On June 24, Governor Whitmer signed House Bills 5412-5416, which increase access to health care for Michiganders through telemedicine and remote patient monitoring services. The governor also signed Senate Bill 940 into law.
“I was pleased to sign bills today that will increase access to healthcare in Michigan by ensuring that telemedicine and remote patient monitoring services will be covered by insurers and by Medicaid,” Whitmer said in her signing letter to the Legislature.
“These bills codify significant pieces of Executive Order 2020-86, which broadly expanded access to telemedicine as part of Michigan’s emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Whitmer added. “Nevertheless, the virtues of telemedicine are not unique to this moment, so Michiganders will benefit from reduced costs, increased accessibility, and lower transmission rates of infectious diseases at the doctor’s office for years to come.”
House Bills 5412, 5413, 5414, 5415 and 5416 make up a bill package designed to facilitate remote provision of healthcare services. The bills require health insurance companies and group/non-group healthcare services to cover telemedicine visits without requiring in-person visits. The bill package was sponsored by Representative Hank Vaupel, R-Howell (HB 5412), Representative Doug Wozniak, R-Shelby Twp. (HB 5413), Representative Phil Green, R-Huron Twp. (HB 5414), Representative Frank Liberati, D-Allen Park (HB 5415) and Representative Mary Whiteford, R-Allegan (HB 5416).
Senate Bill 940 delays the principal residence exemption application deadline under certain circumstances related to the COVID state of emergency. The bill was sponsored by Senator Roger Victory, R-Grand Haven.
