Abortion foes in Michigan have been given the go-ahead to launch a petition drive.
They want to ban insurance companies from including abortion coverage in basic health policies.
Women who want abortion coverage would have to purchase a separate rider, or convince their employers to add it to their health policies.
The petition drive needs more than a quarter million registered voters to get the question before the Legislature.
Barbara Listing of Right to Life of Michigan said the Legislature has already voted once for this, but was vetoed last year by Governor Rick Snyder.
"This is simply good public policy that people do not want to pay for other people's abortions." Listing said.
"Right to Life is really urging the Legislature to work around the governor." Groen said.
Megan Hodge Groen of Planned Parenthood says abortion rights advocates will urge people not to sign the petitions. But Right to Life has successfully used the petition process to enact three other anti-abortion laws.
Health officials are predicting a statewide mosquito outbreak this year. This due to the wet spring and April flooding.
Officials say the mosquitoes will leave you itchy but there is not likely to be a threat of illness.
Some counties, like Midland County, have already started taking action on the threat of mosquitoes by treating woodlots for larvae.
Angela Minicuci is with the Michigan Department Community Health. She says even though there may be an explosion in mosquito populations this year, but the type of species of mosquitoes do not have health officials worried.
"The particular species of mosquito that transmit West Nile Virus, which is what Michigan experienced very high level last summer. Actually does better in a dryer climate, that particular mosquito tends to breed in stagnant dirty water. So water thats not been flushed out by periodic and consistent rain."
To avoid exposure to mosquitoes, people are being advised to wear long sleeves and pants when weather permits, and to use a mosquito repellant.
An annual weight loss competition has helped trim more than a ton just in and around Petoskey and Harbor Springs.
There were 30 teams who participated in the "Win by Losing" competition sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield.
Combined, the teams lost nearly 3,000 pounds.
Officials said maintaining a healthy lifestyle in the workplace correlates to a regular healthy lifestyle at home.
Carlin Smith is the president of the Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce.
"Our workplace are probably some of the most detrimental places for our diets and our health, in terms of how we eat and how we do on the job. And particularly, those with sanitary desk jobs, we really need to do something to be more active and try to lose weight." Smith said.
The Petoskey and Harbor Springs Regional Chamber of Commerce partnered to encourage Northern Michigan citizens to participate.
It appears the state is in for a windfall of a few hundred million dollars that could help plug some budget holes. Improving tax revenues are good news for Governor Rick Snyder and the Legislature's Republican leaders as their June first budget deadline approaches.
Members of the governor's cabinet and legislative budget experts are about to adopt a number that they'll use to wrap up the budget. And early projections suggest the state could be looking at a windfall, maybe in the neighborhood of half a billion dollars.
The state's economic measurements remain mixed. Michigan still has one of the nation's highest jobless rates. But Governor Snyder said improving revenue is evidence of confidence in the state's economy.
"It's better to have more resources than less, so I think it's a good sign, the Michigan economy continuing to be strong and coming back."
The governor said more revenue could also help the state draw down more federal transportation dollars, or be used to cover a Medicaid shortfall.
A bill to overhaul and expand Medicaid in Michigan is facing a lot of scrutiny in the state Legislature. A House panel heard testimony on the measure for the first time Tuesday.
Democrats and Republicans both grilled the bill's sponsors. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle questioned whether parts of the legislation are legal under the federal Affordable Care Act.
Among the issues is a provision that would limit able-bodied adults to four years on Medicaid.
Republican Representative Matt Lori is the bill's primary sponsor. He admits lawmakers have a lot of work to do.
"A lot of smart people sitting across from me this afternoon, and we'll get some answers." Lori said.
Republican leaders in the House say the changes would promote personal responsibility and better health in Michigan.
On July first Mecosta County Medical Center will become Spectrum Health Big Rapids Hospital.
The name change comes with an integration into Spectrum health system which already operates medical services throughout Western Michigan.
According to Tom Hogenson with Mecosta County Medical Center community relations the merger and name change are the next step in recognizing a relationship between Spectrum and the hospital that has been active for years.
"In a way this integration is a recognition of an already strong existing relationship, we're just sort of taking the next step which is to become a part of a vast and always improving referral network. So we're very proud to be able to bring this kind of integration to the community." Hogenson said.
The full extent of the changes brought by the integration will be noticed over the next few years.
Hogenson said hopefully it will bring new services, availability of specialty care and the possibility of facility improvements.
Governor Rick Snyder's administration is applauding state House Republicans for offering a plan to overhaul Medicaid in Michigan.
The administration still has some big concerns about the proposal.
The bill introduced this week would kick able-bodied adults off of Medicaid after four years on the program. State Department of Community Health Director Jim Haveman said that's the biggest sticking point with the administration.
But he said he and the governor are just glad to have a starting point for negotiations.
"Whenever a bill gets introduced, as you've heard a lot of people say, now we've got something to start talking about." Haveman said.
In his budget proposal this year, Governor Snyder asked lawmakers to accept federal dollars to expand Medicaid coverage to hundreds of thousands of people. But Republican leaders in the Legislature say they're not willing to expand a system they see as broken.
The federal government would have to approve the state's alternative to the plan.
State House Republicans say they're not willing to expand Medicaid on Washington's terms. They introduced their own version of an overhaul Thursday.
Under the bill, able-bodied adults would not be able to stay on the program more than four years after the measure goes into effect. It would also require them to contribute up to five percent of their annual income to their coverage.
House Speaker Jase Bolger said the federal government's plan would add hundreds of thousands of Michiganders to a broken system.
"Today Michigan's House Republicans are saying 'no' to Medicaid expansion. But we're saying 'yes' to groundbreaking Medicaid reform." Bolger said.
But the House Republican proposal would make more people eligible for Medicaid.
House Democratic Leader Tim Greimel said the GOP's plan is "shameful". Governor Rick Snyder endorsed the federal government's plan for Medicaid expansion in his budget proposal.
A Saginaw Valley State University student has been recognized for her international nonprofit organization. She's one of only six people in Michigan to receive the Outstanding Community Impact Award.
Sarah Lewan's nonprofit raises money and awareness on the effects of malaria in Africa. In 2011, she began selling t-shirts out of her dorm room. So far,she's raised enough money for 700 mosquito bed nets.
Lewan says there is good reason behind the name of her organization, Project Sunset.
"I got the name because mosquitos general transmit Malaria at night and so I got the idea of Project Sunset because I wanted to raise money for mosquito nets, so that people could go to bed at night and not fear getting Malaria," she said.
Only six students from across the state received this prestigious award for service.
As part of the award, Michigan Campus Compact donated $200 to Lewan's nonprofit.
The state has selected nine cities across Michigan to receive grant money to initiate and maintain community water fluoridation programs.
Cities receiving grants include Trenton, St. Ignace and Traverse City.
Officials say 51 million hours of school each year because of oral health issues.
Angela Minicuci is with the Department of Community Health.
"That is definitely a concern. Tooth decay is actually the most common chronic childhood diseases that there is. And so, that does impact where a child spends most of their time, and that's in school. Community fluoridation does impact that and that is something we are working to hopefully address." Minicuci said.
Minicuci said about 90 percent of communities in Michigan that provide a water system have access to fluoridated water.
However, she said, other water system's often have equipment that is too old to provide an effective fluoridation program.
Budget negotiations continue this week in Lansing.
Governor Rick Snyder said he remains confident the Legislature will agree to raise more than a billion dollars for roads and transportation projects, and to add people to the Medicaid program. But many Republicans don't support the federal health care law that would pay for the Medicaid expansion.
The Republican governor continues to have a tough time selling his budget to GOP lawmakers. But he said it can get done before a June deadline.
"You can't predict things for sure, but as a practical matter, I think people are working in good faith to understand, we have problems to solve in Michigan." Snyder said.
Some Republicans say they might consider the Medicaid expansion in exchange for some changes to the program.
A number of people who've been severely injured in auto accidents were at the state Capitol Thursday.
They were urging lawmakers to reject a plan to overhaul the state's no-fault auto insurance system.
Erica Coulston of Bloomfield Hills was paralyzed from the chest down in a car accident in 2001. She and others with severe auto-related injuries can receive unlimited lifetime medical benefits under Michigan's auto no-fault system.
They're opposed to legislation that would cap those benefits at a million dollars for future injuries.
Coulston said even though the bill won't take away her unlimited benefits, it still scares her.
"Not only for myself, being grandfathered in, supposedly, but also for the future injured, because I know how far a million dollars will go, and it's not as far as you would think." Coulston said.
Supporters of the bill say Michigan has some of the highest auto insurance rates in the country. They say this would lower rates and allow more people to be covered.
A nutrition themed theater group will be performing at elementary schools throughout the state to celebrate National Soyfoods Month.
The Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee invited FOODPLAY to perform at elementary schools to promote healthy lifestyles.
Gail Frahm is the executive director of the committee. She said the theater group uses magic and juggling to promote healthy living.
"They express a lot of different options for the kids based on the my plate scenario. And of course for those familiar with my plate know that the food plate is broken up into multiple categories, anything from the protein to the dairy and so forth." Frahm said.
Frahm said kids with good nutrition are better equipped to do well in school.
A report released Wednesday by the Michigan Department of Community Health said one of the sites affiliated with the former Velsicol Chemical Company, the "Burn Pit", is not a public health risk.
Velsicol, formerly Michigan Chemical Company produced chemical compounds including the pesticide DDT and the fire retardant PBB on 54-acres in St.Louis from 1936 to 1978.
In the early 80s Velsicol the EPA and the state of Michigan entered into an agreement to address contamination from the site that had leaked into the nearby Pine River.
The burn pit site is not physically connected to the main plant site but was included in the cleanup agreement.
The report from the Michigan Department of Community Health comes from a short term study on the impact of the burn pit on the people who live and work nearby.
The levels of chemicals found at the burn pit site are not expected to have an impact on people's health now or in the future.
Angela Minicuci is a public information officer for the Michigan Department of Community Health.
"Based on our report we did not find that there would be any risk to any humans if they got in contact with any of the chemicals in the ash piles in the soil or in the groundwater" Minicuci said.
The report said the burn site is not a risk to human health and the levels of chemicals in the soil and groundwater are below health-based screening levels.
Beginning today and through this Saturday, The Lupus Foundation of America will be in Detroit to raise awareness about the chronic auto-immune disease.
The condition is especially prevalent in certain populations, one of them being African Americans.
It was first studied as early as the thirteenth century, but despite that, it remains today what Sandra Raymond, President and CEO of the Lupus Foundation of America calls, a "cruel mystery."
The Lupus Foundation of America's Help Us Solve the Cruel Mystery National Tour brings its 45-foot purple bus to Detroit today, making several stops in the area to raise awareness and offer particular guidance for those who suspect that he/she may be showing symptoms of lupus.
Details on the tour stops in Detroit and about the condition of lupus can be found on the web site, www.lupusfoundation.org
Governor Rick Snyder said he's ready to negotiate with skeptical Republicans on expanding the state's Medicaid program. Some GOP lawmakers say they might consider it in exchange for an overhaul of the program.
The new federal healthcare law pledges money to states that expand their Medicaid program. But many Republicans are resisting cooperation with the law.
Governor Snyder said expanding Medicaid expansion would mean fewer emergency room visits, and save taxpayers money.
"It's a human case, too, it's not just a fiscal case. It's about people's real health, and that translates into dollars and cents, but let's think about healthier Michiganders." Snyder said.
The governor said he's willing to consider ideas like more co-pays for services or screening for drug use. But Snyder says he'd also like to see incentives for healthy lifestyles included, too.
The governor wants the new state budget done by June first.
Tuesday the familiar green tinge of the Mackinac Bridge has turned blue, to promote Autism Awareness month.
Two state-run insurance plans are also taking on the autism issue, with a decision to expand coverage for behavioral therapy.
Michild and Medicaid have expanded their coverage to include a specific type of therapy that low-income children did not previously have access too.
Angela Minicuci is with the Michigan Department of Community Health. She said many for-profit insurers are already offering the therapy.
"Applied behavior analysis is an evidence based treatment that focuses on improving behavior, communication and social skills in a very intensive environment for these children with autism spectrum disorders." Minicuci said.
The expansion will impact 16-hundred low-income Michigan children who are living with autism.
Five communities across the state are getting a funding boost for coming up with fun and innovative ideas on how to improve oral health in their residents.
The non-profit group, Michigan Oral Health Coalition has awarded five communities a total of fifteen hundred dollars in grants.
The money will be used to improve oral health care.
Karlene Ketola, with the coalition, said Bay City, Clare and Marquette were among the cities selected.
"Those areas are considered dental shortage areas or dental deserts as they may be called in some points. There's definitely a need for providers." Ketola said.
Ketola said oral health is a window into overall health.
She said her organization will be working closely with these communities to help prevent and manage oral disease.
The Michigan Senate began its two-week spring break Thursday without voting on whether to accept federal funds to develop a jointly run Internet site for people to shop for insurance.
This was Governor Rick Snyder's deadline for the Senate to act.
Republicans in the state Senate defied the wishes of Governor Snyder and a lot of business groups by refusing federal funding for a joint-federal state health insurance exchange. That's where customers will go to comparison shop for coverage. Instead, Michigan customers will have to shop on the federal government's exchange.
State Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville said he considers the question pretty much dead.
"At this point in time, I'm starting to look at other things on the agenda." Richardville said.
Governor Snyder said even without the federal funds, the state will still have to spend about eight million dollars to create the portal for Michigan customers to connect to the federal exchange.
A state House budget committee has rejected an expansion of Medicaid in Michigan.
The expansion would add thousands of people to the program.
450 thousand people, to be more specific. The money would come to the state under the new federal healthcare law, if the Legislature agrees to accept it.
Governor Rick Snyder called for the expansion in his new budget proposal. Snyder said he remains optimistic that Michigan will take the money and expand Medicaid.
"Because it's best for Michigan citizens. It's about really helping people in need and it saves us money if, when it's done right. And we will do it right here in Michigan. We've got a good track record." Snyder said.
