Healthcare

passed · Michigan · House Jan 15, 2026

HB 4896: Health occupations: physicians; license to engage in the practice of medicine for international medical school graduates; provide for under certain circumstances. Amends secs. 17001 & 17011 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.17001 & 333.17011). TIE BAR WITH: HB 4925'25

HB 4896 amends Michigan's medical licensing law to ensure international medical graduates face the same requirements as U.S. or Canadian graduates when applying for a medical license. Specifically, it prohibits the Michigan Board of Medicine from imposing stricter conditions on foreign-trained doctors than those applied to domestic graduates. The bill directly affects physicians trained outside the U.S. or Canada seeking to practice medicine in Michigan. This change removes potential barriers for international medical school graduates by mandating equal licensing standards under Section 17011(3). The bill is currently in committee review after its first reading in September 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves unnecessary licensing barriers for international medical graduates, increasing physician access to healthcare services in Michigan.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing

Track

passed · Michigan · Senate Jun 17, 2026

SB 701: Consumer credit: interest rates; maximum interest rate allowed for medical debt; modify. Amends sec. 3 of 1976 PA 331 (MCL 445.903). TIE BAR WITH: SB 0702'25

SB 701 amends Section 3 of Michigan's Consumer Protection Act (MCL 445.903) to modify provisions related to unfair credit practices. The bill title indicates it aims to set a maximum interest rate for medical debt, but the provided bill text only shows the current language of Section 3 (which lists unfair trade practices like deceptive advertising, false representations, and misleading credit terms), not the proposed changes. The context does not include the specific amendment language or how it would alter the medical debt interest rate. Without the actual proposed text of the amendment, the precise policy change cannot be summarized. The bill is currently in committee for review.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill sets maximum interest rate for medical debt, protecting patients from excessive financial burden related to healthcare costs, aligning with patient rights and access indicators.85% confidence

Tags Consumer Protection

Track

signed · Michigan · House Jul 29, 2026

HB 5249: Health: emergency services; ambulance operation adaptive care license; create. Amends sec. 20920 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.20920).

HB 5249 creates a new "adaptive care license" for ambulance operations currently licensed only for basic life support (BLS). It allows these operations to gradually upgrade to provide limited advanced life support (ALS) or advanced life support (ALS) services, provided they demonstrate staffing and equipment readiness for higher care levels by January 1, 2025. The license requires annual documentation of progress toward this upgrade, including training and equipment plans, and must be renewed annually alongside the operation's regular license. This applies specifically to ambulance services owned or contracted by local governments that previously provided only BLS for emergency response.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables BLS ambulances to gradually upgrade to ALS services by 2025, improving emergency care access and capabilities through structured staffing/equipment requirements.85% confidence

Tags Public Safety

in committee · Michigan · House Nov 13, 2025

HB 5261: Military affairs: other; office of mental health; establish within the Michigan veterans affairs agency. Amends 1967 PA 150 (MCL 32.501 - 32.851) by adding sec. 322. TIE BAR WITH: HB 5270'25

HB 5261 establishes a mental health support program within Michigan's Veterans Affairs Agency. It requires the agency to partner with the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct statewide outreach on mental health resources for service members, veterans, and their families (Section 322(1)(a)), develop materials to help families recognize mental health changes (Section 322(1)(b)), and collect data under the Protecting Veterans Mental Health Act (Section 322(1)(c)). The bill also creates a dedicated family support program for navigating mental health services (Section 322(2)) and allows digital platforms to connect veterans to resources (Section 322(3)), while protecting individual health records from public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (Section 322(4)). The bill is contingent on the passage of companion bill HB 5270.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes mental health program within veterans agency, mandates outreach/resources, directly advancing mental health services for veterans per bill's explicit requirements.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransEstablishes mental health program within Veterans Affairs Agency, requiring outreach, family resources, and data collection under Protecting Veterans Mental Health Act95% confidence

Sub-Topics Veteran Healthcare Veteran Housing Veteran Mental Health

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passed · Michigan · House Jun 25, 2026

HB 5255: Civil procedure: foreclosure; foreclosure or garnishment of wages for medical debt; prohibit. Creates new act. TIE BAR WITH: HB 5254'25

HB 5255, the "Medical Debt Protection Act," limits how medical debt can be collected in Michigan, directly affecting patients with medical debt and large healthcare providers (with $20 million+ annual revenue) or medical debt buyers. It prohibits charging interest or late fees for 90 days after a bill is due and caps annual interest at 3% on medical debt. The bill bans aggressive collection tactics like wage garnishment for patients qualifying for financial assistance under a healthcare facility's policy, and requires medical debt buyers to follow strict rules, including not using prohibited collection actions and returning debt if a patient qualifies for financial aid.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProtects patients from aggressive medical debt collection, caps interest, and bans wage garnishment for eligible patients, advancing patient financial rights in healthcare.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBans wage garnishment for medical debt, protecting workers' earnings from seizure and preventing income reduction for qualifying patients.95% confidence

Track

passed · Michigan · Senate Jun 17, 2026

SB 707: Health occupations: marriage and family therapists; licensing requirements for marriage and family therapists; modify, and require continuing education. Amends secs. 16903 & 16909 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.16903 & 333.16909) & adds secs. 16909a & 16914.

