Senate Bill (SB) 27, a supplemental budget bill containing funding for $160 million of COVID-19 relief for Michigan hospitals which accounts for the cost of treating COVID-19 patients, was passed in the Senate and is being sent to the governor for signature. The MHA will work with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on the distribution of the funding. The association will keep members apprised of further action on this bill or other supplemental appropriations that impact hospitals.
In addition, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed into law July 13 MHA-supported legislation modernizing the scope of practice for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) as Public Act 53 of 2021. Introduced as House Bill 4359 by Rep. Mary Whiteford (R-Casco Township), the new law will allow flexibility for each hospital to choose the anesthesia care model that best fits its location, staffing and resources to offer safe and effective patient care by eliminating the state requirement that a CRNA must work under direct physician supervision.
This change has long been an MHA priority and will eliminate a costly regulation for hospitals while maintaining patient safety. The MHA worked diligently with other stakeholders representing provider groups as the bill was negotiated. The Michigan State Medical Society was neutral on the final version of the legislation signed by the governor, which includes a provision maintaining physician input on patient care and patient-centered care teams.
The MHA testified in support of the legislation in both the House and Senate and applauds the work of both chambers and the governor in passing the law.
The new law, which is set to take effect Oct. 11, brings Michigan in line with 42 other states and the U.S. military. To fully implement the law, the governor must submit a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to formally exercise the exemption from the federal supervision requirement for CRNAs once the federal declaration of emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic ends. The MHA will urge the governor to perform this final action when appropriate.
Questions on the budget or the new rules for CRNAs in Michigan can be directed to Adam Carlson at the MHA.
A news conference was held June 23 to announce the introduction of a bill that would provide funding for a grant program for hospitals to increase access to medication assisted treatment for OUD in the emergency department (ED). The MHA Legislative Policy Panel supports the bill, which is intended to increase access to lifesaving treatment for OUD. Daniel Roper, MD, chief of emergency services and medical director of the ED at Mercy Health Saint Mary’s in Grand Rapids, represented one of 19 Michigan hospitals currently providing medications for OUD in EDs during the event, noting that the proposed bill would remove barriers for other providers to offer the treatment. The bill is expected to be introduced before the legislative summer break, and the MHA will keep members apprised of its movement.