Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday signed 16 bills that will expand reproductive freedom in Michigan, including a bill that allows pharmacists to directly prescribe and dispense contraceptives to patients.
The governor’s office said the package of bills ensures women can more easily access critical health care by lowering costs and cutting red tape.
“These bills will save women time and money so they can access the birth control they need and cut unnecessary red tape that stands between people and their health care,” Whitmer said. “Whether you’re getting ready to start a family or figuring out which contraceptive option is best for you, I’ll fight to make sure you have the freedom to make that choice.”
House Bills 5435 and 5436, sponsored by state Representatives Stephanie A. Young (D-Detroit) and Kara Hope (D-Holt), expand contraceptive access in our state, giving thousands of Michiganders access to basic health care.
The bills allow a pharmacist to directly prescribe birth control and require insurers to cover the contraceptives.
Currently, Michigan is experiencing a shortage of obstetricians and gynecologists (OB/GYNs), with 1/3 of Michigan’s 83 counties having no OB/GYNs at all.
House Bill 5636, sponsored by state Representative Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia), supports maternal health outcomes in Michigan by defining and providing licensure of freestanding birth centers, which provide midwifery care, reproductive and sexual health care, and newborn and postpartum care.
These centers serve as alternatives to hospitals, ensuring people giving birth have affordable access to midwives during and after their pregnancies.
House Bill 5826, sponsored by state Representative Mai Xiong (D-Warren), will support Michigan’s doulas by creating a doula scholarship program that will award one-time scholarships of up to $3,000; these scholarships will cover the cost of doula training for Michigan residents, who show financial need.
House Bill 5956, sponsored by state Representative Brenda Carter (D-Pontiac), will prohibit discrimination against a health care provider who is acting within the scope of that provider's license or certification. This bill further codifies federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) provisions in State law, reinforcing protections for providers so that they can make the best decisions for their patients.
House Bill 5166, sponsored by state Representative Stephanie A. Young (D-Detroit), reinforces the state’s commitment to reducing disparities in maternal and newborn health care by continuing support for the State’s Perinatal Quality Collaboratives (PQC).
House Bill 5172, sponsored by state Representative Carol Glanville (D-Walker), will establish a program to designate perinatal facilities according to the level of care they offer.
These standardized criteria will help women identify a facility that matches the risk level of their pregnancy, providing them with the information they need to choose a safe, supportive birthing environment.
House Bills 5167 and 5168, sponsored by state Representatives Cynthia Neeley (D-Flint) and Kimberly Edwards (D- Eastpointe), will improve maternal health resources by requiring health insurance coverage of blood pressure monitors for pregnant and postpartum women.
House Bills 5169, 5170, and 5171, sponsored by state Representatives Rachel Hood (D-Grand Rapids), Brenda Carter (D-Pontiac), and Kristian Grant (D-Grand Rapids), expand mental health services for postpartum individuals, supporting Michigan’s mothers and their families.
These bills will reduce barriers to accessing mental health services by requiring a health professional to offer a mental health screening at a follow-up appointment or well-child visit as well as require coverage for a mental health screening.
The bills also allow medical professionals to provide mental health resources to their patients, such as a referral. This change will support mothers as they adjust to their new normal, ensuring they have the tools and resources they need to thrive.
House Bill 4728, sponsored by state Representative Julie Rogers (D-Kalamazoo), will support families that rely on donor breast milk by making it easier for individuals to donate.
The bill deletes the requirement that a regular breast milk donor must be tested every three months for HIV while maintaining initial screening requirements.
House Bill 5173, sponsored by state Representative Kara Hope (D-Holt), will support new parents and guardians as they prepare or begin to take care of their newborns. Specifically, the bill requires hospitals to provide information on the health insurance enrollment process for newborns. The addition of a newborn to a health insurance plan is stressful and can be overlooked.
House Bill 5825, sponsored by state Representative Julie Rogers (D-Kalamazoo), will reinforce Affordable Care Act (ACA) protections in Michigan by requiring health insurers to issue rebates to their customers if they fail to meet minimum spending requirements on patient care, a threshold known as medical loss ratio (MLR).
House Bill 4224, sponsored by state Representative Julie M. Rogers (D-Kalamazoo), repeals workforce requirements for the Healthy Michigan Plan which a federal court ruled was unlawful in 2020.
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