alisahah Jackson, MD, president, Lloyd H. Dean Institute for Humankindness & Health Justice at CommonSpirit, and Marcus Whitney, co-founder, Jumpstart Health Investors. Jackson will speak about leveraging science and trust to accelerate health equity, while Whitney will outline partnerships among stakeholder to bring new, inclusive and innovative solutions to healthcare. Members with questions should email the MHA or call (517-323-3443).
The Root Cause Coalition (TRCC) is accepting requests for proposalsby April 24 to present at the 8th Annual National Summit on the Social Determinants of Health Dec. 3-5 in Kansas City. Proposals are being accepted for breakout sessions and poster presentations. Organizations with proven, measurable solutions that address health equity and collectively chart an intentional, meaningful and measurable path for progress are encouraged to submit. Members with questions can contact Lori Bennett at the TRCC.
The MHA Board of Trustees met April 12 at the MHA Capitol Advocacy Center in downtown Lansing, joined by Michigan Senate Health Policy Chair Kevin Hertel (D-St. Clair Shores). Hertel acknowledged the state’s significant challenges …
The Michigan Legislature returned to session the week of April 10, taking up several bills the MHA is monitoring. In the House of Representatives, MHA-supported legislation to create a new tax credit for blood donations …
Healthcare workers across the state gathered April 13 in Southeast Michigan to discuss best practices for patient handling to ensure the safety of both the patient and the caregiver. The MHA Keystone Center partnered with …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a proposed rule to update the Medicare fee-for-service prospective payment system for inpatient psychiatric facilities for fiscal year (FY) 2024, beginning Oct. 1, …
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) updated eligibility and programmatic deadlines for all COVID-19 emergency and major disaster declarations. Costs incurred after the public health emergency ends May 11 will not be eligible for funding …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a proposed rule to update the Medicare fee-for-service prospective payment system for skilled nursing facilities for fiscal year (FY) 2024, beginning Oct. 1, 2023. …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a proposed rule to update the Medicare fee-for-service long-term care hospital (LTCH) prospective payment system for federal fiscal year (FY) 2024. When all proposed …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a proposed rule to update the Medicare fee-for-service hospital inpatient prospective payment system for fiscal year (FY) 2024. The MHA is concerned since …
“On Monday, April 3 in Chicago, 11 C suite executives from some of the most prestigious not-for-profit health systems in the country convened to discuss their future. The group included Chief Medical, Officers, Chief Strategy Officers, Chief Operating Officers and Chief Information Officers with broad responsibilities and much at stake. …
There’s widespread belief generative AI and GPT-4 are game changers in healthcare. How, what, when and how much ($$$) are the big questions. The near-term issues associated with implementation–data-security, workforce usefulness, regulation, investment costs—are expected to be resolved eventually. Thus, it is highly likely that health systems, medical groups, health insurers and retail and digital health solution providers will operate in a widely-expanded AI-enabled world in the next 3-5 years. …“
The Root Cause Coalition is accepting requests for proposals to present at the 8th Annual National Summit on the Social Determinants of Health Dec. 3-5 in Kansas City.