Friday, March 22, 2013

Legislative Update Week of March 18th


With the Educational Achievement Authority leaving those watching the legislature waiting until the end of the week the House signaled that they are not in favor of the Medicaid expansion by leaving money out for those programs with the first movement on the Department of Community Health Budget and the Senate signaling that they aren't interested in working on the money for the exchange, health care is becoming front and center; let’s review the week:

House:

Dr. Kay Watnick speaking to the press
about the tanning legislation.
The House this week took up House Bills 4274 and 4275 that would require interested parties work with the Insurance Commissioner or create a standardized two page prior authorization form for prescriptions. Now the legislation will move to the Senate for their consideration. This week Representative Jim Townsend introduced House Bill 4405 that would restrict the use of tanning beds by minors in Michigan, 16 and under. Kay Watnick, MD, a dermatologists and Immediate Past President of the Michigan Dermatological Society attended a press conference with Representative Townsend at MSMS to discuss the legislation. "Indoor tanning beds emit up to 15 times more ultraviolet rays than what is emit from the sun," said Dr. Watnick. The legislation is referred to the House standing committee on Regulatory Reform.

Senate:

The Senate Health Policy Committee convened this week to consider two items, Senate Bills 136 and 237, 238, and 239. Senate Bill 136 would allow for a conscientious objection to providing certain treatments based on a moral or religious objection by the physician. If there is an emergent situation the physician may not use the objection to not provide treatment. MSMS has worked with the sponsor of the legislation to find a compromise that we feel will be productive for everyone and continue to work with the sponsor. MSMS continues to oppose the legislation. The legislation was sent to the Senate floor for its consideration. Senate Bills 237, 238 and 239 would amend the public health code along with the school code to update the ages needed for vaccinations. The committee took testimony on the issue and is expected to vote out the legislation at its next hearing.

The full Senate considered their version of the prior authorization legislation by passing Senate Bills 178 and 179. These bills will head to the House Health Policy committee for testimony. It is uncertain at this point which legislation will be the final bills passed.

Budget:

The House Appropriations Subcommittee passed it first version of the Department of Community Health budget (House Bill 4213) this week with leaving the Medicaid expansion out of the budget. There were concerns that lawmakers had on the costs to consumers and sustainability of the program with some on the inside asking for reforms to the program before money will be appropriated for the expansion. This is just the first of what will be many more rounds to come. The Senate is expected to pass their version in the coming weeks.

The Health Insurance Exchange it a snag this week in the Senate will the Senate Majority Leader stating that the exchange was virtually dead for the moment. It will be interesting to see what the next moves of the Senate will be with the implementation of the exchange due at the end of this year.

For more information on what is happening in Lansing and beyond stay with MSMS at http://www.msms.org/advocacy. Your voice counts; make it heard by supporting MDPAC! Find more information at http://www.mdpac.org.

Friday, March 15, 2013

Legislative Update Week of March 11th

With the budget and road funding taking the front seat for the legislature over the past couple weeks, this week the House switched to education with the House Education committee passing out the Education Achievement Authority legislation; while in the Senate bear petting seemed to be on their minds. Lets review what happened in the terms of health care:

House

This week the House Health Policy committee meet to hear a presentation and consider House Resolution 11 which requests that syringe and scalpel safety scores be included in the accreditation audits of health facilities. Over the past couple years there has been a push from some within the legislature along with other outside groups with a vested interest in sharps safety to push for the safety scores to be added to the standards. The committee did take testimony and reported the resolution favorably to the full House for their consideration. It was adopted by the House on the next day after the committee meeting.

Senate:

The Senate Health Policy committee meet to consider Senate Bill 136, commonly known as the Conscientious Objector act, it would provide limited provisions for physicians to decline providing treatment to patients if they have an objection due to their conscience. The committee took testimony but did not act on the legislation. The committee also considered Senate Bill 165 which would require health facilities to provide information to patients on the life-sustaining treatment options or denial of nonbenifical treatment within a facility. If a minor is involved they legal guardian would receive the information. The committee did act on the legislation, voting it to the Senate floor.

Budget:

The subcommittees took a break this week to prepare their perspective budget bills to begin moving the budgets between the chambers. The House bill is HB 4213 with the Senate bill still to come. This is the start of the legislative votes that will continue from now until just before June. Stay with MSMS for updates on the budget along with other activities in the Michigan Legislature at http://www.msms.org/advocacy.

