Tag: resources

MHA Monday Report Nov. 17, 2025

Monday Report, Member News

Notable Healthcare Legislation Clears House, Senate Committees

Legislation on physician assistant licensure compact agreements, international medical school graduates, hospital price transparency measures and medical debt collection advanced in the Michigan House and Senate during the week of Nov. 10. In the House …

CMS Releases CY 2026 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a final rule to update the physician fee schedule for calendar year (CY) 2026. Highlights of the final rule include: Implementing the one-time 2.5% …

Congressmen Bergman Supports Save America’s Rural Hospitals Act

U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI) recently co-sponsored H.R. 3684, the Save America’s Rural Hospitals Act of 2025, which would strengthen financial stability and access to care for rural hospitals and healthcare providers across the country. …

MHA Board of Trustees Shares Learnings from Ice Storm and Reviews Strategic Action Plan

The MHA Board of Trustees’ Nov. 12 meeting featured presentations from board members Ed Ness, president and CEO, Munson Healthcare; Lydia Watson, president and CEO, MyMichigan Health; and Karen Cheeseman, president and CEO, Mackinac Straits …

New MHA Infographic Showcases Rural Michigan Healthcare Impact

The MHA recently released the infographic Healthcare Impact in Rural Michigan, which highlights how critical access hospitals, sole community hospitals, rural emergency hospitals and birthing hospitals support communities across the state. The infographic highlights the …

New Endorsed Business Partner SmarterDx Provides Clinical AI to Support Financial Outcomes and Quality Scores

The MHA’s Endorsed Business Partner program promotes industry-leading firms. The EBP program connects member hospitals to solutions that alleviate pain points. The MHA recently endorsed SmarterDx, a national leader in revenue integrity solutions, offering advanced clinical …

Webinar Kicks Off MHA Health Access & Community Impact Office Hours

The MHA will host an informational webinar from noon to 12:45 p.m. Nov. 24 featuring 211, in the first session of the Health Access & Community Impact Office Hours series. The series is designed to …

Celebrating the Power — and Promise — of Rural Healthcare

As a healthcare leader, physician and someone born and raised in the Thumb of Michigan, National Rural Health Day is very personal to me, my colleagues and the communities we serve every day at Scheurer Health. …

Keckley Report

Why Healthcare Affordability is Increasingly Problematic to Working Age Populations

In what political pundits called a sweeping win by Democrats in Tuesday’s elections, affordability and costs of living emerged as the issues that mattered most to voters. It’s no surprise.

Since 2019 before the pandemic, prices have increased for American businesses and households due to inflation:

Personal Consumption Expenditures inflation which measures monthly business spending increased 3.5% annually. The Consumer Price Index, which measures monthly changes in household spending increased 3.87% annually over the same period (2019-2025).

But in the same period, prices for healthcare services–hospitals, physician services, insurance premiums and long-term care–have taken an odd turn: for businesses, they’ve decreased but for consumers, they increased. It reflects the success whereby businesses have shifted health benefits costs to employees or suspended benefits altogether, and it explains why consumers are bearing more direct responsibility for healthcare costs and are increasingly price sensitive. …

Healthcare service providers can ill afford to neglect affordability. It more than measuring medical debt, posting prices and referencing concern on websites. It’s about earning the trust and confidence of future generations through concrete actions that increase household financial security beginning with healthcare spending. …”

Paul Keckley, Nov. 9, 2025

New to KnowNews to Know

MHA members are encouraged to register for the webinar How Leading Health Systems Are Rebuilding Talent Pipelines — and Keeping Them Full Through Early Student Loan Support, led by Clasp, scheduled from 9 to 9:30 a.m. Dec. 2.

