Updates About Legislature

The Senate Finance, Insurance and Consumer Protection Committee recently took up testimony on SB 914, introduced by Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit). The bill would require prescription drug co-pay assistance to count toward a patient’s deductible and out-of-pocket maximum.

Supporters of the bill include patient advocacy groups that represent individuals with serious conditions such as cancer, blood disorders, epilepsy, and other diseases that require patients to rely on costly medications. Supporting organizations argue that the bill would reduce unexpected out-of-pocket costs for patients, while simultaneously improving affordability and transparency in drug pricing.

Opposition comes primarily from insurers and health plans, who argue the policy would influence patients to purchase more expensive brand name medications versus cheaper generic options. It has also been suggested that co-pay coupons increase the cost of brand name medications over time.

The bill is now waiting on a Committee vote.

Last week, the Michigan Senate passed a bipartisan bill package offering relief for Michiganders with medical debt. SB 449, SB 450, and SB 451, championed by Senators Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing) and Jonathan Lindsey (R-Coldwater), passed with substantial support across both political caucuses. The bills would require hospitals to implements financial assistance plans for managing a patient’s medical debt and would change rules that currently allow for what critics say is aggressive debt collection.

Two related bills introduced by Anthony and Lindsey also passed unanimously last week. SB 701 and SB 702 would provide protections for patients by establishing maximum interest rates for medical debt and removing excessive late fees on medical debt for a minimum of 90 days after a patient receives their final invoice. The bills would also prohibit debt collectors and healthcare facilities from having a patient arrested, garnishing their wages, or foreclosing on their home as a means of collecting medical debt.

All five bills were subsequently referred to the House Health Policy committee.

On Wednesday, an eight bill package (SB 691 - 698) that would make significant changes to the state’s current election and campaign finance laws passed out of the Senate with support from Senate Democrats and Republicans. The bill that would have the most impact is SB 691 introduced by Senator Sam Singh (D-East Lansing), which would move the current August primary up to May and would allow for February primaries.

Also included in the bill package is SB 697, sponsored by Senator Dayna Polehanki (D-Livonia), which lowers the number of petition signatures needed for statewide candidates. Singh bill SB 698 creates a single, set schedule for campaign finance reports with four filings each year. The remaining bills make updates to align the law with the changes proposed in SB 691.

If passed by the House, the changes would take effect in 2028. Currently, Michigan is one of nineteen states that hold their primary election in August or later. The bills still have a long journey ahead, including testimony and votes in the House Election Integrity Committee, final passage from the House, and signing off by the Governor before becoming law.