SB 707 amends Michigan's licensing rules for marriage and family therapists. It updates educational requirements (e.g., specific coursework in family studies and therapy methodology), increases supervised clinical experience standards (300 direct client hours with 1:5 supervision ratio), and adds a "limited license" pathway for trainees. The bill restricts titles like "marriage counselor" or "family therapist" to only licensed professionals, preventing unlicensed individuals from using these terms. It directly affects therapists seeking or renewing licenses, training programs, and the public who rely on qualified providers for these services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill strengthens mental health licensing by requiring specific education, increased supervised hours, and restricting title misuse, ensuring qualified professionals provide services and protecting patient safety.90% confidence

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in committee · Michigan · Senate Nov 13, 2025

SB 706: Health occupations: emergency medical services personnel; relicensure after expiration of certain licenses; expand. Amends sec. 20954 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.20954).

SB 706 modifies Michigan's emergency medical services (EMS) licensing rules to expand fee waivers for volunteer personnel. It allows EMS workers certified as volunteers by their life support agency (which doesn't charge for services) to avoid paying renewal or late fees, provided they maintain their volunteer status. If a volunteer later becomes employed as a licensee, they must then pay the standard fees. The bill also removes the requirement for EMS personnel to maintain national registry status to renew their licenses. This directly affects volunteer EMS providers in Michigan who work for non-charging agencies.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands fee waivers for volunteer EMS personnel, reducing financial barriers to maintain service access without charging for volunteer services, strengthening workforce participation in emergency healthcare.95% confidence

Tags Public Safety

Track

in committee · Michigan · Senate Mar 5, 2025

SB 122: Health: other; enforcement powers of the department of health and human services under the public health code; modify. Amends secs. 2251, 2253, 2433, 2435, 2441, 2451, 2453, 2481, 12613, 13104, 13105a, 13108, 13516, 13736, 13737, 13738 & 20919 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.2251 et seq.) & repeals secs. 1299, 2241, 2242, 2243, 2244, 2245, 2246, 2255, 2261, 2262, 2263, 2437, 2443, 2446, 2455, 2461, 2462, 2463 & 2465 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.1299 et seq.).

SB 122 modifies Michigan's Public Health Code to adjust the enforcement authority of the Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). It updates specific sections governing public health regulations, including inspections, penalties for violations, and reporting requirements for health facilities. The bill also repeals outdated or redundant sections of the code to streamline enforcement processes. These changes directly affect health facilities, providers, and the MDHHS as they update how public health rules are implemented and enforced across the state.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAmends enforcement powers to streamline public health regulations, enhancing oversight of health facilities without direct funding changes.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health

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in committee · Michigan · House Mar 26, 2025

HB 4298: Health: informed consent; informed consent requirements for breast implant surgery; require. Amends 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.1101 - 333.25211) by adding secs. 17019 & 17519.

HB 4298 requires physicians to obtain written, informed consent for cosmetic breast implant surgery starting January 1, 2026. It mandates that doctors provide patients with specific information about surgical risks, manufacturer warnings, and a checklist covering implant-associated cancer risks (like ALCL and lymphoma), breast implant illness, FDA black box warnings, and safety reporting options. The Michigan Board of Medicine must develop this checklist by December 2025, in consultation with osteopathic boards and patient groups, and review it periodically. This directly affects patients seeking cosmetic breast implants and the physicians performing the procedures.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates detailed informed consent for breast implants, requiring risk disclosure (ALCL, FDA warnings) to protect patient safety and rights, aligning with healthcare patient safety standards.95% confidence

Track

signed · Michigan · Senate Jul 29, 2026

SB 205: Health: anatomical gifts; certain private practice offices and urgent care centers to provide information on the donor registry and donating bone marrow; allow. Amends 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.1101 - 333.25211) by adding sec. 10401.

Senate Bill 205 amends the public health code to permit physician's private practice offices and urgent care centers to provide information on anatomical gifts and bone marrow donation. These facilities may inquire of new patients whether they are interested in learning about the organ and tissue donor registry. For new patients aged 18 to 45, they may also inquire about interest in bone marrow donation. If a patient requests information, the offices or centers may provide educational materials and contact details for relevant donation programs or the state's organ procurement organization.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables clinics to provide donation registry info, increasing access to organ/tissue donation programs and supporting public health initiatives.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health