Some Republicans in the Legislature say they don't trust the federal government to keep its promise to fund the expanded program. Other Republicans say they want to see some changes to Medicaid before they'll support it.
The state's plan for addressing the needs of the estimated 50 thousand people in Michigan with autism includes better early treatment and more help for adults with autism.
Michigan Public Radio's Rick Pluta reports that state health officials unveiled the plan Monday.
Health officials say the first step is to train and hire people who know how to identify and treat autism spectrum disorders.
Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley signed the law last year that requires insurance companies to cover childhood autism treatments. He said that means more autism experts will either move to Michigan, or stay after they graduate from college.
"As we do better in providing the right support services early on, we think that the opportunities for a person with autism will really flourish." Calley said.
Calley said parents, teachers, and pediatricians also need to be trained to spot signals that a child may have autism. The state's strategy also includes employment and independent living assistance for adults with autism.
The state's largest health insurer will be able to play by the same rules as its competitors under legislation signed Monday by Governor Rick Snyder.
Governor Snyder got a standing ovation at Blue Cross headquarters in Detroit after signing the bills. Discussions about overhauling the company have been going on for years.
Snyder said the changes are long overdue.
"The last major change to the legislation involving Blue Cross goes back to 1980. Just as a general rule, looking every 30, 40 years to update is probably a good idea!" Snyder said.
Besides leveling the playing field with other health insurers, the bill also ends Blue Cross' tax-exempt status.
Opponents of the measure say seniors will lose access to a supplemental plan that covers out-of-pocket expenses Medicare does not.
Blue Cross' board still has to approve the overhaul.
The state Department of Community Health will roll out its plan Monday to address the needs of people with autism.
Michigan Public Radio's Rick Pluta tells us there are about 50 thousand people in Michigan with autism.
Autism is a disorder that effects communication and social skills
Lisa Grost directs the state's autism program. She said autism is one of the fastest-growing medical diagnoses.
"So we know there are a lot of people out there who are living with autism who are now going to get the services that they need." Grost said.
Grost said that includes everything from childhood autism treatments to helping adults with autism find jobs and live independently. Michigan enacted a law last year that requires insurance companies to cover childhood autism treatments.
Action appears to have stalled on a state Senate bill that would let health care insurers and providers choose not to offer services based on their moral objections.
As Michigan Public Radio's Jake Neher reports, the measure has sparked intense debate.
Some Republican lawmakers wanted to send the bill straight to the state Senate floor without public testimony. They say they already heard public comment on a similar bill last year.
But a lot of people showed up to committee hearings to speak on the legislation.
Midland Unitarian Minister Jeff Liebmann was one of them.
"This has nothing to do with ensuring religious liberty. This has to do with allowing institutions to discriminate against people." Liebmann said.
Supporters defended the bill. They say it does not allow hospitals, doctors, or insurers to discriminate based on a patient's status. They also point out the bill would not apply in emergencies.
Senate Health Policy Committee Chair Jim Marleau said he's not sure when he'll take the bill up again.
March is a host to National Brain Awareness. A student life organization at Central Michigan University is putting on a series of events this week.
Brain Awareness week is the global campaign to increase public awareness of the progress and benefits of brain research.
It's a worldwide celebration of the brain that brings together scientists, families, schools, and communities.
Gary Dunbar is the Director of the Neuroscience program at CMU. He said it is a way to let the general public know about advances in brain research.
"That includes students and other faculty that aren't really aware of what we're doing in the brain research and integrated neuroscience center. The type of research we do and the contributions we make to understanding how the brain functions and finding potential treatments for brain injury and disease." Dunbar said.
The CMU Neuroscience society will be hosting lab tours.
Michigan State University has launched a new program that will place medical students in rural hospitals in Northern Michigan.
Students enrolled in the program will begin working at McLaren Northern Michigan, Charlevoix Area Hospital and Alpena Regional Medical Center.
Andrea Wendling is the director of the Rural Health Curriculum at Michigan State.
She said it's important that students understand the unique challenges of healthcare in rural areas.
"Physicians who practice in rural areas need to be a bit more self sufficient than they need to be in more urban areas and that's mainly because they don't have the resources that are available in larger centers." Wendling said.
Wendling said she hopes the program will encourage students to work in rural areas after graduation.
Democrats in the Legislature and a nurses' union are calling for a state law that would require hospitals to maintain staff levels without resorting to mandatory overtime.
Right now, Californa is the only state with a law that sets minimum staffing levels in hospitals.
State Representative Jon Switalski is about to introduce legislation to set staffing requirements in emergency rooms and other hospital wards.
"Nurse staffing can literally be a life-or-death issue and affects families from Detroit to the Upper Peninsula." Switalski said.
Similar legislation has failed in previous sessions of the Legislature.
The Michigan Health & Hospitals Association opposes the idea. The group said a law that sets staffing requirements would rob administrators of the flexibility they need to meet different situations. The association said the bigger problem is a shortage of trained nurses.
One of the largest areas of focus in Affordable Care Act is primary prevention.
Central Michigan University has developed a new public health program to address that need. .
The program was started following a request from Michigan's 43 community health departments.
Dr. Irene O'Boyle, a health sciences professor at CMU, said the university has been working with those local health departments for years to develop new programs to fit their need.
Primary prevention is one of those things where we look at educating the public to be able to know and recognize the risks for their health, and to be able to work with communities to be able to develop programs to be able to keep in place. So if we look at that, it's a perfect fit in community health and health education
CMU is also working toward a new graduate degree, the Masters in Public Health
Dr. O'Boyle said CMU hopes to to admit students into that program as soon as the fall semester of 2014.
State lawmakers are a step closer to establishing a state web site where people can shop for health insurance. A House panel approved the plan Wednesday.
Lawmakers are weighing whether to accept more than 30 million dollars from Washington. That money would be used to set up a healthcare exchange through a partnership with the federal government.
Many Republicans in Lansing have been uneasy about the idea of setting up any kind of exchange, which is required under the federal healthcare law.
But House Appropriations Chair Joe Haveman said it's time to be realistic.
"This is a mistake for our country. Nevertheless, it is the law. And let's implement the law in the best way we can for Michigan taxpayers." Haveman said.
Haveman said the alternative is to give all control of the exchange to the federal government.
Hurley Medical Center in Flint has settled a lawsuit over alleged racial discrimination in its neonatal intensive care unit.
The lawsuit stemmed from an incident last October, when a parent demanded that no African-Americans care for his baby.
Hospital officials admitted to originally considering the father's request, but said they decided against it. Yet African-American nurses in the unit said they were reassigned for the duration of the baby's stay.
Both parties declined to comment on the terms of the settlement. But in a written statement, Hurley's CEO said quote, "We regret our policies were not well enough understood and followed, causing the perception that Hurley condoned this conduct."
The hospital says the incident will be used as a teachable moment, and will be included in future training sessions for hospital staff.
Leading experts in the fight against breast cancer announced this week that focus on the disease needs to shift from a cure to finding and stopping its root cause.
The report released by the Breast Cancer Fund states that "identifying and eliminating the environmental causes of breast cancer presents the greatest opportunity to prevent the disease."
Angela Minicucci, with the Michigan Department of Community Health, said this shift in focus is part of an ongoing trend.
"The healthcare industry in general is moving toward a more preventive system rather than the curative system which we've had for quite some time. We have to do a better job not only preventing them but also getting down our healthcare costs which can dramatically be influence by focusing more on prevention than curing." Minicucci said.
Minicucci said until environmental factors can be effectively dealt with woman's best defense against cancer is by getting their annual mammogram.
A state House panel has decided not to add controversial abortion language to a proposed overhaul of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
As Michigan Public Radio's Jake Neher reports, some Republican lawmakers still wanted to include a provision that torpedoed the legislation in December.
The language would bar insurance companies from offering coverage for elective abortions in employee health plans. Women who want the coverage would have to buy it as a separate rider.
House Insurance Committee Chair Pete Lund said he supports the abortion measure. But he says he didn't want to risk another veto of the Blue Cross bills.
"I hope we can get that issue resolved somewhere down the line. But as of now, it's just not in the bill." Lund said.
Lund said it doesn't seem likely lawmakers will try to add the abortion language on the House floor.
Governor Rick Snyder vetoed the Blue Cross overhaul in December because of similar language. Since then, the abortion measure has been introduced as a stand-alone bill.
Hurley Medical Center in Flint is facing allegations that it re-assigned an African-American nurse after a parent demanded that no black nurses care for his newborn.
The incident happened last October, when nurse Tonya Battle was in Hurley's neonatal intensive care unit. A parent asked to see Battle's supervisor, and then demanded that no African-Americans be involved in his baby's care.
Battle's attorney, Julie Gafkay, said the hospital granted the father's request, in violation of state and federal law, and even posted a note on an assignment board saying African-Americans were not to care for that baby.
"She was very upset about that, and although they within 24 or 48 hours reverse that decision, the hospital did once the general counsel got a hold of the information, they still for the next approximate 30 days did not assign any African-American nurses to the baby." Gafkay said.
Hurley Medical Center declined to comment on tape for this story, but in a written statement, hospital CEO Melany Gavulic said that supervisors were concerned for the safety of the staff.
She said the hospital initially evaluated the father's request that no African-Americans care for his baby, but that the request was ultimately denied.
Hurley Medical Center in Flint is facing allegations that it re-assigned an African-American nurse after a parent demanded that no black nurses care for his newborn.
The incident happened last October, when nurse Tonya Battle was in Hurley's neonatal intensive care unit. A parent asked to see Battle's supervisor, and then demanded that no African-Americans be involved in his baby's care.
Battle's attorney, Julie Gafkay, said the hospital granted the father's request, in violation of state and federal law, and even posted a note on an assignment board saying African-Americans were not to care for that baby.
"She was very upset about that, and although they within 24 or 48 hours reverse that decision, the hospital did once the general counsel got a hold of the information, they still for the next approximate 30 days did not assign any African-American nurses to the baby." Gafkay said.
Hurley Medical Center declined to comment on tape for this story, but in a written statement, hospital CEO Melany Gavulic said that supervisors were concerned for the safety of the staff.
She said the hospital initially evaluated the father's request that no African-Americans care for his baby, but that the request was ultimately denied.
Statement from Hurley Medical Center
"Hurley is proud to be the safety net provider for this community for over 105 years. We value the support of the patients who entrust us with their care and the dedication of our physicians and staff. This includes Nurse Battle and her quarter century of professionalism and dedication.
While I cannot comment on the suit and answer questions, I can share some insights. The issue was triggered by a father of a baby who demanded that no African American nurse be involved in his baby's care. Upon making his demand, he then showed Nurse Battle's supervisor his swastika tattoo, which created anger and outrage in our staff. This resulted in concern by supervisors for the safety of the staff. For these reasons, the request was initially evaluated; however, the father was informed that his request could not be granted.
Hurley Medical Center has had a rich history and reputation of supporting and valuing diversity and remains committed to our policy of non discrimination. As a premier academic medical center, Hurley strives to continuously provide education to our staff. This issue will be used in future training sessions to ensure that employees are prepared to handle situations such as this. We appreciate the community's concern and involvement, as we publicly clarify the facts of this case. The medical center looks forward to a quick and amicable resolution."
Governor Rick Snyder has called for a review of how Michigan provides mental health services. The governor has signed two executive orders to come up with recommendations.
Administration officials say this will be the most-thorough review of mental health services since Michigan made the transition from a hospital-based system to community based care. That was in the early 1990s.
The executive orders create two separate commissions. Both of them will be led by Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley. One major goal is to identify gaps that send people to jails and prisons instead of to programs that could treat their illnesses.
The commissions will spend 10 months developing recommendations. That's a deadline that will allow whatever they produce to be part of the governor's 20-14 budget proposal.
Bay County is addressing water quality issues by changing the source of its raw water supply, and building a new treatment plant.
Bay County residents could see water prices increase as much as 15 percent due to the decision. But Tom Paige, director of Bay County's Water and Sewage Department, said there will be a dramatic increase in water quality.
He said currently the county gets its water from inner Saginaw Bay, in about 15 feet of water.
"As opposed to where we want to go with the intake now by connecting to the Saginaw-Midland water supply system, which draws its water from Lake Huron in about 55 to 60 feet of water so it's a much more stable, consistent, raw water source." Paige said.
Paige said other options were considered, but a new source was the best choice.
Governor Rick Snyder will call for enrolling thousands of more people in the Medicaid program when he presents his proposed budget Thursday. The money will mostly come from the federal government under the new national healthcare law.
Republican governors across are country are divided on the Medicaid expansion. Governor Snyder said he thinks it's a bargain for the state. He said it would almost cut in half the number of people in Michigan without insurance. He said that will bring down healthcare and insurance costs, and make people healthier.
"This is saving money and improving lives."
Snyder said that also makes Michigan more business friendly. The governor said he wants to bank half of the overall savings so Michigan is ready for the day when the state has to pick up part of the cost. Now, he has to convince Republicans in the Legislature to make it part of the budget.
Health insurers would only be able to cover elective abortions through optional rider plans under legislation in the state Senate.
The same measure sunk a proposed overhaul of Blue Cross Blue Shield late last year.
Governor Rick Snyder vetoed the Blue Cross overhaul because he said the abortion measure would have been a government overreach.
Now, that language has been reintroduced as stand-alone legislation.
Republican state Senator Mark Jansen said he still has hope Snyder will come on board.
"We'll see kind of what were the issues with the governor. But we'll work our way through that as we pass it through the Senate." Jansen said.
Jansen said employees should not be forced to pay for insurance plans that automatically include abortion coverage.
The Blue Cross bills have also been re-introduced, this time without any controversial abortion language. They passed unanimously in the state Senate last week.
Advocates for the uninsured say they've collected four-thousand petition signatures in favor of an expansion of Medicaid in the state. The group Medicaid Matters for Michigan delivered them to Governor Rick Snyder Wednesday.
Governor Snyder has to decide whether to endorse adding about 400-thousand people to the program. The federal government would cover the cost of an expansion for the first three years, and 90 percent after that.
