News & Media
MSMS Statement - HB 4399 Jeopardizes Patient Safety
“Michigan patients deserve care that prioritizes safety, quality, and coordination—not policies that dismantle the physician-led care teams they rely on. Yet that’s exactly the direction we’re headed as HB 4399 continues to move through the Legislature. Simply put, this bill lowers the standard of care by allowing non-physicians to practice independently, without physician oversight. That’s not how we deliver better care to Michigan patients—it’s how we put them at risk.
“We can say that confidently because we’ve seen the results in other states, and the evidence is clear. When physicians are removed from care teams, patients are more likely to end up in the emergency room, spend more out of pocket, and receive less coordinated care. HB 4399 doesn’t fix timely access to care—it makes things worse.
“Instead, lawmakers should be working to strengthen what we know works. That means protecting the physician-led, team-based model of care that consistently delivers the best outcomes for Michigan families. That’s what our patients expect, and that’s what they deserve.”