Michigan's biggest hospitals won't say how much they collect in facility fees - Bridge Michigan

Bridge Michigan reports that Michigan’s 10 largest hospital systems will not disclose how much facility fees they collect, despite industry claims that the charges are essential for survival. The issue drew criticism from Rep. Curt VanderWall, chair of the Michigan House Committee on Health Policy, who said lawmakers need the “dollars” to assess whether fees for items like maintenance and laundry are driving up healthcare costs. Bridge contacted 10 large systems and three rural hospitals asking how much they collected last year and what they funded, but none provided dollar amounts; examples offered included cybersecurity, electronic medical records and around-the-clock emergency staffing. VanderWall has introduced a bill limiting certain facility fees in hospital-owned outpatient sites, specific outpatient services and telemedicine, while allowing some fees for traditional in-hospital care. One rural hospital, Scheurer Health, estimated it would receive about $125,000 this year.