Liz Lamoste is with Medicaid Matters for Michigan. She said the plan could save the state up to a billion dollars over the next decade.
"From our perspective, Medicaid expansion makes sense for Michigan. We can help our citizens get access to healthcare, and we can also help our state's bottom line." Lamoste said.
But many Republican state lawmakers say they're not convinced the federal government will keep its promises. They also say there could be hidden costs later on.
Governor Snyder will announce his plans for Medicaid on Thursday when he unveils his new proposed budget.
Governor Rick Snyder decides this week whether he will call for expanding Medicaid in his new budget.
The federal government would pick up the entire cost at first, which would allow the state to add nearly 400 thousand people to the Medicaid rolls who are currently un-insured. One of the goals of the federal health care law is to reduce the number of un-insured people and costly emergency room visits.
But, after the first few years, states will have to pick up part of the cost, 10 percent by 2020. Doctors and hospitals are urging the governor to expand the program and take the federal money. They say insuring more people is a bargain in the long run, no matter who pays for it. Some Republicans in the Legislature say they remain skeptical.
Governor Rick Snyder said he hasn't yet decided whether he wants the state to expand Medicaid eligibility.
Under the federal Affordable Care Act, the state has to decide whether to let more people qualify for Medicaid. If it does, the federal government will pay the costs of an expansion for the first three years.
Governor Snyder said he still needs to get a clear idea of what that would mean for the state.
"I want to make sure we have access and high quality care if we're to look into something like that, and say, 'What's the net cost to all of us?'" Snyder said.
Snyder also said he wants to make sure health care providers can accommodate adding hundreds of thousands of people to the program.
He said the subject will be a key part of his budget address to lawmakers next week.
Medical marijuana advocates are urging state officials to let Michiganders with post-traumatic stress disorder use the drug legally.
Dozens of people came to Lansing Friday to make that point to a regulatory panel.
Marte Hughson said she was forced to leave her job as an emergency room nurse after a series of traumatic events at work made her constantly paranoid and anxious.
She said medical marijuana allows her to function in society again.
"I can laugh, whereas a lot of times I'm like constantly watching a little squirrel, 'Who's behind me?' 'What's going on?'" Hughson said.
Hughson spoke in front of a Bureau of Health Services panel in Lansing. It's considering adding PTSD to a list of conditions for which doctors can prescribe medical marijuana.
The board recently made a preliminary recommendation to not add PTSD to the list.
It will make its final recommendation after the public comment period ends in March.
A couple hundred school counselors, mental health professionals and social workers are meeting Tuesday in Lansing. They're in town to discuss what can be done to reduce bullying in Michigan's schools.
Paul Liabenow said people understand that bullying is not just "mean girls being mean," or "bad boys will grow out of it."
Liabenow is the executive director of the Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association.
He said efforts in recent years to address bullying in schools are working.
"I'm not suggesting that we're going to eliminate bullying in schools or communities in the near future. But we are having a positive impact." Liabenow said.
Liabenow said 'Matt's Law' which was passed in 2011 is helping schools address the problem of bullying. The law requires schools to adopt bullying awareness programs and anti-bullying policies.
He said some schools have found the law is cumbersome to follow, but it's working.
Some state lawmakers say they hope to pass an overhaul of Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Michigan after dropping some controversial abortion language.
Governor Rick Snyder championed a plan that would have ended Blue Cross' tax exempt status and eased state oversight of the insurer. But he ended up vetoing the bills.
That's because lawmakers added language that would have made it harder for insurance companies to offer coverage for elective abortions.
State Senator Joe Hune said he plans to introduce identical bills, just without the abortion language.
"So it should be in a workable form, and shouldn't need significant changes." Hune said.
Hune also plans to introduce the abortion measure as a stand-alone bill.
State lawmakers start their new session next week.
This is the time of year some people love to indulge, whether it be spending too much on presents or having seconds of the Christmas dinner.
Our reporter, Amanda Harrison talked with a nutritionist Beth Eggleston from the Michigan Department of Community Health to get a few tips on how to keep the pounds off.
This is the only time of year my mother makes cheese cake bites and I can't help but to have a couple.
And Nutritionist Beth Eggleston, said that's ok, as long as one simple rule is followed.
"Moderation is definitely the key. I mean we're all human beings, we all have our favorite foods and really it's ok to do that. Food is such an intrical part of our culture and our families and our lifestyles, it's ok to eat the foods that you love. But really you need to do so in moderation." Eggleston said.
Eggleston said it's also important to get regular exercise and drink lots of fluids, she said water is best.
It's the Holiday Season and there are mixed emotions in the air. The Health Department of Northwest Michigan suggests people need to take the time to slow down take a deep breath and keep your emotions in check. And then talk to children about their emotions.
The first step to help children deal with their emotions is by naming them. Once kids can name the emotions it's easier for them to talk about them and find solutions.
Patty Clark is an Infant Mental Health Therapist for North Country Community Mental Health in Antrim country. She said even for some adults hard to talk about emotions.
"If adults are uncomfortable with their emotions then their children are also going to be. I think as parents we want the best for our children but if we're not comfortable with emotions we can be dismissive of our children's emotions. And this effect the child in terms of their self esteem, or feeling that their emotions are valid or that they're able to solve problems later in life."
Clark suggests, a list of children's book to help connect with their emotions. Some of these include: Families Change, Go Away Big Green Monster and When My Worries Get Too Big.
Last week, the American Lung Association released a report that said Michigan's health care coverage hinders smokers from quitting.
Now, three school districts in Charlevoix county have adopted a new tobacco policy to deter students from picking up the habit.
Boyne City, Boyne Falls and East Jordan Public Schools adopted a 24-7 tobacco free school policy.
It prohibits the use of all types of tobacco by any person in any school building on school grounds at all times, including on and off campus sponsored events, like football games.
Prior to this, the schools had policies that allowed smoking between certain hours of the day.
Susan Pulaski is with the Health Department of Northwest Michigan.
"We just really hope that schools will be willing to look at their policies and move forward on the changes. That really is the best thing for students and other adults too as far as related to secondhand smoke. But for students hopefully it really will change the thoughts about smoking, and encourage them never to start smoking so they never have to worry about quitting."
Pulaski said more than 600,000 middle school students and more than three million high school students smoke cigarettes.
She said the new policy is aimed at creating a new social norm.
Instead of sending a patient home to rest, doctors are one step closer to a new way to treat flu patients.
Researchers at Alma College have developed an antiviral medication but when it will be ready is still up in the air.
The Alma College research team has developed an antiviral medication that inhibits the spread of a virus.
Jeff Turk is the principal investigator on the research team. He said currently antiviral medication is available but reserved for high risk patients.
"But in the event of a pandemic such as avian influenza or swine flu then we need to have access to medication that works instead of saying lets lay down on the sofa and hope that it goes away because the fatality rate for bird flu was more than 50 percent."
Turk said this new medication will change the way doctors deal with pandemics.
With more provisions of Affordable Care Act taking effect in the next couple of years, the National Federation of Independent Business says small businesses have some concerns.
The state health care exchange portion of the law requires every state to create an insurance exchange by 2014.
These are online exchanges where individuals and small businesses can comparison shop for coverage
The exchanges are intended to offer choices and encourage competition.
Charlie Owens is with the National Federation of Independent Business. He said if businesses with more than 50 employees do not provide insurance, they will have to pay a fine.
"If they have to pay a fine of 2,000 dollars per employee and previous to this, they had not offered health insurance, that is a significant penalty, for a small employer and I know that some folks think that above 50 employees is a large employer but it really is not. It's still a small business and it's still difficult for them to comply with a lot of these regulations."
On the other hand, a spokesman with the US Health and Human Services Department said state health care exchanges are positive because they'll open the marketplace for the best deals and benefits.
The woods are full of hunters this week for Michigan's deer season. And while they're being encouraged to practice gun safety, the American Heart Association wants them to be "heart safe" as well.
Cardiologist Dr. Bob Oatfield said hunters should be on the lookout for chest heaviness, tightness and discomfort, which can radiate into the neck and arms.
He said people at the greatest risk include those who don't get regular physical activity, and those who smoke.
"Because that increases the carbon monoxide in our blood and it decreases the delivery of oxygen, and so you're working much harder to get to the same point as somebody who's a nonsmoker. The second major issue is diabetes. We work under a paradigm now that all diabetics have coronary disease, irrespective of age."
During a study a few years ago, 25 middle-aged hunters were fitted with heart monitors, and researchers found that all but three had higher heart rates in the field than their maximums in treadmill tests.
Oatfield recommends hunters go out with a buddy, carry a cell phone and uncoated aspirin tablets.
Michigan's attorney general said state lawmakers must add more safeguards for seniors to legislation that would overhaul Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
Bill Schuette testified Monday before the House Insurance Committee.
Schuette said bills passed last month by the Senate did not do enough to make sure Blue Cross continues to offer Medigap plans to seniors. The program covers costs that Medicare doesn't.
The attorney general said the proposal would drastically cut funding for Medigap, and only requires Blue Cross to offer it through 2016.
"I think the last thing we want is to have skyrocketing Medigap rates, or Medigap disappear altogether."
Blue Cross officials say the measure gives seniors plenty of time to switch to more comprehensive and affordable plans.
The legislation would end Blue Cross' tax exempt status. In return, the state would have less oversight of the Michigan's largest health insurer.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan officials say time is running out for state lawmakers to pass a proposed overhaul of the company.
The issue is whether Blue Cross will have time to join a healthcare exchange, required by the federal Affordable Care Act. The exchange would allow people to compare and shop for coverage plans.
Blue Cross would not be able to join the exchange the way it's currently regulated by the state. But legislation to lift some of those regulations would change that.
Mark Cook of Blue Cross said lawmakers need to resolve the issue before the end of the year.
"We're very concerned that, if we don't have some regulatory certainty going forward, our ability to be on that exchange is in danger. So we do believe a time frame is important."
But opponents of the overhaul say it's too sweeping to push through so quickly.
The state Senate passed the measure last month. Leaders in the House hope to move the bill soon.
Michigan is unlikely to meet a Friday deadline to tell the Obama administration if it will create a statewide online exchange for people to shop for health insurance. The alternative is for Michigan to become part of a federally managed exchange.
Governor Rick Snyder and many business leaders say it makes more sense for Michigan to operate its own exchange. But it appeared they were not going to get their wish after federal deadlines came and went while state House Republicans waited to see how the elections would affect the fate of Obamacare. The federal government just granted Michigan an extension to make its decision.
State Representative Gail Haines chairs the House Health Policy Committee. She said there are still questions about the cost and efficiency of a state versus a federal exchange, and she's not worried about the new deadline.
"That is if the federal government stands by that deadline. How many deadlines have we seen changed?"
Haine said waiting does not mean Michigan will not get to design its own system.
A number of high-profile bills are on the agenda for the state legislature's "lame duck session" before the end of the year.
A proposed overhaul to Michigan's largest health insurer is one of lawmakers' top priorities.
A state House committee will hold a hearing on a plan to turn Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan into a customer-owned non-profit, and end its tax exempt status. Insurance Committee Chair Pete Lund said it's a big piece of legislation with a lot to consider. But he's confident the House will pass the measure before the end of the year.
"The most important thing, of course, is doing it right. But we put our mind to it and get down, roll up our sleeves, I think we should be able to do it."
The state Senate passed the legislation last month.
Nothing is for sure, but the "lame duck" agenda could also include a repeal of the personal property tax on businesses, legislation to fund roads projects, and a bill to replace the emergency manager law that voters shot down in last week's election.
A federal judge approved a preliminary injunction for a Michigan based business. The ruling says the company will not have to comply with the Affordable Care Act's HHS Mandate.
Last month we reported on several Michigan based companies that filed suit against the HHS mandate, claiming it was an infringement on religious liberties.
Last week, a federal judge ruled in favor of Weingartz Supply Company.
Maureen Ferguson is a senior policy advisor for the Catholic Association.
"Well I think it's really significant, especially coming days before the presidential election because I think a lot of people don't know that the President's health care bill imposes huge fines and penalties of people of faith, in this case a family business, and on religious charities."
Ferguson said the ruling only protects the company until an official ruling is made by the Supreme Court on the mandate.
There's a lot of daylight between the views of supporters and opponents of Proposal 4. That's the measure that would, as it says: amend the state Constitution to establish the Michigan Quality Home Care council and provide collective bargaining for in-home care workers.
Thomas Morgan is a spokesman for Citizens-for affordable Quality Home Care. They support the measure...
"Proposal four strengthens home care is Michigan by allowing seniors and people with disabilities more options to remain healthy and independent in their own homes, instead of being forced into expensive nursing homes. And the proposal establishes a registry that links home care recipients with prescreened home care providers in their area who have undergone strict criminal background checks. They'll also have access to trainings so they can better care for our loved ones. Proposal four also can save taxpayer dollars by being a more efficient use of medicaid dollars and thats because home cares much less expensive to taxpayers and nursing homes, that's according to numerous non parsons studies including a study by the AARP."
That positive view is not universally held. Wendy Block is Director of Health Policy and Human Resources for the Michigan Chamber of Commerce. She calls the the proposal a scam...
"Over forty thousand Michigan people work in the private sector. They work on their own as what's called home health care assistance. Many just care for one patient, often a friend or family member, their work is really a benefit for all of because they care for the sick, and they do so without requiring those people to go into expensive taxpayer funded nursing homes. The Service Employee International Union developed a radical scheme back on 2005, which was later outlawed in 2012 to organize and extract nearly thirty million dollars in union dues from these independent contractors from their medicaid checks. And, that was money that was intended to be paid to them for the care of their loved ones. Because that practice was outlawed by the legislature, the SEIU now is asking voters to lock this scam into their state constitution under the false premise of quality home care. But we do not believe this about that, it's all about taking precious medicaid dollars and putting it into SEIUs political coffers."
According to the US Census Bureau, baby boomers currently make up approximately 13 percent of the US population. That will increase to 19 percent by the year 2030. It's a demographic that both sides in this debate are hoping to appeal to. Wendy Block insists there's nothing beneficial in this proposal for seniors...
