Tag: Trinity Health Michigan

Livonia-Westland Business Leaders Meet with MHA on Affordability

Member News
Business leaders attend a Hospitals & Affordability presentation hosted by the MHA and Livonia-Westland Chamber of Commerce.
Laura Appel and Shannon Striebich sit in front of a Hospitals & Affordability presentation slide.
Laura Appel, MHA; and Shannon Striebich, Trinity Health Michigan; discussed hospital affordability challenges with business leaders during a May 14 event hosted by the MHA and Livonia-Westland Chamber of Commerce.

The MHA partnered with the Livonia-Westland Chamber of Commerce on May 14 to host an event at its Livonia offices to engage with business leaders about healthcare costs, listen to their needs and collaborate on potential solutions.

Laura Appel, executive vice president, government relations & public policy, MHA; and Shannon Striebich, president and CEO, Trinity Health Michigan, and current member of the MHA Board of Trustees; presented on the specific challenges facing hospitals, including rising prescription drug costs, stagnant reimbursement and hospitals’ role as large employers experiencing the same significant rise in insurance premiums as other businesses.

The event began with a welcome from Dan West, President/CEO, Livonia-Westland Chamber of Commerce, and the discussion was moderated by Chris Moyer, senior director of public affairs, Truscott Rossman.

The event is one of a series of formal events with business leaders that the MHA is hosting across the state to meet with the business community.

Members with questions about the event and future opportunities should contact John Karasinski at the MHA.

Coverage is Care at Trinity Health Michigan

Member News, MHA Rounds

Chiquita Berg, MD, MBA, FACOG, vice president, Community Health & Well-Being, Trinity Health Michigan.

Significant changes to Medicaid are expected to take effect in 2027, bringing new requirements and processes that could increase the risk of coverage loss for eligible individuals if systems are not prepared. While many details are still emerging, one thing is already clear: 2026 will be a critical year for hospitals and health systems to prepare patients and their own organizations for what’s ahead.

Hospitals serve as trusted access points for care and information, especially for Medicaid populations. As changes approach, hospitals across the state are preparing to assist their patients and communities. Trinity Health Michigan is implementing the Coverage is Care approach, a patient-centered initiative designed to help people better understand upcoming Medicaid changes, connect to trusted information and resources, and stay connected to coverage and care.

To echo Shannon Striebich, president and CEO of Trinity Health Michigan, Coverage is Care reflects Trinity Health Michigan’s commitment to preparing early, acting thoughtfully and doing everything we can to help patients stay connected to coverage and care. As Medicaid changes approach, health systems have an important responsibility to reduce confusion, strengthen support and work alongside community partners to protect access for the people we serve.

The Medicaid changes anticipated for 2027 include more frequent eligibility checks, new administrative requirements and adjustments that could make it easier for coverage to lapse due to missed paperwork or misunderstandings – even among people who remain eligible.

The stakes are high. Coverage disruptions can lead to delayed care, worsening health conditions, increased uncompensated care, and greater strain on the healthcare ecosystem. Preparation in 2026 can help reduce reactive problem-solving in 2027.

Trinity Health Michigan’s Coverage is Care approach is designed to help eligible people stay covered and connected to care by making Medicaid changes easier to understand, reinforcing trusted information and helping people know where to turn for support before avoidable barriers lead to coverage loss. Working alongside community partners, the approach aims to reduce confusion and strengthen access to care as 2027 changes approach.

Core Elements of Trinity Health Michigan’s Coverage is Care Approach

Early Awareness

Coverage is Care was built on the idea that earlier awareness matters. Helping people understand that changes are coming — before paperwork is missed or coverage is interrupted — can reduce preventable disruption.

Clear Guidance

The approach emphasizes clear, trusted information, so patients and community members better understand what may be changing, why it matters and where to go for reliable next steps.

Support When Barriers Arise

Some individuals may need more than information alone. Coverage is Care is intended to help people connect to support when barriers such as confusion, literacy, language, technology access or life circumstances make the process harder to navigate.

Community Partnerships

Trinity Health Michigan is also working alongside community partners as trusted messengers to help broaden awareness, reinforce shared information and strengthen community access points for guidance and support.

Strong partnerships expand reach, particularly for patients who may not regularly engage with healthcare.

2026 can be structured as a year for hospitals and health systems to build internal systems and partnerships, pilot workflows and outreach strategies, refine approaches based on real-world experience and prepare for broader implementation ahead of 2027. This phased approach allows hospitals to adapt as additional state and federal guidance becomes available.

