Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a supplemental budget bill July 26, appropriating $160 million in funding for Michigan hospitals that is intended to account for the cost of treating COVID-19 patients throughout the pandemic. Senate Bill (SB) 27, introduced by Sen. Jim Stamas (R-Midland), was passed by the Legislature earlier in July and supported by the MHA.
The press release announcing the bill’s signing quoted MHA CEO Brian Peters, who said, “Michigan hospitals have experienced significant financial hardships while caring for over 125,000 COVID-19 patients over the past 16 months of the pandemic. We want to thank our partners in the Legislature and Gov. Whitmer for passing this supplemental allocation that will help hospitals maintain access to care for Michigan residents throughout our state.”
The MHA will continue to work with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on the distribution of the funding. Any questions on SB 27 or other budget-related issues can be directed to Adam Carlson at the MHA.