News & Media
Legislative Update: Budgets and Roads Continue to Dominate Lansing Talks
Lansing is abuzz with talks of the state budget and road funding, while other policy issues continue to linger at the periphery of everyone’s attention.
Leadership from both Chambers, as well as the Governor’s budget experts, have spent time this week attempting to find middle ground in two vastly different approaches to next year’s state budget. At $79 billion, the House proposal is smaller than both the Senate-passed budget ($84.6B) and Governor Whitmer’s executive recommendation ($83.5B).
The Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS) is paying particular attention to the Michigan Department of Health and Services (MDHHS) budget as it includes funding for public health initiatives, behavioral health care, aging services, health professionals’ loan repayment programs, and Medicaid, amongst other things. On a positive note, all versions of the budget currently provide continuation funding for the existing primary care uplifts, which MSMS supports.
One issue of concern includes the recommendation in the House-passed budget to eliminate $100 million for the Specialty Network Access Fee program, which was created to increase Medicaid beneficiaries’ access to specialty practitioners by paying an enhanced rate to eligible practitioners.
Another issue for which MSMS is advocating is the preservation of funding for the MIDOCS program, which is a state- and federally-funded program expanding graduate medical education residency positions in select specialties to recruit and retain physicians in underserved areas of Michigan. The Senate included an increase in base funding, but the Executive and House did not.
“The MIDOCs program has proven to be one of Michigan's most effective tools for addressing physician shortages, with 94 percent of participating doctors continuing to practice in the very communities where they trained. It is money effectively and efficiently spent, and cutting our state's funding would reduce residency slots and loan repayment support, hurting Michigan's ability to recruit and retain doctors in underserved areas.”
~ Amit Ghose, MD, MSMS President
MSMS members are encouraged to reach out to their state legislators, advocating for them to preserve state Medicaid spending and avoid devastating cuts to essential services.
Also of interest, the House Health Policy Committee continued to address legislation related to various health professional interstate compacts by taking up bills to allow Michigan to enter the Counseling Compact and the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Compact. Both bills were reported with recommendation for referral to the House Committee on Rules.
Although no vote has yet to be scheduled in House Health Policy, background conversations are continuing on House Bill 4399, which would allow for the unsupervised practice of medicine by nurse practitioners. MSMS urges members to reach out to their legislators and emphasize the importance of the physician-led care team when delivering quality patient care.
The Senate Health Policy Committee also met, taking up bills that would enter Michigan into the interstate physical therapy licensure compact, modify requirements for practice by