"Proposal four has nothing to do with quality health care for the sick or elderly. In fact, as providers see their medicaid dollars decrease as a result of proposal four if it passes, we can see more individuals put into taxpayer funded nursing homes."
Thomas Morgan argues that Prop 4 is supported by groups including the Area Agencies on Aging Association of Michigan, Michigan Disability Rights Coalition, and Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America. He said opponents are not working in the best interest of seniors...
"Hands off our constitution and other opponents of proposal four are supported by nursing homes, the nursing home industry, as well as developers of senior institutions so they have a vested interest in stopping proposal four and sending more seniors and people with disabilities to nursing homes because they make a lot of money, they make a lot of profits of people being institutionalized. And so the reasons for opposing it is simply to line their own pockets and pad their own profits."
Morgan said Proposal Four addresses the evolving needs of Michigan's senior citizens, and will allow many the opportunity to stay in their homes longer. Wendy Block insists the proposal is a "scam" to provide another income source for the union that would represent home care workers, and collect their dues.
This and five other proposals go before the voters tomorrow. Polls will be open around Michigan tomorrow from 7am-8pm.
The American Civil Liberties Union said conditions at the Isabella County jail are so inhumane they violate the U.S. Constitution's protections against cruel and unusual punishment. The ACLU filed a class action lawsuit Tuesday in federal court.
The lawsuit said jail cells are too crowded and inmates are given too few opportunities for exercise.
Sarah Mehta is the ACLU attorney who filed the lawsuit. She said the conditions not only violate inmates' human rights, but are a bad way to manage a jail.
"When you have inmates that are trapped in a crowded cell with no opportunities to exercise, to get that release, you can have a volatile situation, so it's not just about constitutional rights. It's also about health and public safety."
Mehta said a former inmate alerted the ACLU to conditions at the jail. The lawsuit also said the jail discriminates against female inmates by denying them access to work programs that could help reduce their sentences.
The Isabella County sheriff could not be reached for comment.
By providing more than 800 grants to community health centers nationwide, including 22 in Michigan, the Health Resources and Services Administration is hoping to improve the quality of care in the state and around the country.
"This is just a really exciting time in health care." Said Meade
Lynda Meade is the program manager for the Michigan primary care association.
She's talking about the grants funded by the Affordable Care Act.
The grants are meant to transform health centers into patient-centered medical homes and allow more women to be screened for cervical cancer.
Meade said the grants provide the opportunity to...
"Really look at how things are designed and design them better and as things settle down in a couple years and some of that base transformed models and systems are in place, I think we're gonna see better and better health in the community, we're gonna see those with medical needs being cared for in a better way and we're gonna see some savings in our health care system."
Meade said the grants will improve coordination, increase access, and help treat patient needs all at once.
The Sault Health Adolescent Care Center will be adding a new service to their clinic. The new addition will be focusing on the students' oral health needs.
In August the health center received a $500 thousand grant to add oral health services to the clinic.
The program is a school based health center located in Sault high school. It provides a full range of health services from treatment for chronic and acute disorders, to physicals, immunizations and counseling for middle and high school students.
Karen Senkus is the Prevention Coordinator for the Chippewa County Health Department. Said throughout the state there are 68 school based health centers.
"Michigan is fourth in the nation for the number of school based health centers and the quality of them. School based health centers are really a good avenue for kids to make sure they're keeping up on immunizations that they're getting things treated that they wouldn't normally get treated right away. That they're getting mental health services that they need. So check it out, it's a really good service that we can provide."
Senkus said last year alone the facility provided 2,300 services to students. The new dental clinic is expected to begin servicing students as early as January.
Around the nation, the number of children diagnosed with autism has nearly doubled since 2007.
The state of Michigan now offer autism insurance coverage, and non profit organizations are collaborating to provide a workshop Thursday night to discuss the new coverage.
Starry Night Max's Place partnered with the Autism Alliance of Michigan to host a parent workshop on the Michigan autism insurance benefit.
Parents and caregivers of children with autism, advocacy and public agencies, clinicians, and educators are all encouraged to attend this event.
It will offer information that is vital to accessing the insurance coverage.
Marie Lannen is the President of Max's Place.
"There will be an explanation of state regulated and self funded insurance coverage and as I said, Medicaid coverage for treatment, how to find a qualified provider and the resources for help in this process."
Lannen said the non profits are trying to develop centers for the region where parents and children can come and benefit from intervention practices.
Michigan would boost efforts to reduce the number and severity of concussions in youth sports under bills signed Tuesday by Governor Rick Snyder.
The legislation will require coaches to remove players from a game immediately if they suspect a concussion. It will also make additional training programs and educational materials available for parents, coaches, and student athletes.
Governor Snyder said the subject hits close to home.
"They're scary events when they happen. As a parent, I know. I've had children that have had concussions. And it's something that really does concern you."
Sponsors crafted the bills to reflect standards already used by the Michigan High School Athletic Association. The legislation would cover elementary, middle-school, and intramural sports.
Michigan will participate the first ever National Disease Intervention Specialist Recognition Day Friday.
The day is designed to honor disease intervention specialists who work with STD and HIV programs.
The workers help prevent the spread of the diseases, and also help residents diagnosed with an Sexually Transmitted Diseases through diagnosis, treatment, counseling and referrals.
Angela Minicuci is the Public Information Officer for the Michigan Department of Community Health. She said the specialists serve a vital role...
"They work with a very critical population here in Michigan and have a very important job, working with some very personal issues so they are crucial to not only helping people through their treatment but through a very emotional time as well."
Minicuci said the department supports 14 specialists throughout the state.
She said local departments also employ specialists to fill the need in each community.
Officials with Central Michigan University received a warm welcome from community leaders in Saginaw yesterday. And CMU came bearing gifts; in this case plans to build new facilities in the city.
The CMU School of Medicine has partnered with Covenant Health Systems and St. Mary's of Michigan to create residency programs for students.
Officials with the medical school unveiled plans yesterday for new student facilities at both hospitals.
Dr. Ernie Yoder is the Founding Dean of the School of Medicine.
"Because of the nature of accreditation of the residency programs and LCME guidelines, we will have a facility at each hospital site. And those facilities will be composed of both new construction and renovation of existing space on the campus of Covenant and St. Mary's."
Dr. Yoder said the School of Medicine inaugural class will have 60 students.
So far CMU has received more than 2,000 applications, and expect to have 3,000 by the time the application process closes in mid-December.
The first students will begin studies next summer.
October is National Breast Cancer awareness month, and the American Cancer Society is using the opportunity to remind women that breast cancer screenings save lives.
The chances of surviving breast cancer are very good, if the disease is caught early. That's according to Vicki Rakowski, chief mission officer for the American Cancer Society...
"For those women who find their breast cancer at its earliest stage, and are given the appropriate treatment related to that, the chance of surviving the disease five years and beyond is 99 percent."
Rakowski said proper screening is key to catching the disease early...
"You know, its the best tool we have right now. It's not perfect, but it's the best tool we have. And we recommend that all women, beginning at age 40, consider being screened."
The ACS has numerous cancer-related resources available, including symptoms to watch for, and where to turn for help. That's at cancer.org or 1-800-ACS-2345.
Two bills designed to tackle the problem of concussions in youth sports are headed to Governor Rick Snyder's desk.
The Legislature passed the measures with little opposition.
The Michigan High School Athletic Association worked with lawmakers to craft the bills. The MHSAA's John Johnson said many coaches may not know how to spot signs of concussions.
"It's much, much more than a kid laying unconscious on the field. That happens only 1-in-10 times when a concussion has been sustained."
Johnson said the legislation would give coaches, players, and families the information they need to help limit the damage caused by head injuries. It would also require coaches to immediately take a player out of a game if they suspect a concussion.
The lone dissenter in the House, Representative Bob Genetski, said it's not the state's job to protect kids from every potentially unsafe situation.
Hearings continued Thursday at the state Capitol on the future of Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Michigan. Attorney General Bill Schuette showed up to urge a cautious approach to overhauling the state's largest health insurer.
The attorney general would give up a considerable amount of oversight under the plan proposed by Governor Rick Snyder. It would convert Blue Cross from a tax-exempt charity to a member-owned not-for-profit company. Bill Schuette said he wants Blue Cross and its assets audited to make sure this is a fair deal for Michiganders.
Schuette said he's not out to stop the changes.
"All I'm doing is raising some cautionary flags for people to think about to make sure this is done right, and that's my job as attorney general."
Governor Snyder and Blue Cross executives want the switch done by the end of the year. They say the changes are needed because the new federal health care law will change the mission of the Blues.
The Michigan indoor smoking ban has been in effect for two years now. And whether or not businesses have felt the impact is still up for debate.
Last week, we reported on a study from the Michigan Department of Community Health. It showed no negative economic impact from the state's new smoking ban. Today, another community organization has issued a response.
Scott Ellis is with the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association. He said there have been negative economic impacts on small businesses and what the MDCH failed to include...
"Is the fact that liquor sales, the sales tax of liquor sales were not included in there. To me that's very crucial when you're looking at the overall impact of establishments of food service including alcohol that you would have that included. So we made sure we included that in our study."
Ellis said on-premise liquor sales are down by 3.2 percent and off-premise sales are up by the same amount.
Where a person lives can affect where they shop, eat and play. But a new study suggests location may also influence a person's lifespan.
A study from Great Britain found people living near the sea tended to have longer lifespans.
Angela Minicuci is with the Michigan Department of Community Health.
She said she can't say with certainty the study correlates with Michigan lakes but agrees that people who live near the water tend to have a more active lifestyle.
"One of the nice things about the state of Michigan is you don't have to look too far to find a lake. But also in addition to lakes we have a lot of natural parks where people can just go outside and take a walk."
Living an active lifestyle, Minicuci said, is key to a longer life.
Members of faith-based groups in Michigan could soon be allowed to share the costs of their medical bills as an alternative to buying health insurance. The state House is expected to vote this week on the measure.
Several states already allow faith-based groups that share the costs of medical bills.
Republican state Representative Lisa Lyons sponsored the measure. She said some families and businesses have found it's a way to manage their healthcare costs.
"For many people, it's cheaper than a premium, but it's not for everybody, either."
And that's because there's no guarantee anyone's medical bills will be covered. The commitment to share the costs of medical bills is a faith-based promise, but not a legal contract.
Members of health care ministries are exempt from the requirement in the new federal health care law that most people carry insurance starting in 2014.
That's led some critics to complain that faith-based medical bill-sharing could undermine the benefits of the federal health care law.
A state Senate committee began its examination Wednesday of a proposed overhaul of Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Michigan. Governor Rick Snyder and Blue Cross leaders have called for making the Blues a not-for-profit company that's less regulated, but pays taxes.
Blue Cross is Michigan's largest health insurer and a not-for-profit charity that's mission is to make sure everyone has coverage.
Dan Loepp is the CEO of Blue Cross. He said the changes will make Blue Cross more nimble and able to compete in the marketplace under the new federal healthcare law, but without changing its mission. He said the plan does not put Blue Cross on a path to becoming a for-profit insurer.
"We don't philosophically believe in for-profit healthcare. I think it's just another layer that's a detriment to subscribers."
But Blue Cross does have some for-profit subsidiaries. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said there should be a thorough, independent audit of all the Blues' assets and finances before the changeover is allowed to occur.
State funding for Medicaid could take a big hit this year. A new tax meant to help pay for the program is coming up very short.
State lawmakers created a one-percent tax on health insurance claims to help pay for Medicaid. It was supposed to bring in 300-million dollars this fiscal year. Now, budget officials say it'll only generate a little more than half that. Kurt Weiss is a budget department spokesman. He said the state has other ways to come up with some of the money.
"We've been trending up a little bit above projection in some of our other tax areas. So, from that standpoint, we should be able to solve it."
But the state could still lose up to 260-million dollars in federal matching funds, even if officials find a patch. Weiss says bad projections could be to blame for the shortfall. He said it's also likely many health care providers simply aren't paying up. Either way, if the tax continues to fall short, lawmakers may have to make changes
Hearings will begin this week on an overhaul of Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Michigan. Governor Rick Snyder proposed his plan last week. He hopes the Legislature will send him something before the end of the year.
Governor Snyder wants to convert Blue Cross from a charity to a member-owned not-for-profit insurance company. It would pay taxes, and play by the same rules as other insurance companies. He said the changes are needed because the new federal health care law will make obsolete Blue Cross's mission of insuring everyone regardless of their health history.
Republican state Senator Joe Hune chairs the Senate Insurance Committee. He'll lead the hearings on how the overhaul might affect health coverage in Michigan.
"It's just inquiries, questions, and we're going to vet all of that in the time to come."
For-profit insurance companies hope the overhaul will help them to take some of Blue Cross's huge share of Michigan's insurance market.
The results of the November election could send plans for Blue Cross in a different direction.
Governor Rick Snyder has called for some big changes for Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Michigan. He said Blue Cross should become a not-for-profit company that pays taxes and competes with other insurance companies.
Right now, Blue Cross is the only insurance company in Michigan that cannot reject applicants based on their age or health history. That will change in 2014 under the new federal health law, which says every insurer has to take anyone who applies.
The governor said Michigan needs to update its laws to keep up with that change and others. But he still needs the approval of the Legislature and the Blue Cross board.
"This is not a done deal. The point here was to put out a proposal that I think was very sound, very logical."
Blue Cross would become a customer-owned not-for-profit company that pays 100 million dollars a year or more in taxes. But it would be able to make changes to its rates more quickly and easily. The whole plan relies on the federal health reforms surviving after the November elections.
A public employees' union said it will offer a counter-proposal if the state goes ahead with plans to privatize prison health care.
Governor Rick Snyder has ruled out privatizing entire prisons. But corrections officials think there may be savings to be had if the state turns to private companies to provide health care services.
Ray Holman is with UAW Local Six-thousand, which represents many of the corrections employees who would be affected. He says the union will offer its own plan to save taxpayers money by reducing the costs of management and outsourcing.
