December 6, 2024

Senate Passes Momnibus Bills, Birth Center Licensure Advances to House Floor

Several bills in the Michigan Momnibus package passed the Senate on Tuesday with mostly bipartisan support. First introduced in April, the bills seek to address gaps in Black maternal health, targeting areas including maternal mortality, infant mortality and access to care, and focusing on the disparities in Black maternal healthcare by improving equity and accountability in the state’s services.


The bills that passed in the Senate this week are:

SB 818—Creates a commission to investigate racial disparities related to maternal health; passed 23-14

SB 819—Creates new reporting procedures for mistreatment during perinatal period; passed 23-14

SB 820—Sets requirements for hospitals on having partners, spouses and doulas admitted and present with them during their hospital stay as well as providing its policies on informed consent from the patient and receiving a pregnant patient's information from a health professional initiating a hospital transfer; passed 23-14

SB 821—Requires insurers to provide the state information on medical malpractice insurance related to perinatal care services on request; passed 37-0

SB 822 —Allows a patient advocate designation to include a statement on which life-sustaining treatment the patient would or would not desire; 20-17

SB 823—Extends prohibition of sex discrimination in places of public accommodation and public services to prohibit discrimination based on pregnancy or lactating status; passed 24-13

SB 825 —Expands Michigan essential health provider recruitment strategy to include midwives; passed 37-0

HB 5826—Creates a doula scholarship fund; passed 22-15


Three Republicans sided with Democrats--Sen. John Damoose of Harbor Springs, Sen. Mark Huizenga of Walker and Sen. Michael Webber of Rochester Hills--for SBs 818-820.


For SB 823, Sen. Ruth Johnson (R-Groveland Township) joined Damoose, Huizenga and Webber in voting with the Democrats. Damoose and Sen. Ed McBroom (R-Vulcan) were the lone GOP votes for HB 5826.


On Thursday the House Health Policy Committee voted out HB 5636; another piece of the Momnibus package. The bill would establish licensure for freestanding birth centers. If the bill can win passage in the House when members return to session on Tuesday, it mat still have time to be taken up in the Senate.

If you want to advocate for any legislation in these final days of session, you can find your legislator, their contact information and all legislation at www.michiganlegislature.org.

Reproductive Health Data Bill, With Changes, Clears Senate

Legislation that would create regulations designed to protect women's reproductive health data was reported by a Senate committee Tuesday and passed in the Senate on Thursday.


The Senate Housing and Human Services Committee adopted an S-1 substitute for SB 1082 that, among other changes, delays implementation of penalties for two years after the bill becomes law and mostly exempts internet cloud providers.


Backers of the legislation say it's needed to assure the collecting or processing of a person's reproductive health data can only occur if the entity seeking the data has the person's informed consent and limits the use to specific purposes, like protecting public safety or health and complying with federal and state law.


The legislation also bars the use of geofence technology around an entity, like an abortion provider, providing in-person reproductive health services if the geofence is used to identify or track persons to determine if they are seeking reproductive care, collect reproductive health data or send communications to persons related to their reproductive health data or reproductive health services.


Abortion opponents have been known to geofence around an abortion provider to advertise other reproductive health services besides abortion.


The bill passed in the Senate 20-16. MCMCH supports the bill.

Senate Committee OKs Bills Requiring Medicaid, Private Insurance Coverage Of Contraception

The Senate Health Policy Committee voted Wednesday to advance a set of bills requiring coverage of over-the-counter contraception by private insurers and Medicaid.


Under SB 973, insurers that provide coverage in the state would be required under the insurance code, effective January 1, 2026, to provide coverage for contraception and emergency contraception. This would include point-of-sale at in-network pharmacies and over-the-counter contraception and emergency contraception. SB 974 requires the same of Medicaid. Coverage would be required regardless of whether the contraception or emergency contraception was through a prescription.


Substitutes were adopted for both bills to clarify that they apply to non-prescription contraceptives filled at a pharmacy counter and to allow for coverage required to remain subject to any utilization management, prior authorization, quantity limit or recertification requirements of the insurer or the health insurance policy in question.


MCMCH supports the bills.

Parent Voices Needed for Advisory Group

MDHHS is seeking parents/caregivers and people who work in public health and health care to form an advisory group to learn more about medical homes for children in Michigan.

 

According to MDHHS, a medical home includes having a provider who:

  • is easy to get to and will take your health insurance 
  • listens to what’s important to you about your child’s health and concerns you may have 
  • cares for your child from the time they are a baby into young adulthood  
  • makes sure your child gets the care they need to stay healthy, get well, or manage any complex care needs 
  • values and respects your family's culture, language, beliefs, and traditions
  • works together with your family to make a shared plan to care for your child

 

Interested partcipants can apply for the advisory group here.

Advisory group details are included in the application. Parent advisory group members will be reimbursed for their time and any childcare needs. Application must be submitted by 11:59pm ET on December 13.

 

For more information, contact Jessica Hamel via e-mail or 517-230-2774.

Michigan State Loan Repayment Program Applications Open February 3

The Michigan State Loan Repayment Program (MSLRP) helps employers recruit and retain primary medical, dental and mental healthcare providers by providing loan repayment to those entering into MSLRP service obligations. MSLRP service obligations require participants to provide full-time primary healthcare services in Health Professional Shortage Areas at not-for-profit health clinics for two years. MSLRP will assist those selected by providing up to $300,000 in tax-free funds to repay their educational debt over a period of up to ten years.


Participants will enter into consecutive two-year MSLRP service obligations requiring them to remain employed for a minimum of 40 hours per week for no less than 45 weeks per year at eligible nonprofit practice sites providing primary healthcare services to ambulatory populations. To learn about the program, visit michigan.gov/mslrp.


The 2025 MSLRP Application Period starts February 3, 2025 and closes April 30, 2025. View the latest information about the 2025 MSLRP Application Period here.

The Michigan Council for Maternal and Child Health is an organization of members committed to improving maternal and child health in Michigan.

Learn more at www.mcmch.org

Amy Zaagman, Executive Director

Jennifer Gorchow, Communications Manager

Ta'Sheena Williams, Policy Director

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Ste. 610
Lansing, MI 48933
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