The House Health Policy Committee heard testimony from stakeholders on legislation to establish a Physician Assistant Licensure Compact in the state and Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact bills were voted to the House floor …
The 2025 Michigan State of Reform Health Policy Conference convened April 17 in East Lansing, MI. The morning session began with a panel moderated by Farah Hanley, managing principal, Health Management Associates alongside MHA CEO …
The MHA Keystone Center was honored April 15 at the Michigan Workplace Safety Conference for providing essential workplace safety resources to Michigan healthcare organizations and their staff. The Harry L. McKinley Workplace Safety Leadership Award …
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 fiscal year (FY) 2026. Specifically, the rule proposes …
The MHA is issuing a request for proposal (RFP) for a $2.5 million competitive grant program for Michigan healthcare entities to expand access to hospital-based peer recovery coach services. The funding was appropriated by …
The MHA recently updated a toolkit of communications resources to support hospitals in advocating against potential Medicaid funding cuts in their local communities. The toolkit includes: Talking points Template letter-to-the-editor Template press release Social media …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a proposed rule to update the Medicare fee-for-service inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) for fiscal year (FY) 2026. The rule proposes to: Increase the standard …
The Michigan Workforce Training & Education Collaborative (MW-TEC) will host an informational webinar at 10 a.m. April 23 discussing social work apprenticeship opportunities. With a growing demand for behavioral health workers, apprenticeship programs can serve …
The April edition of Trustee Insights, the monthly digital package from the American Hospital Association (AHA), highlights the podcasts, videos, webinar and other resources available on today’s most pressing healthcare issues. National Nurses Week honors the …
Keckley Report
For U.S. Healthcare, Public Reaction to Tariffs is Instructive
“Last week, new cycles paid close attention to the economy with news mixed: The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index hit a five year low of 50.80. But the Consumer Price Index showed a slight decline (2.4% in March) as gas prices continued to drop. And speculation about a recession drew coverage as Goldman, BlackRock, JP Morgan and others raised their estimates of its likelihood. …
While tariffs and trade policy are not understood by the vast majority of the U.S. population, most of the population feels the complicated issues around trade policy, tariffs and the economy beyond their control. The same can be said for views about U.S. healthcare. Most don’t understand the system and how it operates. They think it’s complicated and expensive and believe corporate interests are playing a larger role. What they do understand is what they spend and how unpredictable those expenses are. Like tariffs, they’re anxious and concerned. …
As Congress debates Budget Reconciliation aka ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ this week and the IRS’ Income Tax deadline hits taxpayers tomorrow, what’s spent on healthcare by the government and by taxpayers will not escape notice. The majority of Americans and lawmakers think the system is underperforming and unnecessarily expensive. And acrimony between insurers, hospitals, physicians and drug companies will deepen old wounds and lend to public confusion.
The Trump administration’s first 3 months is getting mixed reviews largely because tariffs are not understood. The same is true for the health system. Its prices and their underlying costs are largely hidden and the public’s tired of excuses.
Tariffs might be a good thing for the economy or something else. Like healthcare, the public’s anxious about the future of the U.S. economy and unsure about what’s next.”
Paul Keckley, April 14, 2025
In the latest episode of the MiCare Champion Cast, Laura Appel, executive vice president of government relations & public policy at the MHA, explores how proposed reductions to Medicaid could disrupt access to care and harm Michigan hospitals, patients and communities.
MHA CEO Brian Peters was quoted in a Crain’s Grand Rapids article pushing back against the release of a Lown Institute report about Michigan nonprofit hospital community benefit spending. The report intentionally omits IRS Form …
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