Even with all this preparation, many aspects of the Medicaid changes remain uncertain. Investing in strategies like Trinity Health Michigan’s Coverage is Care approach can help hospitals protect patients, preserve access to care and position their organizations for a smoother transition in 2027, no matter how the details evolve.

For more information about Coverage is Care, contact the Trinity Health team.

MHA members will continue to receive further updates from the association as information is released by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and the federal government. The MHA is collaborating with multiple stakeholders, including member hospitals, MDHHS and Protect MI Care coalition members in efforts to deploy consistent messaging to patients across the state. Members with questions about pending Medicaid changes may contact the MHA Advocacy Team.

Food as Medicine: How Trinity Health Is Advancing Health Through Nutrition

Member News, MHA Rounds

This article is published in observance of National Nutrition Month.

Byline: Katelyn Smoger, director, Food is Medicine and The Farm, Trinity Health Michigan

Food is Medicine. Health by Food. ProduceRx. The integration of healthy food into healthcare is gaining attention under many names, but the message remains the same: access to healthy foods as a part of care.

Programs such as produce prescriptions, healthy food packs and medically tailored meals are gaining attention as cost-effective ways to treat and prevent diet-related chronic illnesses.

In Michigan, 55% of residents have a diet-related chronic condition, and nearly 20% are managing that condition while living below 200% of the federal poverty level. In 2026, that income is less than $30,000 for a single adult. Economic instability, food insecurity, limited access to transportation and housing instability are all factors that affect overall health.

Trinity Health Michigan’s Food is Medicine program, a core pillar of community health and well-being, combines social and clinical care by offering locally grown food to patients experiencing food or nutrition insecurity or managing a diet-related chronic disease. This integration addresses underlying barriers to good health while improving outcomes, reducing the cost of care and enhancing the patient experience.

Our program operates out of three locations: Muskegon, Pontiac and Ypsilanti. Each location offers five core areas of integration, offering providers, patients and community members a range of interventions that meet them where they are.

Produce to Patients

Food produced at the hospital-based farm is donated to clinical partners. In 2025, 30,000 lbs. of food was harvested at The Farm and distributed to clinical partners, becoming a tool for providers to have authentic, human-centered conversations about healthy eating and access to food, while supporting improved health screenings. Patients identified with food-related needs are then referred to the Food is Medicine team within Epic, where they can access additional resources.

Client Choice, On Campus Food Pantries

Offering healthy food items such as dairy, shelf-stable proteins, dry goods, fruits and vegetables at campus food pantries creates opportunities for patients and community members to eat a nutritious diet regardless of their economic situation. Pantries can be accessed by recipients themselves or supported by acute care teams, ensuring that there is food available at discharge for patients in need. The food pantries were shopped more than 6,000 times in 2025.

Farm Markets

In-season, weekly markets offer fresh, local food for purchase, creating access points for high-quality fruits and vegetables in communities identified by the USDA as having limited access by foot or vehicle. In addition to cash, credit and payroll, the market also accepts SNAP, Double Up Food Bucks and Produce Prescriptions.

Education

Education and engagement are interwoven throughout Food is Medicine. Nutrition education, medical resident rotations, youth education and field trips, workshops and weekly engagement tables make Food is Medicine programming fun, approachable and meaningful, keeping children and adults alike trying new foods and developing an understanding of how those foods impact their health.

The Farm Share

A weekly box of locally grown produce is offered to participating members from April through December. Designed to make Food is Medicine accessible, The Farm Share offers nine types of membership, a five-day pick-up window and a weekly newsletter that includes healthy recipes, information on the farmers and storage tips. In 2025, nearly 900 unique members participated in the program across the state. More than 60% of those members received the program at no cost after being screened for food insecurity. A 2024 evaluation of the program, funded by The Michigan Health Endowment Fund, found that participants’ food security increased by 125%.

Food is Medicine programs can serve as economic drivers that support and strengthen the communities we serve when implemented in ways that prioritize the procurement and distribution of locally grown food. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ In lieu of services policy, which offers food and nutrition services to eligible Medicaid enrollees, is among the first in the nation to require Medicaid Health Plans to utilize local vendors participating in the Michigan food economy. From Farm to FIM, a recent report published by The Rockefeller Foundation identified that Food is Medicine programs in Michigan have the potential to add 13,330 jobs and more than $2 billion to the state’s gross domestic product.

