Tag: rural hospitals

Rural Hospital Leaders Appointed to MHA Center of Rural Excellence Board of Trustees

Member News, News Releases, Rural Health Updates

Seven rural Michigan hospital leaders were recently appointed as inaugural board members to the newly established MHA Center of Rural Excellence by the Michigan Health & Hospital Association (MHA) Board of Trustees. These members are responsible for providing formal governance for the new organization.

Jeremiah J. Hodshire, president and chief executive officer, Hillsdale Hospital, will serve as the center’s chair and the MHA Board of Trustees representative for a three-year term.

In addition to Hodshire, the MHA Board of Trustees approved the appointment of six rural healthcare leaders to serve on the MHA Center of Rural Excellence Board:

  • Thomas Kurtz, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer, Memorial Healthcare, will serve a three-year term. Andrew Raymond, chief executive officer, Kalkaska Memorial Health Center, represents Michigan’s independent hospitals alongside Kurtz and will serve a two-year term.
  • Amanda Shelast, Marshfield Clinic Network President, Michigan and South, will serve a one-year term. Wendy Frush, RN, chief executive officer, Munising Memorial Hospital will serve a two-year term. Shelast and Frush represent the association’s rural members in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
  • Peter Marinoff, chief executive officer, Munson Healthcare Southern Region, will serve a one-year term and represent the state’s critical access hospitals.
  • Ross Ramsey, MD, chief executive officer, Scheurer Health, will serve a three-year term as the board’s physician representative.

“This board brings together rural healthcare leaders from across the state who share a commitment to preserving care close to home for Michiganders,” said MHA CEO Brian Peters. “Under their leadership, the MHA Center of Rural Excellence will prioritize policies and initiatives that allow rural hospitals to remain resilient and responsive to the needs of their communities.”

The MHA Center of Rural Excellence, a 501(c)(6) organization, was created to formalize and strengthen the collective voice of rural hospitals through support tailored to the unique challenges of Michigan’s rural providers.

UnitedHealth to Expand Rural Payment Pilot Program

Member News

UnitedHealthcare Group announced changes to eliminate prior authorization barriers and accelerate payments for rural hospitals nationwide to improve access to care and lower costs.

UnitedHealthcare implemented the Rural Payment Acceleration Pilot in January 2026 to support improvement in Medicare Advantage payments from fewer than 30 days to fewer than 15 days. With faster payment processes, this program proved to support financial sustainability in rural hospitals.

The exemption for most prior authorizations will expand to cover approximately 1,500 rural hospitals by Fall 2026, including all critical access hospitals and associated rural practitioners. This initiative aims to reduce costs and administrative burden, while addressing staffing strains that disproportionately impact rural healthcare providers. The expansion will also include payments made through Medicaid and fully insured commercial plans.

Members with questions may contact the MHA Policy team.

MHA Monday Report Jan. 26, 2026

Member News, Monday Report

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.

 

Rural Health Today Podcast on Breaking Down Barriers for Rural Health Providers

Member News

MHA Endorsed Business Partner (EBP) ModusOne Health was recently featured on the Rural Health Today podcast hosted by JJ Hodshire, president and CEO, Hillsdale Hospital. The episode “Breaking Down Barriers for Rural Healthcare Providers with Dr. John Crongeyer” highlights innovative strategies for engaging clinicians and improving risk management in rural hospitals.

Rural Health Today connects listeners to what truly matters in rural healthcare through expert interviews and real-world insights. Hodshire and Dr. Crongeyer discuss how rural hospitals are overcoming documentation and engagement challenges by shifting the narrative: clinicians are not the problem—they are the solution.

“With the looming threats of Medicaid, what steps can hospitals take to redefine their mission, to identify new ways of growth, and to look at existing processes (like ModusOne) and make some types of adjustments that can be a winner,” said Hodshire.

“Many rural hospitals face an existential financial crisis,” said Dr. Crongeyer, “one that can only be solved with a financial solution.”

ModusOne Health’s Solution: Proven Results for Rural Hospitals

ModusOne Health’s unique layover solution is pioneering clinical documentation and diagnosis improvement (CDxI) with measurable impact:

  • 10–22x ROI.
  • Zero disruption to staffing or workflows.
  • Improved compliance and coding accuracy.
  • Provider ranking by clinical accuracy for leadership insights.
  • Reduced length of stay and readmissions.
  • Enhanced leapfrog and quality scores.
  • Rapid deployment.

As healthcare continues its shift toward value-based care, CDI is no longer just a compliance tool, it’s a revenue and quality amplifier. ModusOne’s holistic CDxI approach combines simplified AI-Powered technology, advanced data analytics and enhanced documentation accuracy to empower providers in delivering higher-quality care and achieving stronger clinical and financial outcomes.

Members seeking more information about ModusOne Health may contact Dr. John Crongeyer or Stephanie Patsalis.

Members seeking information about the MHA’s EBP program may contact Rob Wood at the MHA.

Michigan Legislature Champions Healthcare Funding

Issues in Healthcare, Top Issues - Healthcare, News Releases

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

MHA CEO Brian PetersThe Michigan Legislature passed a state budget that champions crucial healthcare funding and protects access to vital healthcare services across Michigan communities.

The fiscal year 2025 state budget and fiscal year 2024 supplemental proposals continue funding pools that support rural and critical access hospitals, obstetrical services, the Healthy Michigan Plan and Michigan’s Medicaid populations. Each of these pools help maintain access to care for underserved populations throughout the state.

The budget also includes new funding to support peer recovery coaches in hospitals to enhance substance use disorder services. These individuals are specifically trained to provide advanced peer recovery support services and are proven to help patients overcome obstacles in their substance use disorder recovery. Michigan joins the more than 38 other states in supporting this model of providing needed care.

We look forward to Gov. Whitmer signing this budget, which protects access to care and ensures hospitals can continue to advance the health of individuals and communities.

Cybersecurity Resources Available to Assist Rural Hospitals

Member News

The White House announced collaborative efforts June 10 aimed at strengthening cybersecurity for rural hospitals across the United States. Through this collaboration, Microsoft and Google announced a series of initiatives to provide free or discounted cybersecurity services.

Microsoft is extending its nonprofit program to offer grants and up to a 75% discount on security products tailored for smaller organizations, such as independent Critical Access Hospitals and Rural Emergency Hospitals. Larger rural hospitals already using eligible Microsoft solutions will receive the most advanced security suite at no additional cost for one year. Additionally, Microsoft will provide free cybersecurity assessments and training to frontline and IT staff in eligible rural hospitals. Microsoft will also extend security updates for Windows 10 to participating hospitals for one year at no cost.

Google will provide rural hospitals and non-profit organizations with endpoint security advice at no cost, along with funding to support software migration. Furthermore, Google will launch a pilot program with rural hospitals to develop customized security capabilities tailored to their unique needs. More information on these programs is forthcoming.

The American Hospital Association released a special bulletin June 10 summarizing these efforts.

Members with questions may contact Lauren LaPine at the MHA.