The end of the yearly budget race is now in the sights of the lawmakers as the leadership teams of both houses were able to come to an agreement on where they wanted to budget to fall out, does that include the expansion of Medicaid, let's review the activities of the week.
House:
The House Health Policy committee this week took testimony on a host of legislation. House Bill 4736 which would bring Expedited Partner Therapy to Michigan, that could make it the 36th state to put this policy into place. Dr. Annette Mercatante, health officer of St. Clair County Health Department, testified on behalf of MSMS and the Michigan Association of Local Public Health. Dr. Mercatante was able to provide the experiences of those working in the public health field and those working in the local public health departments. Dr. Jody Jones testified on behalf of ACOG providing the aspects of pregnant mothers and their unborn children. The committee also considered Senate bills 237, 238, and 239 that would change immunization requirements by having children be immunized by the 7th grade rather than the 6th grade. It is expected that the House committee will take the legislation up for a vote on June 4th.
Senate:
The Senate Health Policy committee also met this week considering two items during their meeting. The the State deciding not the implement their own health insurance exchange, regulations have to now be put into place to deal with the impending changes. One of those changes came up in the committee in the form of Senate Bill 324 that would provide some regulations for navigators of the exchange. This bill rushed out of committee and on to the Senate floor where it has been posted to be considered in the House Health Policy committee on June 4th. Senate Bill 373 was also considered which would allow the Board of Pharmacy to allow for pilot projects for applications of prescriptions. This legislation will be heading to the House as well but not at the same speed at the navigators legislation.
Budget:
This week the final hurdle was crossed by the legislator allowing for the considerations of the different departmental budgets. Last week the May Revenue Estimating conference met letting the legislators know that there was just over $400 Million extra revenue coming into the State for the next fiscal year. major questions of road and education funding, a fix for the HICA tax that funnels into Medicaid, along with other ideas were thrown out on the table for consideration. After discussions between the leadership the decision was made to put the majority of that funding into road construction and maintenance and also putting $75 Million into the State's rainy day fund.
This left no discussion of a fix for the HICA tax shortfall and the Medicaid expansion with the news of the spending priorities with the new found money. This goes for the agreement discussions as well between the House and Senate leadership when looking at finalizing the numbers for the coming year's budget, leaving the Medicaid expansion off the table. Signs are not positive for those support the expansion with the feasibility of the expansion being including in this budget bill less likely by the day, leaving the legislator no choice than to do a separate bill if they choose to expand the program. Conference committees will start meeting next week with the hope that a budget solution will be found by the end of next week.
Stay with MSMS to get the up to date information on what is happening in Lansing and beyond; go to http://www.msms.org/advocacy. Your support keeps physician issues on the forefront of the legislators, we need your continual support, go to http://www.mdpac.org to see how you can help today.
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