Friday, March 8, 2013

Legislative Update Week of March 4th

With the House sending the bill to fund the insurance exchange and with the expansion of Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act was and has been front and center on the minds of those in the legislature over the past couple weeks. There were other items that made their radar as well though, lets review the actions of the week:

House:

The House Health Policy committee meet this week and in true fashion took a vote on House Bills 4274 and 4275 which would bring stakeholders together to create a new prior authorization form that would be two pages and uniform for all insurance providers in Michigan. The legislation did pass the committee with support from all of the committee except for one member. The legislation will now head to the House floor for a vote to send it to the Senate.

Senate:

The Senate Insurance committee considered their versions of the prior authorization legislation. Senate Bills 178 and 179 which are the same as the House bill mentioned above. Steven Newman, MD and MSMS Immediate Past President came to testify to the Senate committee on their importance. The committee did pass the legislation out to the full Senate for their consideration which could be as early as next week.

Budget:

This week both committees heard testimony from the Department of Community Health on Michigan Mental Health and Substance Abuse systems and for the Office of the Aging. The Governor in his budget recommendation wanted to provide jail diversion programs and innovations to the Mental Health system and place those who need mental health care and on Medicaid to have that covered by Medicaid. Huge steps forward towards total mental health parity. Though these changes the department along with the Governor feel they can provide savings and while not cutting the care. Those wanting to testify will have the opportunity on Monday when the House committee will take public testimony on the subjects.

Medical Student Lobby Day:

This past Tuesday, close to 25 medical students from the 4 medical schools in Michigan came to Lansing to lobby key legislators on issues that were important to them. They arrived at MSMS at 9:00am to begin their day with a program happening at MSMS in the morning. John Bizon, MD and MSMS President joined the group in the morning to discuss the issues that are affecting the physician community currently and lay out the issues that MSMS is fighting for.

After lunch and a review of the issues the students broke up into groups, covering close to 20 meeting with different House and Senate members discussing their positions on Graduate Medical Education and the Medicaid Expansion. At the end of their day, the students had the opportunity to meet with Sentor Roger Kahn, MD for just a brief minute. At the end of their visit, the students took a group photo on the steps of the Capitol.

Want to stay involved with whats happening in Lansing following MSMS at http://www.msms.org/advocacy. Looking to make a difference in the legislature support MDPAC. Go to http://www.mdpac.org for information on how you can help.


Thursday, March 7, 2013

Legislative Update Week of February 25th


The legislature continued their work on the budget for the coming fiscal year while finally providing a solution to the Blue Cross question on whether action would be finalized, lets take a look at the week's activities:

House:

The House finally answered the questions of those around Lansing wondering when the Blue Cross mutualization legislation would be passed by the House and would the language of the legislation have the damaging abortion language that stopped the package in its tracks at the Governor's desk. On Thursday that answer was it was time to get this legislation to the Governor and without the abortion amendments that killed the legislation last time. The Governor will sign the legislation in the coming weeks.

Steven Newman, MD testifying
to the House Health Policy Committee
The House Health Policy Committee meet to discuss House Bills 4274 and 4275. These bills would create a group of stakeholders that would have to create a two page prior authorization form for prescription prior authorizations. Steven Newman, MD and MSMS Immediate Past President testified to the committee offering MSMS's support. If tradition continues in the committee then it is expected that the committee will take a vote next week.

Senate:

The Senate Reforms, Restructuring, and Reinventing committee continued taking testimony this week on Senate Bill 2 which would expand scope for Advanced Practice Nurses. It is unclear when action will happen on this legislation but we assume that some action will happen and could in the near future. The Senate also concurred on the changes the the Blue Cross mutualization passing the final legislative hurdle sending the legislation on its way to the Governor.

Budget:

This week both the House and Senate Committees working on the Department of Community Health budget had presentation from those associated with Public Health and health policy and administration. The Public Health side of the department has several situations and programs working, the Governor's 4x4 plan, meningitis outbreak, and infant mortality just to name a few. The House committee will take public testimony on these budgets this coming Monday.

For information on what's happening in Lansing and Washington follow MSMS at http://www.msms.org/advocacy.