MHA in the News

9&10 News aired a story Nov. 11 about how health insurance rate increases will lead to lower health insurance enrollment, harming healthcare access. MHA CEO Brian Peters is quoted in the story expressing the need …

MHA Monday Report May 5, 2025

Member News, Monday Report

Wellpath Supplemental Testimony Highlights Week of Advocacy Efforts

The MHA provided testimony April 30 to the House Appropriations Committee about healthcare services provided to prisoners by Michigan hospitals that have not been reimbursed by Wellpath, a third-party …

MHA Annual Membership Meeting Brings Opportunities for Learning and Connection

The MHA membership will convene in person for the MHA Annual Membership Meeting June 25 –27 at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. The annual membership meeting is an opportunity to learn, network and celebrate …

Healthcare Leaders Convene for the Return of the MHA Keystone Center Safety & Quality Symposium

More than 100 healthcare professionals gathered April 28 and 29 in East Lansing for the return of the MHA Keystone Center Safety & Quality Symposium. Attendees included individuals across the continuum of care including quality, …

mha advancing safe care awardCorewell Health Suicide Care & Prevention Team Receives MHA Advancing Safe Care Award

The MHA announced the winner of its 2025 Advancing Safe Care Award April 28, honoring Corewell Health’s suicide care and prevention team. The award was announced during the MHA Keystone Center Safety & Quality Symposium. …

Members Engage in PFE Webinar During Patient Experience Week

More than 50 patient experience, nurses and quality professionals participated in the MHA Person & Family Engagement (PFE) Improvement Sprint webinar Hospital Staffing and Structures Needed to Support and Coordinate PFE Activities during Patient Experience …

MI AIM Opens Applications for $25,000 Grant for Participating Birthing Hospitals

The Michigan Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (MI AIM) recently announced its partnership with United Healthcare to offer $25,000 to three birthing hospitals in Michigan to purchase equipment to support staff education. All Michigan …

The Five Things I Love Most About Nurses

In a few short days, I will celebrate one year as the inaugural chief nursing officer for the MHA. This position has given me the privilege of bringing together nurse leaders from across the state and country, …

Keckley Report

The 7 Issues Hospital Trustees worry About Most

“This Sunday, the American Hospital Association will convene for its Annual Meeting in DC featuring 50 speakers covering a wide range of topics. It comes at a precarious time for hospitals as Congress begins its budget reconciliation bill process that is expected to include a number of cuts to healthcare spending negatively impacting hospital finances directly. This week also marks the Trump Administration’s 100-day milestone which has seen its popularity decline and economic uncertainty mount. …

Transformational change in the U.S. health system is not contemplated by trustees because near-term survival requires their full attention. That’s a view reinforced by the hospital CEO and consistent with their admittedly limited understanding of the entire system. …

AHA and its Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare have successfully defended hospitals against unwelcome regulations and disruptive competitors. It has successfully reinforced antipathy toward health insurers and deflected criticism of its prices to forces outside its control i.e. labor costs, drug and supply chain costs, unnecessary regulation, under-payments by Medicare and Medicaid and more.”

Paul Keckley, April 28, 2025

New to KnowNews to Know

The MHA is issuing a request for proposal for a $2.5 million competitive grant program for Michigan healthcare entities to expand access to hospital-based peer recovery coach services.

MHA in the News

The MHA was successful in placing several news stories during the week of April 28 related to potential federal Medicaid funding cuts. The Lansing State Journal published an op-ed from MHA CEO Brian Peters that …

MHA Monday Report April 28, 2025

Member News, Monday Report

MHA Testifies on Nurse Licensure Compact Bills, Senate Passes Prescription Drug Affordability Board and Momnibus Legislation

The House Health Policy heard testimony from the MHA in support of creating a nurse licensure compact and the Senate voted to establish a Prescription Drug Affordability Board in the state of Michigan during the …

GME Capitol Day Approaches May 21

The MHA is hosting the 2025 MHA Graduate Medical Education (GME) Capitol Day from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. May 21 in Lansing. The event is an opportunity for Michigan’s physician residents from teaching hospitals and academic …

CMS Releases FY 2026 Proposed Rule for Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities

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) 2026. Key provisions of the proposed rule include: Increasing the …

MHA Unemployment Compensation Program Receives Award for Outstanding Performance

The MHA Unemployment Compensation Program (UCP) was recognized by the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) April 24 for the MHA UCP’s commitment to utilizing the NASWA’s nationwide, web-based system SIDES for receiving new claims and responding to …

CMS Releases FY 2026 Proposed Rule for Skilled Nursing Facilities

The CMS recently released a proposed rule to update the Medicare fee-for-service prospective payment system for skilled nursing facilities for fiscal year (FY) 2026. Key provisions of the proposed rule include: Increasing the per-diem …

