LANSING, Mich. — A series of bipartisan bills sponsored by state Sens. Jonathan Lindsey and Sarah Anthony to reduce overall costs and lower financial burdens caused by medical debt for Michigan residents passed the Senate on Wednesday.
“Health care is currently an overpriced, underperforming disaster and Michigan families have been feeling it for years,” said Lindsey, R-Coldwater. “There is a strong desire from my constituents, and surely from people around the state, to pursue policy changes to enhance health care outcomes and reduce out-of-control medical costs.”
The Senate granted final approval to Senate Bills 449, 450, 451, 701 and 702, which significantly rein in debt collection practices like personal liens, wage garnishment and home foreclosures, while also capping interest rates applied to medical debt.
The bills would also require all Michigan hospitals to create financial assistance programs to improve options for families facing a medical emergency, which is already a federal requirement for nonprofit hospitals.
“A medical emergency shouldn’t become a lifetime of financial burden, and unfortunately, that is the case for many people,” Lindsey said.
“More than 700,000 Michiganders are carrying medical debt, often because of a single emergency they never saw coming,” said Anthony, D‑Lansing. “These bills are about stepping in before that debt derails someone’s financial future. I’m grateful to Senator Lindsey for his partnership and proud of the bipartisan, bicameral work that brought this forward. No one should be punished for getting the care they need.”
Lindsey said there is still significant work to do, noting that he has been working to get additional legislation he sponsored to improve medical procedure price transparency passed as well. Senate Bill 95, which received unanimous support in the House and is currently tied up in the Senate, would require hospitals to publicly disclose the costs of treatments and operations and prohibit the collection of debts if a hospital is not in compliance with price transparency laws.
“Prices for medical procedures, medications and services should be easily available for people to consult and compare prior to choosing the option that best fits their needs and budget,” Lindsey said. “Not only will this improve options and outcomes for families, but it will also help further drive down medical costs.
“I’m happy we were able to pass the bills we did, but there is an opportunity to do even more.”
Lindsey commended Anthony for her work on the legislation and helping advance it in the Senate, as well as Rep. Angela Rigas, R-Caledonia, who has sponsored additional consumer protections surrounding medical debt in the House of Representatives.
“I made improving medical transparency and working to provide better health outcomes a top priority when elected to office, and I will keep working to get meaningful reforms signed into law,” Lindsey said.
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