Insider Intelligence

A Texas federal judge struck down the Affordable Care Act requirement that health insurers cover and pay for certain preventative care services without additional cost to the patient. In response, Governor Gretchen Whitmer directed the Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) to take immediate action. Her letter directs the department to do the following: […]

A bipartisan coalition of House members introduced legislation this week that seeks to modernize Michigan’s behavioral health system in order to improve services for residents. The plan would redesign the state’s current system with the goal of making it a more person-centered approach. It would replace the state’s 10 public Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans (PIHPs) […]

This week, members of the House Democratic and Republican Caucuses introduced legislation aiming to improve the quality of health care, while making it more affordable and accessible. The plan focuses on three main goals: lowering the cost of prescription medicine, increasing access to care, and improving the standard of care. Some of the specifics within […]

The Department of Health and Human Services launched a statewide campaign urging residents to get their flu vaccine this fall. They are stressing the greater need this year in order for the state to prevent an outbreak of a second communicable disease, in addition to COVID-19, which could put the state’s economy and health care […]

Governor Gretchen Whitmer vetoed legislation that would have provided automatic immunity during a state of emergency or disaster to medical providers, even when an emergency or disaster declaration doesn’t call for that.  According to the governor, the bill would have caused patients receiving treatment to be powerless to seek relief when they are harmed. To […]

On Thursday, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Directive 2020-7, which directs the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) to begin developing rules for implicit bias training as part of the knowledge and skills necessary for licensure, registration and renewal of licenses and registrations of health professionals. Implicit bias training was one of the recommendations […]

In an effort to increase access to health care for Michigan residents, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a package of bills into law allowing for telemedicine and remote patient monitoring. The bipartisan package of bills changes the law to allow patients to visit their health care provider virtually from their home, school, or wherever their provider […]

This week, the Senate passed legislation providing immunity for health care workers during a state of emergency or disaster. Introduced by Senator Michael MacDonald (R-Macomb Twp.), the bill amends the Emergency Management Act to clarify provisions that provide health care professionals and facilities with immunity from civil or criminal liability during a declared state of […]