Senate
Majority Leader Randy Richardville (R – Monroe) indicated this week that the
Senate Medicaid workgroup will have a proposal ready by next week, and the full
chamber would likely vote on the proposal in late August.
Richardville,
Chair of the Senate Government Operations Committee is planning to vote on the
proposal in committee July 31st followed by a vote in the full Senate August 27
and 28. That would give the entire
Senate about two weeks to study the new proposal before they are asked to
vote.
Senator
Roger Kahn (R – Saginaw Township) would not divulge any details about the
group’s work except that it is using House Bill 4714, as passed by the House in
June, as well as other reforms that could be implemented without federal waiver
approval while improving the program’s delivery system statewide.
Senator
Patrick Colbeck (R – Canton Twp.) a strong opponent of House Bill 4714,
released a statement earlier this week about his plans to introduce two bills
that “provide a free market alternative that expands access to quality care
without expanding government.” The first
bill would provide a regulatory infrastructure for the solution within the
confines of the ACA. The second bill would convert Medicaid enrollees to
qualified health plans featuring direct primary care services and high
deductible health plans all within a health savings account. Senator Colbeck is planning to discuss his
legislation with the workgroup meeting Thursday.