"We believe we can beat any private company. We can do the job better, more effectively, and we want to be given the opportunity to prove it."
Holman said the union believes it can deliver the same services at a lower cost than other bidders. Those services include inmate health clinics, psychiatric servies and counseling, psychological evaluations for parole candidates, and record-keeping.
After a couple of years of planning, the U of M and Mid Michigan health systems have announced a new clinical and business partnership.
This affiliation aims to improve the level of care provided to Mid Michigan residents.
U of M's partnership with Mid Michigan will be the first of its kind outside of Southeast Michigan.
It will bring U of M's name and physicians to Midland, Alma, Clare, Gladwin, Mt. Pleasant and other areas where Mid Michigan has facilities and clinics.
The partnership is expected to improve the patient referral process. So, if a patient needs to go to Ann Arbor for care, U of M will coordinate with Mid Michigan and expedite the patient's discharge.
Rick Reynolds is the CEO of Mid Michigan Health. He said the alliance will also help expand cancer services for the area.
"We think the new relationship as I said will allow us to bring more specialists up here, we will have faster and broader access to clinical trials so our patients will be able to access the latest in chemotherapy and other things to benefit."
Reynolds said the two institutions are currently working out agreements to finalize the partnership.
He said the health systems plan to close the deal within the next 90 to 120 days.
A Michigan veterinarian is stepping into the national spotlight, again, this weekend.
Dr. Jan Pol opened his clinic in the small town of Weidman in Isabella county 31 years ago.
This weekend, Nat Geo Wild will premiere the second season of his reality show called "The Incredible Dr. Pol."
Dr. Pol said the first season of the show only had four episodes. He was told it jumped to number two in the Nat Geo Wild schedule, behind "The Dog Whisperer."
He said when this all started he wasn't looking for TV exposure, he was just trying to help out his son Charles.
"He wants to become a producer and in LA it's not what you know, it's who you know. So two years ago he came to me and said, "Hey dad, we should make a reality show about you." I said, "Who wants to watch me?" I have to admit, I was wrong, he was right, except that it went way over our heads to be honest with you. Because we never thought that this show would take off like it did."
Dr. Pol said his show has been translated into 26 languages, and has found a good following on Facebook. He said producers have enough material for 16 more episodes, which should air over the next several months.
The second season of "The Incredible Dr Pol" will premiere Saturday night on Nat Geo Wild.
The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention has released a report that shows a decline of tobacco use among U.S. teens.
Nationally nearly 24 percent of high school students used some form of tobacco in 2011 this is a 11 percent decrease since 2000.
Michigan's numbers were lower than the national average, nearly 14 percent of high school students reported using tobacco products.
Health officials say 90 percent of smokers begin smoking before the age 18.
Dr. Joshua Meyerson is the Medical Director of health department in Northwest Michigan he said the law prohibiting smoking in the workplace or restaurants has helped with the decline.
It makes smoking less visible, it encourages people who do smoke to quit, which is a positive role model for their children or other people where they're seeing less and less people smoke. That's a good thing, and it makes it more difficult to make smoking seem acceptable.
Dr. Meyerson said, society needs to continue to make smoking less appealing, glamorous and socially acceptable to teens.
Michigan's same-sex couples who are suing the state over denial of health coverage may be packing up and leaving if the judge rules against them.
The law in question prohibits certain public employers from offering health insurance for non-married couples. Some of the plaintiffs say the high cost of private insurance will leave them with no choice but to move out of Michigan.
Doak Bloss works for the Ingham County Health Department. His partner of 18 years has been covered by his employee health plan.
Without it, he said, private insurance would cost them six thousand dollars a year, and he wonders if staying in Michigan is worth it...
"Well I'm actually considering leaving. I've lived here all my life. But this really is directly saying 'you're not wanted here.' That's what it sounds like."
Last week, an attorney for the state argued in court that Michigan had the legal right to save money by limiting health coverage, and that the law protects traditional marriage.
The plaintiffs argued that the law discriminates against them because heterosexuals can marry to get coverage, but gays cannot.
It's almost time to go back to school. Not only should your children's shoes be tied tight, but they should also fit properly.
Officials with the Michigan Podiatric Medical Association say parents should take their children to have their feet checked twice a year to ensure that their children are wearing the right size shoe.
Dr. Jodie Sengstock is a podiatrist with the MPMA. She said parents should look for a closed toe shoe for school.
They need something that's going to offer the child support for all day long. They need one that has a very strong heel counter that you put your fingers on either side of the heel. It should not collapse it should be stiff and firm and when you're looking at the toe box it should bend or flex where the kids toes need to bend and flex.
Dr. Sengstock said some common problems she see when people buy the wrong size shoes are injuries to the nails, blisters, and open sores.
Parents should take their children with them when purchasing shoes to ensure a proper fit.
Another day of hearings by two state House committees have wrapped up on Michigan's next step now that the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the federal healthcare law. Michigan is facing some deadlines to move ahead with an online exchange for people to shop for health coverage.
Governor Rick Snyder has been pushing for quick action on the exchanges. He said the alternative is Michigan loses federal planning grants and could be pushed into a more-expensive federal bureaucracy. Many Republicans want to wait until after the November elections to see if there's a chance the law might be repealed.
But waiting might not be a good idea, said Republican state Representative Al Psholka. He chairs the budget subcommittee that will have to fund the exchanges.
"I'm not sure if that's an option. I think we've got to look at the whole range of things that are going on and I think we just heard today there are some deadlines. Can those deadlines be moved?"
Many of the experts who testified said delay could mean Michigan consumers and businesses will pay more for coverage than they would if the state meets the federal deadlines.
The state Senate Judiciary Committee has approved legislation that would require clinics and doctor's offices where abortions are performed to be licensed and inspected. Critics of the bill say its real purpose is to put abortion providers out of business.
At one point in the hearing, Judiciary Committee Chairman Rick Jones accused a clinic in metro Detroit of providing fetal remains to laboratories.
Clinic CEO Renee Chelian called Jones "a liar."
"You have never taken the time to find out the facts because you are 100 percent wrong. I hope you're embarrassed and you'll take that back to whoever gave you that information."
Jones said the information came from someone who contacted his office. And he acknowledged he does not know if it's true.
Critics of the legislation say there's nothing wrong with clinics being inspected, what's wrong, they say, is making abortion clinics the only out-patient surgical centers subject to the requirement. They say the legislation would also discourage doctors from becoming OB GYNs, and make it harder for women to safely abort a pregnancy.
State House members held their first hearing today on a federal law requiring states to set up a website to help people buy health insurance.
The mandate is part of the Affordable Care Act.
Governor Snyder is pushing for the health insurance exchange. The State Senate has already authorized officials to set one up.
But many House Republicans say they want more information.
Steven Hilfinger directs the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. He said a state exchange would give state regulators more control of Michigan's insurance market.
"In terms of who's going to make the choice of what's it going to cost to be on the exchange...we want Michiganders making those decisions. We have no idea whether the quality of the federal decision making would be up to the same standard that we have."
The federal government could impose a health insurance exchange plan on Michigan if the state doesn't come up with its own by mid-November.
But state House Republicans are not expected vote on the issue until after the November election.
Michigan has been awarded $27 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for public health and health care emergency preparedness.
This year marks the 11th year of funding for the Hospital Preparedness Program and Public Health Emergency Preparedness for the state of Michigan.
Michigan Department of Community Health officials say this year will focus on a merger of The Hospital Preparedness Program and Public Health Emergency Preparedness program into a five year cooperative agreement. This, officials say, will decrease the redundancy of the two separate programs.
Shelly Norris-Chapman is the preparedness program specialist at the Michigan Department of Community Health. She said the money will go to towards the many elements of emergency preparedness...
"Anything that our partners throughout the state need or require to prevent, or protect against or respond to a mitigate to rapidly recover from threats. Whether they be natural, unintentional or intentional means. That's what this money is for, we're truly protecting the citizens."
Norris-Chapman said the money will be disbursed throughout eight regions of the state based on population.
Governor Rick Snyder said he hopes Republican lawmakers will act before the end of the summer to create an online place for people to comparison shop for health coverage.
The governor and Republicans in the state House have been at odds over the health care exchanges called for in the federal Affordable Care Act. GOP leaders say they wanted to wait for the U.S. Supreme Court to rule before acting. Now that the court has upheld the law, Republicans say they still have a lot of questions.
House Republicans will begin hearings next week. Governor Snyder said he hopes those will wrap up soon.
"I respect the legislative branch, and they have questions and issues. I still encourage them to move forward promptly and get their questions answered, and look at this because it's about health care for our citizens."
The governor said waiting too long puts federal grants to implement the law at risk, and could force Michigan into a national exchange run by a federal agency instead of the state.
The next stop for the Affordable Care Act is Lansing.
Michigan lawmakers need to decide in the next few months whether they will implement two key provisions, setting up the health insurance exchange and expanding Medicaid.
Republican leaders have been talking about waiting until after the November election because they would just as soon see the whole thing repealed.
But Andrew Farmer with AARP Michigan said the state can't afford to wait any longer...
"All this wrangling and monkeying around with implementing and all the political posturing is doing nothing but costing time and money and economic futures and development for this state and every community."
Farmer said by saying "no" to the Medicaid expansion and the insurance exchange, Michigan lawmakers would also be saying "no" to millions of dollars in federal funds.
But Republicans say this is a moral issue, and that the United States simply cannot afford to implement the law. They also worry about unexpected costs being passed down to the states.
While you're out enjoying your summer, health professional are preparing for the upcoming flu season.
This year's flu vaccine will be slightly different than last year's, according to health officials.
Dr. Robert Graham is the medical director of the mid and central Michigan district health departments.
"There will be three different flu viruses within the vaccine. Last year the most common flu virus that we saw was H3N2 and we feel that that was because most people were either infected or immunized against H1N1. There will also be a new type B in the flu vaccine but it's the A types we have the most concern for."
Dr. Graham said type A causes world wide epidemics while type B is typically more of a nuisance.
The best way to prevent the flu Dr. Graham said is to get a flu shot. He said flu shots will be available in late August, early September at hospitals, pharmacies, doctor offices and the health department.
He recommends anyone over the age of six months to get vaccinated annually.
Content providers CDC/ C. S. Goldsmith and A. Balish
Following the June 28 Supreme Court ruling which upheld the Affordable Care Act, the Republican majority in the House announced plans to hold a vote this week to repeal the legislation.
This will be the 31st attempt by the GOP to, in some form, repeal and/or defund the health care law.
David Nicholas spoke with opponents and supporters of the bill, gauging reaction to it, the ruling from the court and what comes next in the political fight ahead in the November election...
Dave Camp, Carl Levin, Dan Benishek and Bart Stupak, they share the common tie with Michigan but also are linked through the on-going fight over the vision of health care and the role the federal government should or should not have.
Congressman Dave Camp chairs the House Ways and Means Committee, they passed what he still contends was and is a Republican bill that would reform health care.
He said he agreed with the Supreme Court's ruling on the argument over the Commerce Clause, but did not agree with the taxation basis on which the court did uphold the law, saying it was too much of a broadening of the government's power to tax...
Senator Carl Levin is in the chamber narrowly controlled by Democrats, they have halted each of the prior attempts to reverse the original legislation.
He counters the penalty/tax claim, saying that those who can pay for insurance should do so.
He also took issue with comments made the day of the decision by presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney...
Levin's former colleague from the Democrat caucus is former Congressman Bart Stupak, he served the state's 1st district, the Upper Peninsula and a large portion of northern Michigan, for eighteen years.
Stupak chose not to run in 2010; at the time, it was rumored that his decision was based on the controversial position he took to support the bill, but oppose the president over the issue of federal funding for abortion.
He contends that he made up his mind to retire after the 2008 election, seeing the potential to pass health care legislation, fulfilling a promise he made in his first campaign.
Like Camp and Levin, Stupak said the nature of the high court's ruling did surprise him, for him, the contention came down to the interpretation of the individual mandate and the graduated level of penalty or tax assessed on those who do not purchase their own health care...
Dr. Dan Benishek is in his first term representing the state's 1st district, he campaigned and won in 2010 while standing firmly against the ACA signed by President Obama earlier that year.
The freshman lawmaker said that for him, as a 30-year practicing physician, there is another point of consideration, and it has a specific impact on this and other rural parts of the state...
The vote is expected on the House floor today.
The Republican majority has the votes to pass it, the Democrat control of the Senate is again enough to stop it.
Both sides have agreed on portions of the law already in place that both sides say have been positive steps toward health care reform. The continuing fight is over long term implementation and cost of a complex bill with many provisions not taking effect until 2014.
That goes beyond two major party candidates for president continue to campaign on both sides of it until November of this year, and another session of Congress that will convene in January.
With the Fourth of July holiday upon us, many people are understandably worried about E.Coli bacteria at area beaches. Dozens of beaches are closed by the bacteria each year.
But researchers now say E.Coli is not always the cause of beach related illnesses.
A study by the Environmental Protection Agency confirms research done by Central Michigan University's biology department. The study shows that e.Coli is likely an indicator of other illness-causing bacteria.
Elizabeth Alm is the biolog professor leading the research...
"So as summers warm up the number of microorganisms in the sand are going to increase, but if you just follow basic hygiene principles then it shouldn't affect anyone enjoyment at the beach."
Alm said her students are currently using border collies to keep seagulls off of the beaches. They want to see if the lack of gulls will decrease the amount of bacteria in the sand.
Hearings are supposed to begin this summer on plans to ensure poor defendants get a fair shake in the legal system. A state lawmaker said he wants to make sure that legal services for children and people with mental illnesses are part of it.
State Senator Bruce Caswell served on the special commission that recommended an overhaul of Michigan's indigent defense system.
Caswell said children and people with mental health problems have unique issues when they get caught in the legal system, and their public defenders often don't have the skills or experience to deal with them.
Caswell said that means some people are being sent to prison when they should be dealt with differently. He said that is a travesty of justice, especially when dealing with young people.
