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.