Celebrate Patient Experience Week with Upcoming Webinars

The MHA is offering ways for hospital staff to engage during Patient Experience Week (April 28-May 2), to support and amplify patient-centered care. The upcoming Patient and Family Engagement Improvement Sprint webinar series, hosted …

CMS Releases FY 2026 Proposed Rule for Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities

The CMS recently released a proposed rule to update the Medicare fee-for-service prospective payment system for inpatient rehabilitation facilities for fiscal year (FY) 2026. Key provisions of the proposed rule include: Increasing the …

MHA Virtual Member Forum Focuses on Cyberattack Response

The MHA, in conjunction with its statewide Health Information Technology Strategy Committee, is hosting a cybersecurity and cyberattack response virtual member forum from 9:30 to 11 a.m. May 9. This free, members-only event features six …

The Power of Patient-Centered Care

It’s no secret that patient experience within hospitals and health systems has evolved over the years – especially following the COVID-19 pandemic. With Patient Experience Week (PX Week) around the corner, it’s a good time to recognize the …

Keckley Report

Tax Exempt Status for Not-for-Profit Hospitals: The Debate Ahead

“Tax exemptions for hospitals are not a new topic inside healthcare, but lately they’ve drawn outside attention from regulators and in media. They seem to be asking ‘Do not-for-profit hospitals deserve their tax breaks?’ …

Hospitals face a headwind, especially those that are tax-exempt. Every U.S. hospital is reeling from the uncertainty surrounding the Kennedy (HHS)-Oz (CMS)-Makary (FDA) trifecta that will regulate hospital affairs in the next few months. Every hospital is feeling heat from disgruntled physicians and worn-out frontline caregivers. Every hospital is worried about how tariffs will impact supply chain costs and all are taking a cautious approach to major capital projects. And all face increased pushback from state legislators who think price controls on hospitals might be the answer.

For Rick Pollack and team at the American Hospital Association, it’s not business as usual. The hospital big tent is under duress. And NFP tax exempt hospitals might be where it’s hottest. Large employers have targeted large NFP systems for cost reduction and Congress appears poised to impose restrictions on NFPs intended to rein-in what some consider excesses under the protection of tax-exempt status. …

Spending in healthcare at current levels is not sustainable. NFP system say the health of the communities they serve is their highest priority, though many limit their attention to lucrative services while neglecting others that might pay longer-term dividends in public health.

Utopian? Yes, but necessary. Actions not taken by NFP systems to demonstrate they deserve their tax exemptions is risky. And lack of will to adopt minimal standards will ultimately mean exemptions are linked to charity-care only.

In 2025 and beyond, tax exemptions for not-for-profit hospitals will garner attention. They’re not guaranteed and they’re under attack.”

Paul Keckley, April 21, 2025

New to KnowNews to Know

  • The MHA is issuing a request for proposal for a $2.5 million competitive grant program for Michigan healthcare entities to expand access to hospital-based peer recovery coach services.
  • Registration is now open for the MHA Annual Membership Meeting June 25 through 27 at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. Members are encouraged to register by May 23 to attend this memorable event. 

Jim Lee speaks with Mid-Michigan NOW about AI.

MHA in the News

Jim Lee, senior vice president, data policy & analytics, MHA, appeared in a story about artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare aired by Mid-Michigan NOW on April 23. Lee discussed how AI is being used by …

MHA Monday Report April 21, 2025

Member News, Monday Report

MHA Member Provides Testimony to House Health Policy Committee; Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact Bills Clear Committee

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 …

MHA CEO Brian Peters Joins 2025 State of Reform Health Policy Panel

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 …

MHA Keystone Center Receives Harry L. McKinley Workplace Safety Leadership Award

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 …

CMS Releases FY 2026 LTCH Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule

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 …

RFP Available for Hospital-Based Peer Recovery Coach Services

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 …

Updated Hospital Medicaid Communications Toolkit Available

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 …

CMS Releases FY 2026 Hospital IPPS Proposed Rule

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 …

MW-TEC to Host Informational Webinar on Social Work Apprenticeship Opportunities

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 …

Latest AHA Trustee Insights Outlines the Value of Nursing Board Leadership and Compliance Duties

