Michigan Lawmakers Push Bill to Restrict Hospital Facility Fees
Bridge Michigan reports that state legislators are advancing bipartisan legislation to limit hospital "facility fees," additional charges added to bills for care delivered at off-site locations, telemedicine visits, and some outpatient hospital services. The bill follows complaints from patients and lawmakers, including Rep. Curt VanderWall, who was charged separately for each vial of blood drawn during a routine test. Hospitals say the fees, often undisclosed and untracked by the state, are needed to stay financially viable, with 33 Michigan hospitals operating at a loss or break-even in 2024 and three subsequently closing. The legislation's prospects and effective date are not specified in the reporting, but it places Michigan among several states, including Ohio and Indiana, considering caps, transparency mandates, or site-neutral payment requirements.