Committees & Councils

Committees, Councils and Task Forces

Participation in an MHA committee, council or task force allows MHA members to influence and guide policymaking decisions for the association. Each committee, council and task force has a very specific purpose as outlined below:

• MHA Committees - focus primarily on programmatic issues
• MHA Councils - explore and examine issues unique to a specific group within the MHA membership
• MHA Task Forces - work primarily on single issues, generally over a short time period
• Participating Hospital Advisory (PHA) Committees - provide nonbinding input on Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) PHA activities including billing, payment practices, utilization management and quality assurance

The MHA also convenes ad hoc groups when circumstances warrant their creation or input on a specific issue is required.

MHA Committees

Hospital Affiliated Legislative Officers (HALO) 

Complements the MHA Legislative Policy Panel through the coordination of day-to-day advocacy efforts with members and by monitoring and reviewing healthcare policy, state budget activities and proposed/pending state and federal legislation.
Staff secretary: Chris Mitchell

Health Information Technology Strategy

Identifies and develops strategies to help the MHA and its members with health information technology (HIT) issues by reviewing regulatory and industry trends with significant implications for member hospitals.
Staff secretary: Jim Lee

Legislative Policy Panel

Identifies and analyzes legislation impacting MHA members and Michigan's healthcare community. Recommends formal MHA legislative positions and guides association advocacy efforts based on the MHA Board of Trustees' legislative and political priorities.
Staff secretary: Chris Mitchell

Michigan Green Healthcare

Promotes sustainable strategies for healthcare facilities and generates new ways to respond to needs or concerns and meet environmental, economic and social objectives. Learn more about the Michigan Green Healthcare Committee »
Staff secretary: Kristen Cavanagh-Strong

Quality and Accountability 

Reviews quality initiatives, accreditation standards and policy changes to inform the MHA's position on healthcare quality and management issues. Authorizes requests for MHA data resources and guides MHA data acquisition and exchange policies. As delegated by the MHA Board of Trustees, provides member feedback for verifymicare.org.
Staff secretary: Sam R. Watson

MHA Councils

Council on Children's Health

The Council on Children's Health focuses on issues unique to the advancement of children's health in Michigan.
Staff secretary: Brittany Bogan

Person & Family Engagement Advisory Council (PFEAC)

The PFEAC promotes and accelerates person and family engagement and the principles of person- and family-centered care in Michigan hospitals, and gives a voice of patients and families within the MHA and MHA Keystone Center. Learn about Person- and Family- Centered Healthcare »
Staff secretary: Sam R. Watson

Physicians in Healthcare Leadership

The Council focuses on the unique issues related to physicians, including physician integration and interaction within hospitals and healthcare systems.
Staff secretary: Gary Roth, DO

Small or Rural Hospitals

Identifies and examines issues unique to the small and rural provider from a regulatory and policy development viewpoint. Informs policy- and decision-making bodies of the MHA.
Staff secretary: Bill Jackson

MHA Task Forces

Behavioral Health Integration

Guides the MHA's policy efforts for behavioral/physical health integration. Develops recommendations addressing access to behavioral healthcare services and fostering integration with the greater healthcare delivery system. 
Staff secretary: Laura Appel

Participating Hospital Agreement Committees

Benefit Administration

Provides input to BCBSM on billing and claims processing issues.
Staff secretary: Marilyn Litka-Klein

PHA Advisory

Provides input to BCBSM on Participating Hospital Agreement contract matters.
Staff secretary: Peter Schonfeld

Utilization Management & Quality Assessment

Provides input to BCBSM on matters that are relevant to utilization, quality and health management.
Staff secretary: Rob Wood

MHA Regional Councils

Hospital Council of East Central Michigan

Janet Herbert, president
Chair: Dan Babcock, CEO, Marlette Regional Hospital, Marlette

Upper Peninsula Hospital Council

Clark Ballard, regional liason
Chair: Charles Nelson, Regional CEO, Aspirus Upper Peninsula, Laurium