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

New to KnowNews to Know

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 in the News

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 …

MHA Monday Report April 14, 2025

Monday Report, Member News

U.S. House Advances Budget Resolution, Sets Up Potential Medicaid Cuts

The United States House of Representatives advanced a Senate budget resolution April 10 that calls for a minimum of $1.5 trillion in federal spending reductions. A separate budget resolution previously passed by the House in …

Registration Now Open for MHA Annual Membership Meeting

Registration is now open for the MHA Annual Membership Meeting June 25 through 27 at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. The annual meeting will feature an outstanding lineup of speakers, including Geeta Nayyar, MD, …

AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack Addresses MHA Board

The MHA Board of Trustees welcomed AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack to its April 9 meeting at the MHA’s Capitol Advocacy Center in downtown Lansing. The board meeting primarily focused on how to effectively …

MHA to Host GME Capitol Day May 21

The MHA is hosting the 2025 MHA Graduate Medical Education (GME) Capitol Day from 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. May 21 in Lansing. The event is an opportunity for Michigan’s physician residents from teaching hospitals …

MI AIM Spring Regional Training Approaching

The Michigan Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (MI AIM) is offering regional training sessions for inpatient maternal health providers focused on implementing the hypertension safety bundle and addressing common challenges with implementation. The one-hour …

MHA Virtual Member Forum on Cybersecurity and Cyberattack Response

The MHA, in conjunction with its statewide Health Information Technology Strategy Committee, is hosting the virtual member forum Cybersecurity and Cyberattack Response from 9:30 to 11 a.m. May 9 as an ongoing effort to strengthen …

MHA Shares Medicare and Medicaid Enrollment Analysis

The MHA recently updated its analysis of Medicaid and Medicare enrollment based on February 2025 data. The analysis includes program enrollment as a percentage of each county’s total population and the split between fee-for-service and …

Excellence in Governance Fellowship Offers Meaningful Dialogue Among Trustees and Experts

Applications are now being accepted for the 2025-2026 the MHA Excellence in Governance Fellowship. Launched more than 20 years ago, is a rigorous and comprehensive program delivering tools and knowledge in effective governance, improving quality …

The Power of Patient-Centered Care

It’s no secret that patient experience within hospitals and health systems has evolved over the years – especially following the COVID-19 pandemic. With Patient Experience Week (PX Week) around the corner, it’s a good time to recognize the …

Keckley Report

The 5 Emergent Issues for Boards in Trump-DOGE Healthcare

“This was a week for healthcare that’s unprecedented in modern history …

None of these is a surprise. Since the Trump inauguration January 20, a shake-up in federal government has been promised and last week’s actions show it’s serious.  Polls show a majority of Americans distrust the federal government, Congress, the media and the health system, so disruption is expected. But the nation’s divided about solutions, and healthcare is no exception.  …

The events of last week portend more pressure on healthcare Boards and management to execute. In these 5 areas, each organization should revisit current policies and strategies and refresh where appropriate. And each organization should evaluate current relationships with trade groups with whom advocacy efforts are coordinated to assure they’re responsive to the realities of healthcare in the Trump-DOGE era.”

Paul Keckley, April 6, 2024

New to KnowNews to Know

  • Kara Heck, MHA, BSN, RN-BC, CCRN, chair of the MHA Safety & Quality Committee, shares a testimonial encouraging healthcare leaders to attend the MHA Keystone Center Safety & Quality Symposium, taking place April 28–29, 2025, at the Kellogg Conference Center & Hotel in East Lansing.
  • The American Hospital Association (AHA) is accepting applications for the annual 2026 AHA Foster G. McGaw Prize now through May 6, 2025.

Laura Appel speaks with 9&10 News.

