Updates About Health Policy

Three bills, SB 449, SB 450, and SB 451, that aim to ease the burden of medical debt were recently brought before the Senate Health Policy Committee. The bipartisan package spearheaded by Sen. Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing) and Sen. Jonathan Lindsey (R-Coldwater) with assistance from the Michigan Health and Hospital Association, would require that hospitals implement a financial assistance program for medical bills that align with the patient’s income and insurance. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services would create the collection process and determine patient eligibility. The bills would also ban reporting agencies from creating consumer reports with patients’ medical debt information, which could hurt their credit score as well as loan eligibility.

The package is expected to be voted on at the next committee hearing.

Recently, the House Health Policy Committee unanimously voted out two bills aimed at improving how patient information is shared across Michigan’s health care system. HB 4037 and HB 4038 aim to create a centralized Health Data Utility and designate a portion of the Medicaid budget for operating costs. This new system would allow patient data to securely follow individuals through their entire health journey, from the ambulance to the hospital, to the doctor’s office or a rehabilitation facility. The bills also allow access to schools and foster care, decreasing the chances that pertinent medical information is omitted at every step in the patient care process. Patients would also have the autonomy to opt in or out with any Michigan providers.

The approved non-profit Health Data Utility would be the Michigan Health Information Network (MiHIN), which already services secure health data in the billions. Sponsored by Rep. Julie Rogers (D-Kalamazoo) and Rep. Curt VanderWall (R-Ludington), the legislation now heads to the House floor with broad bipartisan support. While a similar proposal passed the House last session, the Senate was apprehensive about altering patient privacy protections and data security.

A package of four bipartisan bills aimed at expanding access to assisted outpatient mental health treatment was unanimously advanced by the Senate Health Policy Committee. The legislation, including SB 219, SB 220, SB 221, and SB 222, seeks to improve early intervention by allowing individuals charged with misdemeanors to be diverted into outpatient treatment instead of awaiting crisis-level hospitalization. The bills would enable referrals by psychiatrists, allow law enforcement to act on reasonable cause, and permit courts to order treatment for up to 180 days, with options for extension. Supporters say the changes build on past reforms and will empower families, medical providers, and the courts to address mental health needs proactively and reduce the need for inpatient care.