Single Payer? MI Care Act HB 4893

A long bill, but not difficult to read and understand. Michigan is proposing to go into the insurance business, as well as producing pixie dust. 

Parts of the bill are simply hilarious - pure pie in the sky. Just speculating here, but maybe these provisions are there only for campaign purposes??

For example, paragraph 8 blithely eliminates healthcare shortages, at least on paper; paragraph 9 turns doctor's offices into insurance agents (they don't have enough to do?); and par. 11 imagines the State of Michigan will run insurance so well we need to monitor the hordes of people who flock here to sign up.

(8) MIcare must maintain a robust and adequate network of health care professionals located in this state or regularly serving residents of this state, including mental health and substance abuse professionals. The department shall contract with outside entities as needed to allow for the appropriate portability of coverage under MIcare for residents of this state who are temporarily out of this state.

(9) The department shall make available the necessary information, forms, access to eligibility or enrollment systems, and billing procedures to health care professionals to ensure immediate enrollment for individuals in MIcare at the point of service or treatment....

(11) The department, in collaboration with other relevant departments, shall monitor the extent to which residents of other states move to this state for the purpose of receiving health services and the impact, positive or negative, of any such migration on this state's health care system and on this state's economy, and make appropriate recommendations to the legislature based on its findings.

This appears to be the heart of the bill:

Sec. 410. (1) The MIcare fund is created in the state treasury as the single source to finance health care coverage for MIcare.

(2) The state treasurer may receive money or other assets from any source for deposit into the fund. The state treasurer shall direct the investment of the fund. The state treasurer shall credit to the fund interest and earnings from fund investments. The state treasurer shall deposit all of the following into the fund:

(a) Transfers or appropriations from the general fund, authorized by the legislature.

(b) If authorized by a waiver from federal law, federal funds for Medicaid, Medicare, MIChild, and the exchange.

(c) The proceeds from grants, donations, contributions, taxes, and any other sources of revenue as may be provided by statute or by rule.

(d) Administrative fines collected under this act.

(3) Money in the fund at the close of the fiscal year must remain in the fund and must not lapse to the general fund. The department is the administrator of the fund for auditing purposes.

(4) The department shall expend money from the fund, on appropriation, only for 1 or more of the following purposes:

(a) The administration and delivery of and payment for health services covered by MIcare as provided in this act.

(b) Expenses related to the duties and operation of the board.

There's much more to discuss. What strikes you as significant in this bill?

The full text as proposed July 18, 2023. As of this post, it awaits action in the House Insurance Committee.
https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2023-2024/billintroduced/House/htm/2023-HIB-4893.htm

Full title: Human services: medical services; MIcare act; create. Creates new act.