Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

Legislative Analysis
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INCLUDE MIDWIVES IN MICHIGAN ESSENTIAL HEALTH
                                                                             http://www.house.mi.gov/hfa
PROVIDER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY
                                                                             Analysis available at
Senate Bill 825 (S-1) as passed by the Senate                                http://www.legislature.mi.gov
Sponsor: Sen. Sarah Anthony
House Committee: Health Policy [Discharged]
Senate Committee: Housing and Human Services
Complete to 12-18-24
SUMMARY:
        Senate Bill 825 would amend the Public Health Code to include midwives and midwifery
        programs in the Michigan State Loan Repayment Program and related provisions.
        Part 27 (Michigan Essential Health Provider Recruitment Strategy) of the code directs the
        Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to administer a loan repayment program
        for designated professionals who have incurred a debt or expenses as a result of a loan taken
        to attend a medical school, dental school, mental health professional program, nursing program
        for the training of certified nurse midwives, certified nurse practitioners, or clinical nurse
        specialists-certified, or physician's assistant program or as a result of providing services in a
        health resource shortage area. Participants must provide full-time primary health care services
        for two years at a not-for-profit health clinic in a designated health professional shortage area
        to have a loan forgiven under the program. The program provides up to $300,000 in tax-free
        funds to repay educational loans over a period of up to 10 years (with a maximum amount in
        any given year of $40,000). 1
        As described above, the program now includes repayment for expenses incurred to attend a
        nursing program for the training certified nurse midwives (registered nurses with a specialty
        certification in the practice or nurse midwifery). The bill would additionally make expenses to
        attend a midwifery program (an accredited program for the training of individuals to become
        midwives licensed under the code) eligible for the loan repayment program.
        In addition, Part 27 now allows DHHS to cooperate with a certified nurse midwifery service
        to support the placement of certified nurse midwives in health resource shortage areas. The bill
        would expand this to allow the department to cooperate with any of the following to support
        the placement of certified nurse midwives in health resource shortage areas: 2
            • A certified nurse midwifery service.
            • An association representing Michigan midwives or certified nurse midwives.
            • An association representing Michigan midwives and certified nurse midwives who
                attend births in homes and in freestanding birth centers (as proposed by House Bill
                5636). 3
1
  https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/doing-business/providers/slrp/michigan-state-loan-repayment-program-
overview
2
  Designated by DHHS under section 2717: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-333-2717
3
  https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2023-2024/billanalysis/House/pdf/2023-HLA-5636-F3F966A2.pdf
House Fiscal Agency                                                                            Page 1 of 2
       Finally, the code now requires DHHS to report every two years to the DHHS appropriations
       subcommittees in the House and the Senate, the House and Senate Fiscal Agencies, the
       governor, and the Public Health Advisory Council on the status of the Michigan Essential
       Health Provider Recruitment Strategy for the previous two years. In addition to the information
       already required to be included in the report, the bill would require DHHS to include an
       assessment of whether the maximum amount of debt or expense repayment an individual can
       receive under the program should be adjusted to reflect changes in tuition costs for students
       enrolled in midwifery programs.
       MCL 333.2701 et seq.
FISCAL IMPACT:
       Senate Bill 825 would not have a significant fiscal impact on state expenditures to the
       Department of Health and Human Services or local units of government. Any fiscal impact
       would be dependent on increased costs that would exceed what has already been appropriated
       for essential local public health services. In FY 2024-25, $76.4 million Gross ($71.3 million
       GF/GP) was appropriated for essential local public health services.
                                                          Legislative Analyst: Rick Yuille
                                                               Fiscal Analyst: Sydney Brown
■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency staff for use by House members in their
deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.
House Fiscal Agency                                      SB 825 (S-1) as passed by the Senate   Page 2 of 2
Statutes affected: 
Senate Introduced Bill: 333.2701
As Passed by the Senate: 333.2701