By Brandon Hall
(Email Him At WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)
Speaker Tom Leonard is putting a proposal to change Michigan's no fault auto reform up for a vote later today, whether it passes or not, WMP has learned.
Conservative legislators who support no-fault reform want a vote on the record, and Leonard is prepared to give them just that. The House Republican Caucus is meeting early this afternoon, and passions are running high.
The vote could be the second piece of legislation brought to the floor this year without the support to pass. Earlier this year, Leonard moved a modest income tax cut that failed after 12 Republicans voted against it.
It's not just conservative legislators pushing for reform, grassroots leaders are on board as well.
Matt Maddock, a State House candidate running as a "Trump Republican," says reform is long overdue.
"Our “highest in the nation” auto insurance rates are so high they are now an obstacle to economic growth," Maddock said. "These outrageous rates affect ALL businesses.Please call your legislators and urge them to support Lana Theis Auto Insurance Reform House Bill 5013. Call ASAP. This is a hot-bed issue and our legislators are under TREMENDOUS pressure to keep the status quo which costs you billions in inflated rates."
The battle over Michigan's controversial no-fault law is a contentious one, with supporters of reform saying it will lead to lower car insurance rates for Michiganders, who pay some of the highest costs in the country.
Opponents contend reform will do little to impact rates and the legislation will benefit insurance companies at the expense of crash victims.
Supporters of reform highlight the fact that hospitals are charging car accident victims significantly more for the same services than say, a kid who broke his leg playing football, because they can get away with inflated costs through the no fault system.
Leonard has teamed with Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan to gain bipartisan support for the bill, but it's not clear if enough Dems will come on board to make up for Republicans who are opposed...Stay tuned!
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Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.
>>>Email him at WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com
The SWAMP is deep in Lansing, too.
ReplyDeletethis proposal is poorly thought out, and based largely on assumptions and not the actual figures. the only good part would be the fee sschedule that would help keep medical charges from being much higher than those paid by other insurance providers, they are a subsidy to the health care industry. The attendant care issue should also help reduce costs, the other changes, the so called choice, will simply move people to tax payer funded sources of payment, and believe me, as a recent participant in medicare, the coverages under the no fault PIP are much broader than the costs allowed by medicare
ReplyDeleteAfter getting a chance to read the bills, while I'm glad that this was brought up for a vote, I'm disappointed that it was via this particular bill.
ReplyDeleteSome of the items in the final bill that should never have been included are the MCCA audits every five years (page two in the above link). Not only should MCCA be audited every year, but their records should be open to scrutiny at any time should the need arise.
The "guaranteed" rate reduction isn't guaranteed at all. The insurance company can "explain" why it could reduce the rates to the state (see page three in the above link).
And there is nothing to put a leash on the ambulance chasers from filing false lawsuits (page nine). At the very least, there should be a "loser pays" provision that the attorneys should be liable for when they lose these cases.