MHA Monday Report Jan. 26, 2026

House Appropriations Committee Hears RHTP Testimony, IMLC Bill Advances

The Michigan House Appropriations Committee heard testimony on federal funding awarded through the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), and legislation to add Michigan back into the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC) advanced during the week of Jan. 19.  The House Appropriations Committee heard …


Legislative Policy Panel Hears Legislative Updates

The MHA Legislative Policy Panel met virtually Jan. 21 to develop recommendations on legislative and policy issues impacting Michigan hospitals. The meeting began with guest speakers from the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and The Cornerstone …


CMS Implements New Online Form for Medicare Advantage Complaints

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently implemented a new online form for providers to submit complaints related to Medicare Advantage plans. A CMS memorandum announced the implementation of the form, which is …


MHA Launches Rural Health Transformation Program Webpage

The MHA has launched a new webpage dedicated to the Rural Health Transformation Program, providing members with a centralized source of information on Michigan’s participation in the program. The webpage includes an overview of …


Updates to Michigan’s Reporter Protocols for Infants Born Exposed to Substances

Michigan has updated its mandated reporter guidance for infants born exposed to substances, establishing distinct reporting requirements for exposure to non-medically prescribed substances and exposure related to prescribed treatment. The updates are intended to clarify …


Webinar Explores Strategies to Strengthen Revenue Integrity

The MHA and MHA Endorsed Business Partner AMN Healthcare Revenue Cycle Solutions will host A Tale of Three Health Systems: Their Mid-Revenue Cycle Insights and Road to Revenue Integrity webinar from 11 to 11:50 …


Hospitals Help: Corewell Health Program Addresses Youth Vaping Prevention, Cessation

Rural schools in Newaygo County, like so many across Michigan, were seeing an increase in the number of students caught vaping. To address this community-wide concern, Corewell Health Gerber Hospital established the Corewell Health Gerber …


Keckley Report

CMS’ 2024 Health Spending Report: Key Insights

“As media attention focused on Minneapolis, Greenland and Venezuela last week, the Center for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS) released its 2024 Health Expenditures report Thursday: the headline was “Health care spending in the US reached $5.3 trillion and increased 7.2% in 2024, similar to growth of 7.4% in 2023, as increased demand for health care influenced this two-year trend. “…

The current environment for the healthcare economy is increasingly hostile to the status quo. Voters think the system is wasteful, needlessly complicated and profitable. Lawmakers think it’s no man’s land for substantive change, defaulting to price transparency, increased competition and state regulation in response. Private employers, who’ve bear the brunt of the system’s ineffectiveness, are timid and reformers are impractical about the role of private capital in the health economy’s financing.

The healthcare economy will be an issue in Campaign 2026 not because aggregate spending increased 7-8% in 2025 per CMS, but because it’s no longer justifiable to a majority of Americans for whom it’s simply not affordable. Regrettably, as noted in Corporate Board Member’s director surveys, only one in five healthcare Boards is doing scenario planning with this possibility in mind.

Paul Keckley, Jan. 18, 2026


New to KnowNews to Know

  • The MHA Person & Family Engagement Advisory Council met virtually Jan. 15 to identify ways to support the MHA strategic action plan.
  • MHA Endorsed Business Partner CyberForce|Q is hosting the webinar Proactive Cyber Risk Measures from 11 a.m. to noon ET on Jan. 29.
  • The enrollment deadline for the MHA Healthcare Leadership Academy is Feb. 6. The cohort meets Feb. 25–27 and May 7–8 at the MHA headquarters in Okemos.

 

Michigan Rural Health Transformation Program Application Diminishes Potential Impact

The following statement can be attributed to Brian Peters, CEO of the Michigan Health & Hospital Association.

We are disappointed the Michigan Rural Health Transformation Program application submitted by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services does not include explicit support for Michigan’s 73 rural hospitals.

The application lists four initiatives, none of which include recommendations from Michigan’s rural hospital leaders, who know rural healthcare needs best. Michigan hospitals are set to lose more than $6 billion over the next 10 years due to the federal H.R. 1 Reconciliation Bill. It’s unfortunate Michigan’s application ignored this impact and the intent of Congress to assist rural hospitals most impacted by these federal changes through this program.

This application provided an opportunity to maximize the healthcare impact for rural communities by providing the resources needed by rural Michigan’s leading healthcare providers. While the four initiatives are well intended, the application as submitted fails to maintain access to care in the most meaningful way.

Sept. 24 Webinar Outlines the OBBBA Impact

The MHA will host the webinar Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and Board Planning for the Impact from 8 to 9 a.m. on Sept. 24. The session is designed for trustees and hospital leaders and will highlight considerations related to the OBBBA, which reduces federal healthcare spending and insurance coverage.

Topics include Medicaid budget reductions, state-directed payments, recipient work requirements, the Rural Health Transformation Program and strategies for messaging and advocacy.

The webinar is free of charge to MHA members. Members with questions may contact Brenda Carr at the MHA.

Trustee Webinar Outlines the OBBBA Impact

The MHA will host the webinar Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and Board Planning for the Impact from 8 to 9 a.m. on Sept. 24. The session is designed for trustees and hospital leaders and will highlight considerations related to the OBBBA, which reduces federal healthcare spending and insurance coverage.

Topics include Medicaid budget reductions, state-directed payments, recipient work requirements, the Rural Health Transformation Program and strategies for messaging and advocacy.

The webinar is free of charge to MHA members. Members with questions may contact Brenda Carr at the MHA.