MHA in the News

The MHA received media coverage the week of April 7 on potential Medicaid funding cuts, pediatric behavioral health and healthcare costs. 9& 10 News aired a story April 9 on potential federal Medicaid funding cuts. MHA …

MHA Monday Report April 7, 2025

Member News, Monday Report

Deadline Nearing to Register for the MHA Keystone Center Safety & Quality Symposium

The April 18 registration deadline is quickly approaching for the MHA Keystone Center Safety & Quality Symposium, scheduled for April 28 –29, 2025, at the Kellogg Conference Center & Hotel, East Lansing. Multiple breakout sessions, …

New Resources for Patient Rights in Psychiatric Hospitals

The MHA recently collaborated with the Mental Health Association of Michigan and Disability Rights Michigan to develop resources outlining patient rights in psychiatric hospitals across Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Ohio. These assets are modeled after …

Michigan HR Professionals Gather at the MHA Human Resources Conference

More than 100 healthcare human resources (HR) professionals from across the state gathered at the MHA Human Resources Conference March 25 in Lansing. Attendees participated in small group discussions that developed innovative ideas focused on …

MiCare Champion Cast Header PhotoHow Could Medicaid Cuts Impact Michigan?

The MHA released a new episode of the MiCare Champion Cast exploring how proposed reductions to Medicaid could disrupt access to care and harm Michigan hospitals, patients and communities. Laura Appel, executive vice president of …

MHA Rounds image of Brian PetersMHA CEO Report — Prioritizing Rural Health

While snow continues to fall in northern Michigan, spring is officially here, and for many, that means our weekend travel plans shift from skiing and snowmobiling to camping, hiking and boating. Rural Michigan is an amazing travel destination for many, …

Keckley Report

Healthcare is Low Hanging Fruit for Trump: Disruption is the Aim

“The health system is low hanging fruit for federal spending hawks and government reformers. It’s increasingly evident the Trump administration’s well aware. …

This week, Congress returns to DC to continue its budget reconciliation deliberations against a backdrop of growing anxiety about an economic downturn and potential recession.  The stock market is down 10% from its February 19 high and consumer sentiment about the economy hit a 12-year low last week. Notably, households of low and middle-income means are experiencing record levels of debt and unpaid bills: these include 4 million in lower-paying healthcare jobs and 3 million unpaid family caregivers who can’t afford to pay for outside care. And physicians, now 3 months into their fifth-year without a Medicare reimbursement increase, are simply mad and burnt-out.

Today, every healthcare organization (public/private) is operating in limbo: leaders are worried, lenders are more cautious, researchers and public health agencies are paralyzed, state and local health officials are preparing for the worst and hospitals, medical practices, ancillary and long-term care providers face an insecure, disgruntled workforce.

The playbook for everyone in U.S. healthcare—payers, providers, suppliers and advisors—is being re-written.”

Paul Keckley, March 30, 2025

News to Know

  • The MHA was recently awarded $2.5 million to expand hospital-based peer recovery coach (PRC) services and is requesting members complete a brief survey by April 11 to assess current use and interest in PRC programs.
  • The Michigan Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (MI AIM) is offering regional training sessions April 23 for inpatient maternal health providers focused on implementing the hypertension safety bundle and addressing common challenges with implementation.
  • MHA Endorsed Business Partner AMN Healthcare will host the free webinar Balancing the Complexities of the Healthcare Workforce in Rural Markets from 11 a.m. to noon ET April 10.

MHA CEO Brian Peters speaks during a virtual media roundtable about Medicaid.

MHA in the News

A virtual media roundtable hosted April 3 by the Michigan League for Public Policy included MHA CEO Brian Peters as a panelist, where he discussed the consequences for potential Medicaid funding cuts by Congress. Crain’s …

MDHHS and Michigan 211 Launches New Website for Grief and Bereavement Support

Member News

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), in partnership with Michigan 211, recently launched a new website aimed to providing support services for families who have experienced loss of a mother or infant. The website was made possible by a grant awarded to the MDHHS Division of Maternal and Infant Health by the Michigan Health Endowment Fund.

The goal of the website is to improve access to grief and bereavement support services for families during their time of need. The website serves as a resource hub where individuals can easily find and access a variety of services such as perinatal hospice care, palliative support, assistance with burial and cremation services, financial aid options, mental health resources and support resources for sudden loss.

The website allows users to search for services based on their geographic location using ZIP codes, ensuring that families can find local support that meets their specific needs. Any member of the community including bereaved families and healthcare professionals will be able to access resources through the site or by calling 211.

Members with questions may contact Lauren LaPine at the MHA.