Michigan Senate Bill 1136 amends state law to cap the amount public employers can spend on employee health insurance, introducing new fixed dollar limits for single, couple, and family coverage starting in 2027. The bill also reverses a previous provision that allowed employers to pay no more than 80% of total medical costs, instead mandating that they pay at least 80% of those expenses beginning in the same year. These new financial caps are adjusted annually based on changes in Michigan health insurance rates or a minimum 3% increase, whichever is higher. Existing collective bargaining agreements that conflict with these limits are exempt until their current terms expire or are renegotiated.
This bill removes a specific legal provision that previously allowed mental health counselors to obtain a limited license to practice in Michigan. By repealing Section 18109 of the Public Health Code, the legislation eliminates the existing framework for this particular licensing option. The change directly affects the regulatory environment for mental health counselors and the state's licensing board, which will no longer be able to issue these limited licenses under the old rules.
This bill proposes changes to Michigan's Public Health Code to establish specific licensure requirements for freestanding abortion clinics. It directly affects healthcare facilities that operate outside of hospitals by mandating they meet new regulatory standards set forth in the added sections. The legislation would require these clinics to obtain a license and comply with updated health and safety provisions outlined in the amended statutes.
HB 5827 amends Michigan's Code of Criminal Procedure to establish specific sentencing guidelines for crimes committed under the Death with Dignity Act. The bill directly affects judges and prosecutors by providing a structured framework for determining appropriate sentences in cases involving physician-assisted suicide. By modifying sections 13n and 16p of the state code, the legislation ensures that sentencing practices for these specific offenses are codified within existing legal procedures.
SB 978 repeals the requirement that health insurers in Michigan provide emergency refills of prescription medications for up to a 30-day supply. This change directly affects insurance companies and their policyholders by removing the obligation to cover such emergency supplies under specific circumstances. The bill eliminates Section 3406w of the state's insurance code, which previously mandated these emergency coverage provisions. Consequently, insurers will no longer be required to grant these specific emergency refill exceptions, leaving the existing formulary and exception processes in Sections 3406o as the primary framework for drug coverage.
HB 5981 requires automobile insurers in Michigan to file premium rates that achieve specific percentage reductions for personal protection insurance coverage by July 1, 2020, and maintain those reductions through 2028. The bill mandates that the state insurance director review and disapprove any filings that fail to meet these reduction targets, which vary based on the policy's coverage limits. Additionally, insurers must pass on savings from medical treatment costs incurred in accidents before July 2, 2021, and cannot issue or renew policies without director approval of their rates.
This bill updates Michigan's no-fault insurance laws to set new maximum payment limits for medical treatment and rehabilitation services provided to injured individuals. It establishes specific reimbursement percentages based on Medicare rates, which vary by year and the type of provider, such as general physicians, hospitals with high indigent patient volumes, specialized trauma centers, and designated freestanding rehabilitation facilities. The legislation also includes provisions for providers lacking Medicare payment benchmarks by capping their charges at a percentage of their historical rates from 2019. These changes directly affect healthcare providers treating personal protection insurance claims and the insurers that reimburse them.
This bill amends Michigan's Medical Marihuana Act to clarify definitions and limit the number of medical marijuana plants that can be grown at a single address. It directly affects registered qualifying patients and their designated primary caregivers by establishing stricter rules for plant cultivation and caregiver registration per location. The key provisions include updated definitions for terms like "enclosed, locked facility" and "usable marihuana," while also specifying requirements for physician-patient relationships and caregiver eligibility. The legislation aims to provide clearer guidance on compliance with state medical marijuana regulations without changing the fundamental rights of patients or caregivers under the existing program.
HB 5521 prohibits Michigan's medical assistance program from covering organ transplants if the procedure occurs in China or another country designated by the state health department for forced organ harvesting, or if the organ was obtained through sale/donation from such a country. The bill defines "forced organ harvesting" as removing organs from living individuals using coercion, abduction, deception, fraud, or abuse of power. It directly affects Medicaid recipients seeking transplants involving organs from designated countries. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services will designate countries known for forced organ harvesting under this law.
HB 5634 prevents Michigan's health department from creating stricter rules or requiring additional paperwork for school immunization exemptions. It preserves only two existing exemption types: medical (certified by a physician) and religious/philosophical (via a parent's written statement). The bill explicitly blocks the department from mandating new exemption forms or imposing extra requirements beyond these two categories. This directly affects schools, parents seeking exemptions, and the health department's regulatory authority. The legislation maintains the current exemption framework without expanding or altering it.
