This narrowly tailored bill package addresses some of the most pressing and serious concerns related to Michigan’s new auto insurance law.

 Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021 LANSING — State Reps. Julie M. Rogers (D-Kalamazoo), Robert Bezotte (R- Marion Township), Lori Stone (D-Warren), Brenda Carter (D-Pontiac), and Doug Wozniak (R-Shelby Township) announced narrowly tailored legislation today to provide immediate and necessary triage for the auto-accident survivors in Michigan.

“Recently, many auto-accident survivors, along with their families, caregivers and providers have come forward with serious concerns regarding the impact of their care under Michigan’s new auto insurance law,” Rogers said. “As a practicing physical therapist, I know how dire their needs are and the urgency behind them. We must act now to save care for Michigan crash survivors.”

These bills will give family units and support systems more flexibility to provide reimbursable care, eliminate the use of standards not derived from medical professionals and sources from being used to deny treatment, and refine the term Medical Treatment to carve out certain products, services and accommodations from the fee cap system.

The legislation being introduced and uplifted today are:

  • A bill to define medically accepted standards ( Rogers)
  • A bill to update what does/does not qualify as medical treatment ( Bezotte)
  • A bill to clarify compensation for each individual providing home care for survivors of catastrophic auto accidents ( Stone)
  • Legislation to revise priority for receiving PIP benefits for motorcycle accidents (House Bill 4809 – Wozniak and House Bill 5307 – Rep. Brenda Carter)

“All legislation requires updates and check-ins to ensure that our constituents are benefiting from the laws we pass,” said Stone. “After listening to the stories of community members, I knew that action was needed to clarify compensation for each individual providing home care for survivors of catastrophic auto accidents. This is an important first step.”

The legislators were also joined by Maureen Howell and her son, Sam, who was involved in a catastrophic car accident in 2005. Their no-fault auto insurance saved Sam’s life and set him on a path to the full life he leads today.

“Sam no longer needs a wheelchair, he dances, and he even graduated from college – all things that doctors predicted he wouldn’t do again,” Howell said. “This wouldn’t be possible without the post-acute care and services covered by our no-fault policy. However, due to certain provisions in the new law, accident survivors with debilitating injuries like Sam’s are suddenly ending up in hospitals and nursing homes. Some are dying.”

Legislation is expected to be introduced later this week and the legislators intend to call for an immediate committee hearing.

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  Contact: Rep. Julie M. Rogers

Phone: (517) 373-1785