Whether it’s advocating on legislation, addressing payment concerns with health plans and insurers, or making sure physicians are represented, the MSMS Advocacy team is working on your behalf. The following are some recent highlights:

• Together with the Michigan Health and Hospital Association and Michigan Osteopathic Association, provided written comments on the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services proposed policy 2532-BH regarding the Substance Use Disorder Health Home. In the letter we indicated our conceptual support for this policy, while also sharing concerns regarding staffing adequacy, physician role clarity, and appropriate allocation of time for specialty providers.
• Joined with the AMA and other state and specialty societies in support of H.R. 4002, the “Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2025.” This bipartisan legislation would repeal the statutory restrictions on the whole hospital exception to the Stark physician self-referral law, thereby eliminating statutory and regulatory barriers that prevent the formation or expansion of physician-owned hospitals.
• Sent a letter to Cigna urging them to immediately rescind their new downcoding policy which applies to codes 99204-99205; 99214-99215; and 99244-99245.  The policy went in to effect starting October 1, 2025.
• Represented MSMS members at several partner meetings including CPAN, Protect MI Care Coalition, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan TriStaff, Michigan Health Policy Forum Fall 2025, and a vaccine forum hosted by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
• In October, attended multiple committee meetings, six meetings with legislators, four fundraisers, one meeting with the Governor’s policy team, and one meeting with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs; and, convened four physician associations’ lobbyists meetings to discuss scope of practice and other legislative issues that impact the practice of medicine, health care delivery, and patient safety.