Rep. Bierlein Reports On Health Topics To The House Oversight Committee

Rep. Matthew Bierlein, R-Pigeon, is the Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Public Health and Food Security.  He testified before the House Oversight Committee on August 26th about what he called “deeply troubling findings” on public health, health care in MDoC facilities, and medical licensing.  His testimony has not been published yet, but we do have a report from The Midwesterner:

https://www.themidwesterner.news/2025/08/rep-matthew-bierlein-testimony-exposes-failures-in-michigans-public-health-and-food-security-systems/

Rep. Matthew Bierlein testimony exposes failures in Michigan’s public health and food security systems
'deeply troubling findings'
By Travers Koory | August 29, 2025

Rep. Matthew Bierlein, R-Pigeon, testified before the House Oversight Committee this week about what he called “deeply troubling findings” from his subcommittee on Public Health and Food Security.

His remarks identified what he labeled systemic failures in Michigan’s health care and state agency landscape, including liquor control, medical licensing, and psychiatric care.

On the ongoing liquor commission scandal, Bierlein said, “35% of the state’s spirits inventory, or about a billion dollars worth of state-owned product, had been unaccounted for.”

The representative also raised concerns over transparency at the Michigan Public Health Institute. “When we brought the department director in and asked what some of those research projects were, none were actually able to be named in the committee,” he testified.

Staffing arrangements drew further scrutiny. Bierlein noted, “[T]here are 600 employees that they call affiliates who work exclusively on DHHS jobs… just not sure that that’s what it was intended to do.”

Turning to the state’s medical community, Bierlein argued that regulatory burdens are driving doctors away from Michigan. “Instead of spending time seeing patients, they’re spending more time doing paperwork. They’re spending more time doing continuing education,” he said.

He pointed to a double standard compared to neighboring states. “Physicians in Michigan are required to have 50 hours of CME every year,” he said, referring to mandated continuing medical education. “In Ohio [CME] was 25 … we don’t have any different patient outcomes when somebody from Ohio comes up here and practices.”

According to Bierlein, Michigan’s approach is punishing its own doctors. “We rank second in the nation for the number of sanctions placed on our medical licenses … so we’re punishing our doctors for wanting to practice here.”

The testimony underscored Michigan’s mental health crisis as well. “Michigan currently ranks 47th in the nation for our psychiatric bed availability. The recommended standard is 30 to 40 beds for every 100,000 residents, and Michigan has only 19.”

Northern Michigan, he added, faces an even greater shortage. “North of Bay City… is a particularly underserved area, with the UP being almost a bed desert.”

The consequences, Bierlein argued, ripple into corrections spending. “38% of inmates showed clear signs of behavioral health and substance abuse issues. So we’re spending state resources, and then folks aren’t getting the help that they need, and so then we might be spending those same state resources over and over again.”

Despite the grim assessment, Bierlein ended with optimism. “We can do better. I believe the resources are there if we use them appropriately.”

The Michigan Public Health Institute Director (actually CEO) is Dr. Renée Branch Canady.