"Because once we send them to prison, they're changed and they're changed forever."
Poor legal representation is considered one reason why so many teens in Michigan are sentenced to prison time. The U.S. Supreme Court recently struck down mandatory life without parole sentences for minors as unfair because they don't take into account each child's circumstances.
On July first, the state will launch a crackdown to clear store shelves of a type of synthetic marijuana called K2. Governor Rick Snyder signed a law Tuesday that outlaws K2 and other designer drugs.
K2 is made of plants sprayed with a chemical to create a high that's similar to marijuana, but with more dangerous side effects such as seizures and speeding heart rates. Because it's still legal and not controlled, it can be purchased by children.
Several Michigan cities and counties have already banned K2. The new law signed by Governor Snyder not only outlaws K2, but any derivative drugs that might be created by tweaking the recipe.
"So this is something that we always wish could be ahead of, but this is one of those war-on-drug kind of questions that's going to be kind of a challenge going ahead, but I think we've got better tools and weapons now."
One of those tools is to give the state Department of Community Health director and the Board of Pharmacy emergency powers to outlaw new designer drugs as they emerge.
Clare and Gladwin County are inviting parents to an event they're calling "Get the Scoop" on new drug trends. The program combines drug education with an ice cream social and is aimed at teaching parents of very young kids how to talk to their kids about drug abuse.
The event will be hosted by the Great Start Collaborative with guest speaker from the Ten-Sixteen Recovery Network. She will talk about prescription drug abuse and new trends such as bath salts and spice.
Sarah Kile is the speaker. Shes a Prevention Coordinator for Ten-Sixteen.
But we do know that a really good way to prevent drug abuse in your home is to have a conversation with your kids, have dinner with them. This is not something we need to hush-hush, "we don't want to talk to our kids, we don't want to give them ideas" no, we need to open the conversation.
The event will inform parents with young children about ways to prevent drug abuse.
A few thousand people crowded onto the lawn of the state Capitol Monday to protest the silencing last week of two state lawmakers, and to watch a performance of "The Vagina Monologues."
The word was everywhere, emblazoned on signs and t-shirts. The word "vagina" and virtually every slang variation was part of the theatrical performance. People shouted it out and waved their fingers in Vs.
"Gimme the three Vs! Vagina! Voice! Vote!"
State Representative Lisa Brown said she was surprised her sanction, a day of being silenced on the House floor, would become a national cause and a cultural event. She was punished by state House Republican leaders for a speech where she used the word "vagina" during a heated debate on anti-abortion legislation.
"Who would have thought one little floor speech could end in this."
State House GOP leaders say Brown and another lawmaker were punished for being uncivil. Organizers say they hope the controversy shelves the anti-abortion measures.
Two state lawmakers have been banned for one day from speaking during House debates. House Republican leaders sanctioned the women, both Democrats, for their behavior during a debate on anti-abortion legislation.
This is the first time in memory that lawmakers have been officially barred from speaking on the House floor. This is the comment that got state Representative Lisa Brown in hot water with House Republican leaders.
"I'm flattered that you're all so interested in my vagina, but no means no."
Brown was speaking during a debate on anti-abortion bills, and has no apologies for what she said.
"I used an anatomically correct word. I said 'vagina.'" Can I not say 'elbow?'" I don't see what the difference is.
State Representative Barb Byrum was also slapped with a one-day speaking ban. She shouted at the presiding officer of the House for failing to recognize her when she wanted to speak during the abortion debate. A House GOP spokesman said the behavior in both cases was a breach of decorum.
Butterflies and baseball will highlight a celebration this week in Midland.
Cancer survivors and their families will be honored during a special Cancer Survivors' Day at Dow Diamond. The celebration will feature pre-game activities which will include a moment of silence for those who have lost the battle with cancer, and the release of hundreds of butterflies to celebrate cancer survivorship.
The day is sponsored by Mid Michigan Medical Center. Joan Herbert is the Oncology Services Director for the center.
She said in terms of cancer survivorship, these days there's a lot to celebrate.
"The five year survival rate for all cancers diagnosed now is up to 67%, up from just ten-years ago of 50%. So we're really making strides and there are a lot more survivors out there now than there ever used to be."
Herbert said the Cancer survivor event is open to the public, and she encourages anyone who's been touched by cancer to attend, and to wear purple which is the color of survivorship.
There was a demonstration Tuesday at the state Capitol as abortion rights advocates protested legislation up for a vote this week. The protesters lined the sidewalk leading to the entrance of the Capitol.
Demonstrators in pink shirts chanted and waved signs as they urged lawmakers about to enter the Capitol to reject the anti-abortion measures. The legislation would forbid aborting a pregnancy after 20 weeks.It would also require clinic inspections, and impose new restrictions on abortion providers.
Abortion rights advocates like Susie Simons said the measures would impose new burdens on women and health care providers, and would force some clinics to close.
"I'm terrified for women all over Michigan, frankly."
A much smaller group, this one of abortion opponents including Karen Walacavage, lined up on the other side of the walkway leading to the Capitol.
"Our representatives are doing what we asked them to do in promoting life."
The measures are expected to pass since a majority of Michigan lawmakers are endorsed by anti-abortion groups.
A state House committee has approved a sweeping new set of restrictions and requirements on abortion providers and women who want to end their pregnancies.
The action by the House Health Policy Committee brought an angry Rachel Foster Lifson to her feet as the retired college professor from Mount Pleasant demanded, over the din of the crowd, the right to speak.
"My body! My decision! Thank you."
The new requirements cover clinic inspections, disposing of fetal remains and restricting when a woman may terminate a pregnancy.
Abortion rights advocates, like Renee Chelian of Northland Family Planning Centers, say the bills' backers one motive.
"They only want to ban abortion and make illegal and un-accessable in the state of Michigan."
The measures are backed by the Catholic Church and the anti-abortion group Right to Life.
They say the goal is to make it safer for women who go to clinics that offer abortions.
The Michigan Department of Community Health has announced what it calls a 'four by four plan' to reduce and prevent obesity.
The four by four plan addresses four behaviors and four measurements to help lead a healthy lifestyle. The behaviors are eating right, staying active, getting an annual physical, and avoiding all tobacco use. The four measurements are body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol level, and blood glucose levels.
Angelea Minicuci is the Public Information Officer for the Department of Community Health.
"We want to make sure it's affordable and beneficial for everyone in the state of Michigan. So part of what we'll be doing is creating an infrastructure where we can utilize those resources and tell people how to get access to either seeing a doctor at least once a year. Or where there are local farmers markets that accept bridge cards, really what's in their communities that allows them to have healthy alternatives."
Minicuci said the plan will require a collaborative approach among state, tribal, and local governments to create healthy communities and expand prevention activities.
The Michigan Supreme Court has cleared the way for Detroiters to vote on whether their city will be the first in the state to legalize marijuana.
In a terse one-paragraph order, the state Supreme Court refused to review a lower court decision to allow a city-wide vote on the question that would appear on the August primary ballot. The Coalition for a Safer Detroit turned in petition signatures to get on the ballot, but was rebuffed by a city elections panel. So the coalition challenged that decision in court.
A voter-approved ordinance would not pre-empt the federal ban on marijuana. Kalamazoo voters adopted an ordinance that makes enforcement of marijuana laws a low public safety priority. Michigan voters in 2008 adopted a law that allows medical marijuana for people who get a doctor's permission.
The US Supreme Court is expected to rule within this month on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act.
While millions of Americans are watching and waiting for the ruling, a relative handful of people are continuing efforts to educate the public about the law.
Recently CMU Public Radio spoke with a representative of the group "Know Your Care." It's a non profit organization with the goal of educating people about the provisions of the Care Act.
According to Lonnie Scott with "Know Your Care," too many people are distracted by the politics of the Affordable Care Act ACA without really knowing the provisions.
"What we find, is when you ask someone, do you support Obama-care? Do you support the Affordable Care Act? It's about a 50-50 split. But if I were to ask the people out there, do they support preventative services for seniors, and allowing seniors to have access to preventative services at a lower cost? 75% said yes. If I say should we allow young adults to stay on their parents insurance plan until age 26? 85% said yes. So when they learn about the individual provisions of the bill, they're very, very supportive."
So what are some of the provisions? Like Scott just mentioned, one allows children to stay on their parents' insurance plan until age 26. It doesn't even matter if the young adult is married, it doesn't matter if they live in the same state, it doesn't matter if they're financially dependent or independent of their parents.
"So this is a big one for us, because we believe that this is going to be a boost to our economy. For a few reasons, one is because businesses want to offer insurance but a lot of times they may not be able to to entry level employees, which is what this age range generally ends up being. And so it allows a young adult the flexibility to take that first job maybe where they really want to work, that can't offer them health insurance. It also allows for parents to have a little bit better peace of mind to know that their young adults are covered. But it will, I believe, allow young entrepreneurs to be able to start their own business."
Small business owners, he said, are another beneficiary of the ACA. They receive a tax credit for providing health care to employees. 30 percent of costs now, 50 percent in 2014.
The Group Small Business Majority spoke to congress last year in support of the ACA. The group said in a 2008 study, healthcare outranked fuel and energy costs for 78 percent of small business owners.
Scott said the ACA eases that burden
"Any small business that has 25 employees or less, whose wages are an average of $50,000 per employee or less, can receive this tax credit. And I would say that that covers about 98% of the small businesses definitely in the UP and northern Michigan, but also throughout the state. And what we also know is that they don't know about it."
Scott said the ACA expands Medicare services so that seniors receive preventative care. It expands eligibility for Medicaid. And it requires at least 80 percent of all premium dollars collected by insurance companies to be spent on health care services. Not administrative fees or marketing. If insurance companies don't meet the goal, they have to send rebates to policy holders.
"So in Michigan, it was 19-million dollars that the insurance companies spent on things other than actual healthcare for their policy holders. And so 19-million dollars is being returned to policy holders here in the state of Michigan. It's an average of about $130 per person. And if you have an individual plan, you'll receive that check yourself. If your employer picks up the cost of your healthcare, they'll be the ones to receive that rebate."
Finally, Scott said, the Affordable Care Act prohibits insurance companies from denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions. That covers children now, adults in 2014. And it gets rid of lifetime caps.
"It was common practice for insurance companies before to take your money every month on time, but if you got sick, they could call you and say, hey you've hit your limit and you're done. And they weren't going to cover you any more. That was a pretty common practice for insurance companies. And the Affordable Care Act also lifts all of the lifetime caps. So if you're paying your premiums on time, you're going to be covered."
Scott said many insurance companies, doctors and hospitals support the Affordable Care Act.
That's in large part due to what may be the most controversial part of the law; the mandate. That is a key issue that the US Supreme court will be ruling on. In the meantime, Scott said, he'll continue to travel around the state; trying to separate political rhetoric from legislative fact.
The Health Department of northwest Michigan is reminding residents of the dangers of rabies.
Health officials say rabies is fatal to humans and is most often found in wild animals like raccoons, skunks and bats.
Chuck Edwards is a registered sanitarian for the Northwest Michigan health department.
"There is a window of time to test the animal to verify that it either has the rabies or is rabies free and if the bat does contain or the other animal contains the rabies virus then we have that window of time to begin the post-exposure treatments."
Edwards said the best way to prevent rabies exposure is to avoid contact with wild animals.
He said if you find a wild animal to be in your home, especially bats, call your health department immediately.
The Michigan Catholic Conference is one of dozens of church-related groups that filed federal lawsuits in an effort to reverse an Obama administration rule that requires employer health plans to cover contraception.
Franciscan University of Steubenville-Ohio joined the Michigan Catholic Conference to file the lawsuit.
The Michigan Catholic Conference provides health coverage to thousands of people who work for local parishes, Catholic schools, and church-affiliated charities.
Catholic Conference President Paul Long said an exemption in the rule for faith-based groups is too narrow, and will force his organization to offer contraception coverage, which is contrary to the Catholic faith.
"We view the mandate as a violation of religious liberty. We believe that it is a threat to religious liberty for everyone on this country because if they can mandate this there's not much else that they can't mandate."
Catholic bishops have rejected as meaningless a proposed compromise that shifts the coverage requirement from employers to insurance companies.
By the year 2030, nearly 20 percent of Michigan residents will be over age 65. That's leading the AARP of Michigan to question how the state serves its elders.
A new report from the AARP said a vast majority of seniors wish to stay in their homes as they age, instead of moving into a nursing home.
Lisa Dedden Cooper said that option is not only preferable, but it's also affordable...
"You can serve three people in home and community based services for every one you serve in a nursing home."
However, the report said right now, Michigan spends nearly 80 percent of its long-term care dollars on nursing home care.
Cooper said that's because sometimes, seniors are convinced that they have no choice but to go to a nursing home...
"The law is such that you are supposed to be able to receive your services in the least restrictive setting."
Cooper said Michigan qualifies for federal dollars to provide home health care, but so far, the state has not applied for any funding under two available programs.
Meanwhile, Cooper said thousands of Michigan elders are on waiting lists for the in-home care they prefer.
Governor Rick Snyder has signed off on a bill providing amnesty to minors who are seeking treatment for alcohol poisoning.
Under current law, people under age 21 can be charged with a misdemeanor for purchasing, possessing or consuming alcohol.
That can sometimes deter minors from seeking medical treatment if they drink too much.
State Representative Anthony Forlini sponsored the bill...
"This law is about minors getting help, minors not being afraid to get help. It's not about minors going to drink now. These kids are out there right now, with proms and college dorms, but they're not getting the help because they're afraid of the trouble that they're going to get into."
The law offers amnesty to minors voluntarily seeking medical help for alcohol poisoning, either for themselves or another person.
It does not provide amnesty in drunk driving cases.
State Health officials say contamination from Clarks Marsh in Iosco county has made fish from that area unsafe to eat.
An advisory warning people not to eat fish from that area has been issued until further notice.
Perfluorinated chemicals have been detected in Pumpkinseed and bluegill fish.
Angela Minicuci is with the Michigan Department of Community Health.
