Last week, the University of Michigan’s Center for Healthcare Research and Transformation brought together key business leaders from Massachusetts and Michigan and experts from the University of Michigan to explore lessons from Massachusetts’ experience with health reform and what may be ahead as the Affordable Care Act is implemented in Michigan.

Rick Lord, President of Associated Industries of Massachusetts, and Michael Widmer, President of Mass Taxpayers Foundation, discussed how Chapter 58, Massachusetts’ health reform legislation of 2006, was enacted and implemented with strong support and engagement from the business community. Over 300 people attended the forum with the audience engaging in a lively discussion of health reform in Michigan. The event was sponsored by our partners at Community Catalyst with the support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Michigan announced today that they will build a “partnership” exchange in conjunction with the federal government. Republican Governor Rick Snyder is trying now to convince a Republican-led legislature to appropriate funds to support their exchange. The business community is key participants in this decision, and hearing from Massachusetts leaders surely was helpful.