Michigan Legislature Considering Insurance Reform Bills
"There's support in Michigan's Legislature for eliminating insurance practices that deny coverage and charge high rates for people with chronic health problems. But the Michigan reforms face a tight timetable as lawmakers focus on the state's worsening budget crisis," The Detroit Free Press reports. One Republican plan in the state Senate would address the problem of lost coverage from rising unemployment in Michigan by requiring "businesses -- including self-insured enterprises such as General Motors Corp. and Chrysler Group LLC, now exempt from state regulations, -- to pay to expand health care for poor people. The Detroit Regional Chamber and others oppose new taxes in the Senate plan, particularly when so many businesses are hurting" (Anstett, 7/6).
In a separate feature, the paper also had a detailed look at what the plans would do.
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