She said the contamination is suspected to be caused by the use of fire-fighting foams used at a nearby air force base.
She said if consumed PFC will not have an immediate effect.
"Some studies have identified some on-going health effects such as liver, thyroid or immune system problems. In laboratory animals, offspring from treated animals have had developmental delays. So if someone has eaten it, it's not a major concern right now. One of the things with PFC's is it can build up in your system so we want to make sure people aren't putting it in their system to begin with."
Minicuci said restaurants and grocery stores have been advised not to sell fish from that area.
The Department of Environmental Quality is working to find a solution to the contamination.
State Health officials say contamination from Clarks Marsh in Iosco county has made fish from that area unsafe to eat.
An advisory warning people not to eat fish from that area has been issued until further notice.
Perfluorinated chemicals have been detected in Pumpkinseed and bluegill fish.
Angela Minicuci is with the Michigan Department of Community Health.
She said the contamination is suspected to be caused by the use of fire-fighting foams used at a nearby air force base.
She said if consumed PFC will not have an immediate effect.
"Some studies have identified some on-going health effects such as liver, thyroid or immune system problems. In laboratory animals, offspring from treated animals have had developmental delays. So if someone has eaten it, it's not a major concern right now. One of the things with PFC's is it can build up in your system so we want to make sure people aren't putting it in their system to begin with."
Minicuci said restaurants and grocery stores have been advised not to sell fish from that area.
The Department of Environmental Quality is working to find a solution to the contamination.
The state House has approved the first amendments to Michigan's medical marijuana law since it was approved by voters in 2008. The changes require three-quarter super-majority votes in both the House and Senate.
State Representative John Walsh said the voter-approved law left open a lot of questions.
"These are very simple things that are not defined in the act, and what we're trying to do is just provide some more definition."
The measures would require an in-person doctor's visit at least every other year to qualify for a marijuana card; let law enforcement check medical marijuana records; and ban medical marijuana from the passenger area of vehicles.
A handful of lawmakers, like state Representative Lisa Brown, said the Legislature should tread lightly when it comes to amending a law that was approved by voters.
"Are we concerned that, in a fit of road rage, someone pulls out their useable marijuana?"
Some marijuana advocates have responded by launching a drive to put a question to legalize marijuana on the November ballot.
Eleven Michigan communities will receive a grant to help improve medical care in their area.
The East Jordan Family Health Center is one of the recipients.
There is a doctor shortage in rural Michigan according to Dan McKinnon, the executive director of East Jordan Family Health Center.
He said the 2 million dollar grant, given through the Affordable Care Act, will help address the problem.
He said the money will be used to build a larger medical facility.
"Ideally, as candidates look at the, physician candidates have many offers that they can chose from and having a state of the art facility fully equipped and staffed to support their practicing is one of those criteria that they use when they select a site to be working at."
McKinnon said the new facility will have double the staff, including new physicians and mammography services.
The city of Cheboygan is waiting to hear if and when the local hospital will be sold to McLaren Health care.
The hospital was scheduled to have a bankruptcy hearing Monday. Instead, the bankruptcy court said issues were 'resolved' out of court, and published reports say that clears the way for a possible sale to McClaren.
Andy Hayes is the president of the Northern Lakes Economic Alliance.
He said a sale would be good news. He said there are a number of ways the economy will be impacted if Cheboygan Hospital remains closed.
"The most important piece is having good health care in a community. A lot of people don't realize it but you know this health care is important for the residents that live there of course but Cheboygan county really has a tourism economy. So are people travel through the area having access to health care is really important."
Hayes said access to care is also critical when people consider expanding their business or moving to the region.
Leelanau is the healthiest and least smelly county in Michigan according to an annual county by county health assessment.
Leelanau has an average obesity rate and an average number of insured residents but one factor sets the county apart.
Leelanau has the lowest smoking rate in the state.
Bill Crawford is the health officer with the Benzie-Leelanau Health Department.
He said there are a few reasons Leelanau has the lowest smoking rate...
"At the health department we really emphasize to our maternal and infant support clients that it is very wise to not smoke during pregnancy and it's really very wise not to smoke at all. The other reality is that higher income, higher education individuals are less likely to smoke, I mean that's just a statistical fact."
Crawford said the county also has above average rates of high school and college graduates and lower than average unemployment.
Grand Traverse also has a lower than average unemployment rate and ranks number 10 in the assessment.
The health rankings were published earlier this month by the University of Wisconsin, ongoing research funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
That foundation is a financial supporter of N-P-R.
A hotline to help smokers kick the habit has been gaining national attention after an ad campaign more than doubled its number of calls.
The 1-800-Quit Now hotline connects Michigan callers to resources in their area that will help equip them with the tools they need to quit.
Angela Minicuci is with the Michigan Department of Community Health.
She said the recent increase in calls can be credited to a national quit smoking campaign sponsored by the Center of Disease Control.
"In the two weeks proceeding the campaign and since then we have noticed a 200 percent increase in calls to the Michigan tobacco quit line. This campaign is unique in that the CDC has never launched a national tobacco campaign such as this before so this is evidence that this campaign is really reaching those audiences and getting people motivated to quit smoking."
The CDC ad campaign will run in Michigan through the end of June.
More information about the campaign, including profiles of former smokers and links to the ads is at www.cdc.gov/quittingtips
Central Michigan communities are working together to improve their overall health rankings in the state.
The Central Michigan District Health Department presented a "Together We Can" plan to help expand access to care, prevent disease and promote active lifestyles.
The campaign was launched earlier yesterday at the 3rd Annual Public Health Summit in Mt. Pleasant.
Mary Kushion is with the health department. She said there are several ways counties are expanding access to health care.
"One of the things we are doing, especially for women in Central Michigan, is that we have our family planning program and family planning offers full exams for women from teens up through the age of 44. So if anyone wants to come in and get a pap smear and an exam we offer that, it's on a sliding fee scale, so they can come and get that taken care of."
Kushion said the "Together We Can" plan is also working in coordination with public transit to provide those in need a ride to the doctors office.
Opponents of making major changes to Medicare spent Thursday making the rounds of retirement communities in Michigan.
They denounced the budget plan passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.
Under the Republican budget plan, future retirees would get a stipend to buy health insurance, an approach Republicans say would hold down costs and begin to rein in the deficit.
Max Richtman is the president of "the National Committee to preserve Social Security and Medicare. He said House Republicans want to do away with what's left of the 'New Deal.'
"We want to make sure we don't go back in time to the 19th century, when the message to citizens was 'you're on your own and good luck.'"
Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow said the House budget bill will "not see the light of day" in the U.S. Senate.
Clare county improved its overall health and moved up from last place in this years county health rankings report.
Gladwin and Osceola also improved.
Mary Kushion is the health officer for the Central Michigan District Health Department.
She said he counties have been working through the 'Together We Can' campaign to improve their overall scores.
"Uhmm we created eight priority areas where we are targeting our efforts to improve the health status of our community. The first is improving access to health care and probably two notable uh accomplishments of improving access to health care is the McLaren Central Michigan free health care clinic that's now located within the health department."
Kushion said a second free clinic has also been opened in Beaverton.
She said the health department plans to discuss ways to continue to improve county health at its 3rd annual public health summit next Tuesday.
Cheboygan Memorial Hospital unexpectedly closed its doors today, after its sale to McLaren Health Care fell through.
Administrators at Cheboygan Memorial blame federal recertification requirements for the closure. McLaren was unable to obtain recertification, which means they cannot take over operations tomorrow when Cheboygan Memorial runs out of money.
Hospital C-E-O Shari Schult said the hospital is working with area first responders to route emergency patients to other hospitals.
The hospital voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month in a bid to stay open until the hospital was sold.
The closure also affects Cheboygan Memorial Health Center, Women's and Children's Health Services, and the Indian River Medical Center.
One in eighty eight. That's the new, and to some people, startling number of children in the US estimated to have autism.
April is autism awareness month and today is Global Autism Awareness Day.
Tonight, and for the rest of the month, the Mackinac Bridge will light up blue in honor of children with the disorder, and efforts to help them.
Today, Amy Robinson begins a three part series on autism. She speaks with one family whose five year old son has the disorder. And how the diagnosis has changed their lives.
Shawn and Connie Hoskey live in a tidy suburb of Saginaw. When I stopped in to talk with them about their five-year old son Owen, he was really nervous to see me in the house.
In that way that moms have, Connie was able to ferret out the problem.
"You're microphone probably reminds him of a stethoscope and his last doctor's appointment, so yea."
Owne was diagnosed with autism when he was three. It's a day Connie says she'll never forget.
"May 15 of 2009. I know the date, I know exactly where I was sitting when they read me twenty pages. Everything said speech delay, speech delay, speech delay. The last page said our professional recommendation is that child has autism. Everything I knew was over. I just figured that life would never be the same. And has it? It has not been the same but each and every day has become easier."
Connie says she's had to learn to slow down. A task that, with two other typical children, is not easy. She says she was autism-ignorant until it came into her life. Since then, she's learned about the disorder, how it affects children; specifically how it affects her son.
"He only wears an orange shirt. Every single day he has to wear an orange shirt. If dad and mom are in the vehicle together, dad must drive. If I'm cooking on the stove, I must cook on the front left burner first. Then it doesn't matter where I put anything, but as long as that front left burner is lit then he is fine."
Child proofing a house is different when you have a child with autism. Owen's dad Shawn shows me a special lock that he's installed on the front door of the home. Aimed at keeping an errant, and non-verbal, five year old from wandering out of the house and not being able to tell anyone where he lives.
"All of our doors have locks. We actually bought alarms for his bedroom door when he was a kid. When he opened it, it would set off a noise alarm that would wake us up."
Shawn said he and Connie try to respect Owen's limits. Connie said she'll leave a cart full of groceries if he, as she puts it, wigs out in a store. She said better yet she won't take him in in the first place if he's having a bad day. But, kids with autism are often sensitive to sounds and sights. Things that may not even register with a typical child can agitate these kids. Shawn said melt-downs happen, and he hopes bystanders will, well, understand.
"People are looking at you and you get that element of embarrassment and that thought of you know they think just spank the kid or just he's a bad kid, you know what I mean. And I just want to say to them, you know what, you know it doesn't matter what you think, you don't live with this, you don't have to deal with it, but if you could just open the door for me. Just help me. I don't need you to feel sorry, I don't need you to feel judgement, I need you to hold a door."
The Hoskeys say Owen has spent the last years in a special education preschool. His teacher said he's ready to transition to mainstream kindergarten in the fall. Another challenge for a little boy who sees the world differently and the family helping him find his way.
Autism awareness month begins today. This year the effort will have some high profile help to shine light on the issue. For the first time ever, the Mackinac Bridge Authority will change the color of the lights on the Mighty Mac to recognize an awareness campaign.
The campaign is called "Light it Blue". It was launched by the Corner Pieces foundation, a group that works to improve the well-being of children and families living with autism.
This evening, the Mackinaw Bridge will be lit blue starting at sundown to kick off the month-long campaign.
Ben Duff is the President of Corner Pieces.
"This will be the first time they've ever done it to my knowledge for autism awareness. It's never been done before. The bridge has never taken on a particular cause. It's a pretty historic event."
This is the third time in the history of the Mackinac Bridge that the Bridge Authority has changed the lights. Lights were changed to red-white-and blue in October following 911. They were changed back to green in 2007 for the 50th anniversary of the bridge.
Advocates of autism awareness hope the Mackinac bridge "Light it Blue" campaign will increase support for families dealing with autism.
The Legislature has sent Governor Rick Snyder a package of bills that would require health insurance plans to offer coverage for childhood autism treatments.
Governor Snyder called for the autism mandate in his State of the State address.
Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley has a daughter with autism. He said the case can be made for extending the mandate to other mental health disorders, but autism was a good place to start.
"Autism is the only physical or mental health diagnosis excluded from 100 percent of all policies in the state of Michigan. There's no other physical or mental health diagnosis that's anywhere near the exclusion autism has."
Calley said the requirement will save taxpayers money because more children with autism will grow to live independently instead of requiring government assistance.
But on the same day, the Legislature sent him the bills, a state Senate committee eliminated funding in his Medicaid budget for treating autism.
Michigan Senator Carl Levin is speaking out in support of President Obama's signature health care law, even as it is being debated before the U-S Supreme Court.
He said the most controversial provision is the individual mandate, and he said there is plenty of good in the law even if that particular provision happens to be struck down...
"There's parts of the law which I think most people do support, even if they don't support the mandate. For instance, most people do not think that the insurance companies ought to have the power to deny people coverage because of pre-existing conditions, that the insurance companies should not be able to kick people off their insurance coverage because they get sick. Most people favored closing the donut hole, which we did in that law, so that the seniors can be able to buy prescription drugs more readily that they need, and not fall through a hole when they get to a couple thousand dollars in expenses. Most people, I think, want the part of the law that says you can keep your kids on insurance until they reach 25."
The Supreme Court wrapped up arguments over the health care law this Wednesday. A decision is expected early this summer.
McLaren Flint is opening a hospitality house to serve patients who travel to the area for six to eight week cancer treatments.
The house will be fully run by Central Michigan University hospitality students and volunteers.
Garrett Holmes is a sophomore at Central Michigan University. He said working for the house will give CMU graduates experience in the working world.
Students are currently working on ways to make the house more hospitable for patients and their families.
"So we took these plans, we sat down and broke into groups uh and me and my colleges kind of came up with a bunch of ideas, and then a few weeks later we actually had the architect of the building come up and we presented our results to them and they were very impressed by us and they really liked all of our ideas that we had to offer."
The house will employ two CMU interns for semester intervals. And will be open February of next year.
McLaren Central Michigan is a CMU Public Radio sponsor.
Michigan is one of 26 states challenging federal health care reforms in a case that goes Monday before the U-S Supreme Court. But there is also a stalemate in state government over moving ahead with an online healthcare exchange that is part of the law that would help consumers shop for coverage.
Deadlines set up in the health care law are drawing near. The state Senate has adopted a measure to create the exchange. The House has put the question on hold until after the case is decided.
