Senate committee passes Michigan CARE Act

From MIRS News Service

A bill expanding the role of designated caregivers for patients was unanimously moved out of the Senate Health Policy Committee today.

Sponsored by Sen. Margaret  O'BRIEN (R-Portage),   SB 0352 would create the Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable (CARE) Act in state law, which would require hospitals to allow patients to designate caregivers and provide that caregiver with a detailed discharge plan upon the patient's release. Democratic Sen. Steve  BIEDA (D-Warren) is also listed as a sponsor on the bill.  After adopting a slimmed-down substitute of the bill, the legislation passed out of committee 8-0 in a four-minute hearing. Sens. Jim  MARLEAU (R-Lake Orion) and Jim  STAMAS (R-Midland) were excused.

The bill was first brought up for committee discussion in September, where AARP-Michigan, the Michigan Association of Health Plans and several other supporters argued that the legislation would better ensure family caregivers have all the information they need to support patients when discharged, particularly caregivers of older patients with unique needs.

"Family caregivers shoulder great responsibilities. They are the first line of defense against older Americans being readmitted into hospitals or forced to move into nursing homes," AARP-Michigan officials wrote in a testimony letter of support at the time. "Michigan families have a proud history of taking care of themselves, and the CARE Act is one way to help better equip families to do so."

At the time, Chris  MITCHELL of the Michigan Health and Hospital Association (MHA) opposed the bill on grounds that if enacted, the legislation would overlap with current rules and regulations imposed by individual facilities and the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services. He argued the bills would "do very little to reduce readmissions or improve patient care."

With the adoption of the latest substitute, the MHA moved to neutral on the legislation, MHA director of public affairs Laura  WOTRUBA said. The original legislation had 21 mandates on hospitals that the organization was concerned with, she said, but the substitute trimmed that number down to eight.

The bill now heads to the full Senate for further consideration.