As Food is Medicine programs are implemented across the state, I encourage healthcare leaders to recognize the opportunity at hand: clinical integration, cross-sector collaboration and community-based partnerships can transform how the world thinks about and participates in healthcare.

The MHA Community Benefit Collaborative for combating Chronic Disease is using the Food Is Medicine program model to address barriers identified through Community Health Needs Assessments and improve health outcomes for Michiganders.

Hospitals Help: Trinity Health Initiative Expands Access to Lifesaving Narcan Vending Machines

Hospitals Help, Member News
The teams at Trinity Health Michigan lead training sessions for staff and residents to increase awareness, reduce stigma and build confidence in overdose response.

In response to the opioid epidemic, four Trinity Health hospitals — Livonia, Oakland, Livingston and Ann Arbor — launched a regional initiative to expand access to Narcan (naloxone), a lifesaving medication that reverses opioid overdoses. Through the installation of free Narcan vending machines, these hospitals are providing 24/7 access to a critical resource that can restore breathing and prevent fatal outcomes during overdose emergencies.

At Trinity Health Oakland, community health workers play a pivotal role in the success of this initiative. Their deep connections within the community enabled strategic placement of the vending machine in a high-need area and guidance on outreach and education efforts. They also lead training sessions for staff and residents to increase awareness, reduce stigma and build confidence in overdose response.

Since its installation in March 2025, the unit has played a critical role in potentially saving 76 lives — a powerful testament to the importance of accessible intervention tools and community engagement. At the other Trinity Health Southeast Michigan hospitals — Livonia, Livingston and Ann Arbor — the Narcan vending machines were deployed through the efforts of community health and well-being directors, who identified key locations and coordinated implementation to ensure broad access across the region. By removing barriers to access and empowering individuals with the tools and knowledge to respond to opioid overdoses, the program is saving lives and improving well-being across Southeast Michigan.

“This work is deeply personal,” said Chiquita Berg, MD, MBA, FACOG, vice president of community, health and well-being, Trinity Health Michigan. “I’ve seen the heartbreak that substance use disorder brings and I’ve also seen the strength it takes to recover. At Trinity Health Michigan, we’re committed to meeting people with compassion, not judgment. Through bold leadership and trusted partnerships, we’re creating pathways to healing and sending a clear message: every life is worth saving, and every person deserves a future filled with hope.”

To read more positive hospital stories, check out more Hospitals Help webpage and the 2025 Community Impact Report. Members with questions may contact Lucy Ciaramitaro at the MHA.

House Insurance Committee Hears Testimony on Bill to Protect 340B

Member News
Maureen D’Agostino, vice president of accreditation and regulatory CMS programs and provider and facility enrollment at McLaren Health Care testifying during The House Insurance and Financial Services Committee.

The House Insurance and Financial Services Committee convened June 5 to hear testimony on House Bill (HB) 5350, introduced by Rep. Alabas Farhat (D-Dearborn), which would protect access to affordable prescription drugs and healthcare services through the 340B Prescription Drug Pricing Program.

Testimony began with Marc Corriveau, JD, MHSA, vice president of corporate government affairs at Henry Ford Health, providing an overview of how savings from the 340B program allow vulnerable, uninsured patients to receive medical and behavioral healthcare services at little to no cost.

Sean Gehle, vice president of advocacy at Trinity Health Michigan, followed with additional examples of how the 340B program allows qualified safety net providers to extend scarce federal resources. Specifically, Gehle noted that the health system is able to provide financial assistance for prescription medications to patients in need.

Next, Ben Frederick, associate vice president of advocacy and government relations and Joseph Munroe, director of pharmacy at Memorial Healthcare, shared the impact the 340B Drug Pricing Program has in rural communities. Together, Frederick and Munroe explained how the program makes it possible for patients to receive routine and specialty care close to home including obstetrics, oncology, behavioral health and neurology care services.

Last to provide testimony was Maureen D’Agostino, vice president of accreditation and regulatory CMS programs and provider and facility enrollment at McLaren Health Care. D’Agostino overviewed how savings from the 340B program have helped McLaren offer comprehensive care for substance use disorder, cancer treatments and more. D’Agostino was accompanied by Deidra Wilson, vice president of government affairs at McLaren.

The MHA continues to advocate for the 340B program and uplift efforts by Michigan hospitals to expand access to quality, community-based care. Members with questions should contact Elizabeth Kutter at the MHA.