Legislation that would dial back some parts of Michigan’s 2019 auto insurance reform law is being slammed by state Senator Aric Nesbitt.
He tells us the package approved with mostly Democratic support this week would set up a new fee schedule to pay for long-term care of those who have suffered serious injuries. The legislation comes after some medical providers complained they couldn’t continue caring for some patients after the 2019 law was passed. Nesbitt says this will gut that law.
“It’s really increasing costs for Michigan drivers across the board, increasing reimbursement rates, and bailing out some healthcare providers while increasing the insurance rates,” Nesbitt said.
Nesbitt says those with catastrophic injuries could receive treatment through other avenues as they do in other states.
“What happened four years ago is that some of these folks never wanted to come to the table, didn’t want any reforms that the one-size-fits-all mandate of unlimited lifetime benefits, and they didn’t want to find any cost savings at all, and what they’re trying to do now is a complete, wholesale undoing of the reforms of 2019 instead of doing the surgical reforms that you’d find good consensus on.”
Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s office came out against the legislation, saying it will increase costs. Nesbitt says this is one of the few times you’ll find him agreeing with Whitmer.
The package was approved in the Senate with all but one Democrat voting yes and four Republicans joining them. Nesbitt believes the package will be altered in the House, where it’s now headed.
