MiCare Champions Healthcare Advocates

MI Care Matters

MI Care MattersThe MHA continues to utilize public healthcare ambassadors, referred to as MiCare Champions, to advocate for public policy needs for Michigan hospitals and health systems.

The MiCareMatters campaign originally launched in 2017 with the aim to educate the public about Michigan hospitals’ efforts to lead the way to create healthy, thriving communities and to build a network of citizens – “MiCare Champions” – who want to engage in advocacy efforts to protect access to adorable healthcare services in Michigan. There are more than 450 active MiCare Champions that have collectively contacted their lawmakers thousands of times about healthcare issues in recent years.

The MHA currently has an action alert available for individuals to contact their state lawmakers to advocate for the MHA’s legislative request for an additional $112.5 million in American Rescue Plan funding to address the accelerating crisis created by a lack of healthcare professionals available to care for Michigan patients and $85 million to enhance the safety of the workforce.  Continued messages to state lawmakers are important to signal the value of this request to hospitals and communities throughout the state.

The MHA is also utilizing MiCare Champions to solicit stories about how healthcare workers at Michigan hospitals have positively impacted them as patients or family members of patients. Stories can be submitted to the MHA and will be used by the MHA in the on-going public awareness campaign to tell the story of how hospitals continue to provide high quality care despite existing financial and staffing challenges.

Those who wish to become a MiCare Champion can subscribe on the MiCareMatters website. Members with questions should contact John Karasinski at the MHA.

MHA Board Meeting Focused on Workforce, Other Healthcare Challenges

At its Feb. 9 meeting, the MHA Board of Trustees had robust conversations about key priorities for healthcare and the MHA. Among them were the MHA’s role as healthcare and public policy continue to evolve; workforce development and shortages (including $300 million appropriated by the Michigan Legislature; see related article); auto no-fault insurance; staffing agency challenges; COVID-19 data trends; Medicaid payment and policy; and much more. The MHA will use much of the board’s discussion to address strategic priorities this program year and beyond.

Members with questions about the MHA Board of Trustees may contact Amy Barkholz at the MHA.