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said the state should wait.
"I would caution people, there's no rush. I think the healthcare exchange should not go forward and I think a lot of people in the Legislature agree with me."
But Governor Rick Snyder, also a Republican, does not. He said the healthcare exchange is a good idea that would save consumers money regardless of how the Supreme Court rules. He said, if Schuette's challenge fails, the delay could also cost Michigan millions and force the state into a federal bureaucracy instead of a system of its own design.
Michigan is working toward integrating the application process for people who qualify for both Medicaid and Medicare.
The next step is to ask the public for comment on their application experiences.
Angela Minicuci is with the Michigan Department of Community Health. She said more than 200 thousand people are eligible for both programs.
"Currently those who are eligible for both medicare and medicaid have to navigate two very different systems in order to receive the care that they need. So what we'd be doing with this project is taking both of those services and combining them into one so they receive all of their care at one time through one program."
Minicuci said a public forum is scheduled for March 29th in Detroit.
Comments can also be emailed to integratedcare@Michigan.gov.
McLaren-Central Michigan Cancer Center has announced that it's earned its accreditation. Something that fewer than 30 percent of hospitals accomplish.
McLaren-Central met all 36 of the Commission of Cancer's standard of care criteria.
Andy Moore is the lead radiation therapist at the Cancer Center.
He said the hospital met the criteria by offering access to quality, comprehensive care, close to home.
The center was also recognized with a commendation for going beyond the required accreditation standards.
"I feel it's important because it reinforces the work that we do to know that the American College of Surgeons feels we are doing an exemplary job at our cancer services."
Moore said the center is offering at-home colon cancer screening tests this month as part of colon cancer awareness month.
The state Senate could vote this week on the first major amendment to Michigan's medical marijuana law since it was adopted by voters in 2008. The measure would strip the eye disease glaucoma from the list of maladies that would qualify a patient for a medical marijuana card.
Physicians such as glaucoma specialist Tim Page say too many patients are turning to marijuana in lieu of proven medical treatments that keep people from going blind. He said, at best, marijuana offers just a brief respite from glaucoma's symptoms.
"Our concern is that the patients will believe that glaucoma can be treated with marijuana and that simply is not true."
"I don't care what doctors say or whatever. This is me, and the idea of going blind terrifies me."
That's glaucoma patient Barbara Knox, who said this is about her right to make her own medical decisions.
It would take super-majorities in the Senate and the House to amend a law that was enacted by a vote of the people.
The state House approved a package of bills that creates punishments the use of threats or coercion to try to force a woman to have an abortion. Opponents of the measures say the package does not go far enough to protect women from threats and violence.
The legislation covers not just physical violence but threats to withdraw financial support, housing, or get a woman fired from a job.
Republican state Representative Margaret O'Brien.
"These bills offer resources for vulnerable women. It can protect them from physical threats, domestic violence, blackmail."
Democratic state Representative Maureen Stapleton called the package part of a "homegrown war on women" because it does not offer similar protections to women who want to end a pregnancy and predicted the G-O-P will pay a political price.
"I will find some solace in this, people are watching. People will make some choices. And those choices are becoming crystal clearer every day."
The package of bills now goes to the state Senate.
Health officials will be fishing for anglers in the Tri-cities area this summer.
The State Department of Community Health is working with Wayne State University and the Bay County Health Department to launch a health study of people who fish along the Saginaw Bay, the Saginaw River and the Tittabawassee River.
Officials want to see whether toxins in fish are staying in the bodies of people who eat them.
Joel Strasz is with the Bay county health department.
He said the bio-monitoring will focus on people who eat fish often.
"...What we're seeing more and more now are people that do sustenance fishing. They're getting regular meals out of the river on a continual basis. The Saginaw River does have issues and the Tittabawassee River does have issues with toxic substances. So what we're trying to do is determine, for those people that fish, how much of those levels of toxic substances are showing up in their blood system and their bodies as well."
Strasz said students from Wayne State will approach anglers to ask if they'd like to participate in the study.
He said the project will also offer a good opportunity for health officials to remind anglers about fish advisories on the rivers.
Measures on the state Senate calendar this week would require health insurance plans to cover autism treatments for children. Supporters of the autism mandate say early treatments can ensure children transition into healthy adults, and ultimately save money on health care costs.
There are an estimated 15 thousand children in Michigan diagnosed with autism. But some mental health advocates say there are many more children with other brain disorders, such as severe depression or bi-polar disorder, who would similarly benefit from coverage.
Psychologist Judith Kovach said autism coverage is a good start, but singling out one condition isn't fair to other families affected by mental illness.
"What do we say to those parents, your children don't matter?"
Kovach appeared on Michigan Public T-V this past weekend.
The autism mandate is backed by Governor Rick Snyder and Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley, who has a daughter with autism. They do not support expanding the requirement to cover all brain disorders.
In the last couple days, all over Michigan, all over the United States, and all over the world, over 55,000 people are participating in one of the largest, most unusual athletic competitions ever.
The goal is to do as many burpees as you can in seven minutes.
Imagine a seven-minute work out in which you do as many squat thrusts as fast as you can without stopping. Then, try and imagine another 55,000 people in countries all over the world doing that exact same work out. This is the essence of the first leg of the 2012 Crossfit Open.
Phil Loesch is a certified Athletic Trainer and the founder of Crossfit Petoskey...
So Crossfit is a strength and conditioning program. The thing that stands apart with this is that they use functional movements in almost everything they do and it's all measurable. We can easily and accurately go back and say, 'Hey, your fitness level is better than it was two weeks ago, two months ago, two years ago.' And that's one of the things I really love about it.
Beginning this week for the second time in history, Crossfit Participants are quote "gathering" in their respective gyms all over the world for this highly unusual competition and fitness test.
Last year they had over 26,000 people compete worldwide, This year, right now, there's over 55,000 people competing worldwide. And how this works is we've got 24 people in our gym working out and competing in this worldwide event, and if they make the top 60 in our region, they'll get to go to regionals, and then, if they were to do really well in regionals and were the top two or three guys or top three women, then they get the chance to go to California for the finals.
At the Petoskey Crossfit facility, the athlete with the best chance of advancing is Steve Schmaker.
The open is something where if you're a competitive person you just strive to do real well at. And it gives me a way to see how I stack up and compete with the rest of the world and some of the best guys in the country.
In a world full of fitness fads and exercise programs, CrossFit seems to have found its niche. But that niche isn't only with elite athletes.
My name is Mike Erxleben and I live in Harbor Springs, Michigan. And I've done various programs tried to lift weights through the years, play basketball, ran, got bored with running. And now I'm into doing Crossfit now, and just trying to stay in shape. I'm 45 years old and just trying to stay active.
So after all this hype and talk of world wide competition, 55,000 people, I thought I'd jump into the open and give it a try. I mean, how hard can 7 minutes of anything really be?
Oh my gosh! That was the worst seven minutes of my life! That Was 64 and a half burpees...I don't think Crossfit is going to be calling me anytime soon.
Isabella Citizens for Health is asking Isabella County residents to
participate in a public discussion about their health care needs and
concerns.
The information gathered will be used to apply for a federally qualified health care center.
Steven Berkshire is with Isabella Citizens for Health...
"Part of the planning grant is gathering information from residents
about what their health care needs our particularly problems they have
with accessing services and what are the primary kinds of services they
think they need and then we work that into the plan that we will present
to the federal government late on when we apply for an operations
grant."
Berkshire said he believes Isabella county will receive an operations
grant within the year because the county is medically under served.
Meetings will be held March 13 at 10 am and March 14 at 7 pm at the Isabella County Commission on Aging in Mount Pleasant.
A state House panel is expected to begin hearings at the state Capitol Thursday on a series of bills that would add regulations to the state's medical marijuana law.
The bills before the state House panel would add regulations to how medical marijuana ID photos are taken and how the IDs are distributed. They would also add requirements for transportation of medical marijuana in a car. Several state lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have said the medical marijuana law is too vague and needs some clarification.
But supporters of the law say it was approved overwhelmingly by voters in 2008, and lawmakers should not tamper with it. Similar public hearings to the one scheduled this week have attracted hundreds of medical marijuana supporters, many of them in wheelchairs and suffering from chronic disease or pain.
The controversy surrounding the Komen Foundation's flip-flop on funding for Planned Parenthood has some groups looking for ways to keep women's health focused on one thing: women's health.
Mary Pollack is legislative vice president for the Michigan chapter of the National Organization for Women.
She said she knows many women who have decided to stop volunteering for Komen because of the controversy.
"And I don't know if they'll ever be able to recover their brand name. It has been so besmirched by what they've done."
Pollack said non-profits would be well-advised to stay away from what she calls the "abortion wars..."
"I think every organization needs to be careful about this."
Pollack said many women rely on Planned Parenthood for screenings such as mammograms, and she doesn't want to see those women lost in the battle.
Governor Rick Snyder calls for an expansion of the state's Health Kids Dental program in his budget recommendations for the coming fiscal year.
Human services advocates are praising the decision.
Jane Zehnder-Merrell is with the Michigan League for Human Services. She said it's important to make sure all kids in Michigan have healthy teeth and mouths. And she's happy Governor Snyder recognizes that.
"It's very heartening to see this, because it is so critical not only to physical health but to academic performance and future employability, as well as adult chronic disease and problems."
Zehnder-Merrell said oral diseases and tooth decay can lead to serious medical conditions, and in some cases taxpayers would bear the cost of treating those conditions. She said dental care is a great preventative measure to keep kids healthy. But she said she thinks Governor Snyder could have gone farther with his budget proposals to make sure the state does more to reverse the trend of more kids and families living in extreme poverty.
During the school year, low-income families can rely on food service programs provided by the school; things like free and reduced lunch.
But, when the summer months roll around, many families can't afford to feed their children healthy foods. Now, Michigan is looking for sponsors to help run summer food programs.
The Michigan Department of Education's summer food service program provides free meals and snacks for students in low-income areas during the summer months.
As the demand for the program increases, more sponsors around Michigan are needed to help feed the students.
Bryan Zandorn is a consultant for the Summer Food Service Program. He said there are still many students who need the program.
"We have over a half million children in Michigan that qualify for free or reduced meals throughout the school year, and in a lot of cases, that's the only meal that that student might receive during the day. So when school is out, there's a big void to be filled."
Zandorn said 50 percent or more of the students in a community must qualify for free or reduced price meals in the area for that town to be eligible for the program.
A legislative subcommittee has scheduled a hearing for later this month on Michigan State University's new policy that this year's freshmen carry health insurance. Students that don't have coverage will be enrolled in a university plan.
State Representative Bob Genetski chairs the House higher education budget subcommittee. He said the Michigan State rule sounds a little too close for his comfort to the federal health care law, and its mandate that everyone has to have insurance.
"If MSU is mandating that students buy health insurance, it's definitely something to look into. It sounds like the early onset of Obamacare and I don't know that that's their right to put it in."
Genetski said the policy should wait until there's a Supreme Court ruling on the federal health insurance mandate.
In published reports, MSU officials said mandatory coverage makes sense because it encourages students to get health care when they need it. They say a sickness can quickly sweep across campus when students forgo a visit to the doctor.
Garrison Keillor performed his one-man act in front of a full house at the Temple Theater in Saginaw last night. During the act, the host of A Prairie Home Companion talked about receiving a clean bill of health from doctors at the Mayo Clinic. He said that clears the way for him to continue performing.
Keillor had previously announced that he'd be retiring from his show in 2013.
He told CMU Public Radio last night that the retirement is off.
Well the retirement just doesn't exist, it was one of those idle rumors that I allowed to be out there, but the show is going well and I'm having a great time doing it. And so I think as long as I can, I should. My wife agrees with me about that. She's not interested in seeing me sit around the house, especially not on weekends.
Keillor said his 14-year old daughter also supports his continued work. The 69 year old has been hosting A Prairie Home Companion for 37-years.
Health officials said the number of people infected with influenza has been on the decline since 2009.
Dr. Robert Graham is the medical director for the Mid and Central Michigan Health Department. He said the decrease could be credited to having the same virus as last year circulating again this year.
"The main circulating virus that caused the influenza problems last year are the ones that matched the vaccine so perhaps we're seeing a benefit from having the same virus two years in a row. And then more people are going to be immune because the vaccine hasn't changed."
However Dr. Graham said the peak of the flu season is still to come next month.
Flu shots are still available at local pharmacies, hospitals and doctor's offices.
Some health advocates say Governor Rick Snyder was not bold enough in his State of the State speech on fighting childhood obesity. Governor Snyder mentioned a program in his speech last week that would teach parents about proper nutrition for young children to help combat childhood obesity.
Katherine Knoll is with the Midwest chapter of the American Heart Association. She said kids need direct instruction on how to control their weight, and that should take place in school.
"Just as we don't expect them to know how to read when they enter school, we don't expect them to know how to balance that calories-in-calories-out equation, and we need to work with them on that."
Knoll said she hopes the state Legislature will approve a measure that would require all kids in elementary and middle school to have physical education twice a week. A spokeswoman for Governor Snyder said the governor wants to take a comprehensive approach toward tackling obesity. She said the administration expects to hear soon from the Department of Community Health on details of an obesity-fighting plan.
Tea Party activists and health care advocates packed a public hearing Thursday at the state Capitol. State lawmakers will decide over whether Michigan should create a website that would allow people to comparison shop for health insurance.
Most people who showed up used he event to voice their opinion on the federal Affordable Care Act.
The online health care exchange is required under the new health care law, which is why many Republicans at the state Capitol have been hesitant to approve the website. They said it would be an endorsement of the Affordable Care Act.
Doctor Fadwa Gillanders is a chronic disease management specialist. She opposes national health care. She told lawmakers about a patient with several chronic conditions who called her, in her words, begging for help.
"I get beggars every day. We're turning into a nation of beggars, pawners. 'Can you give me? Can you give me?' Because we don't know how to take care of ourselves, and we're hoping insurance will make it better, but it actually makes it worse."
Those who support national health care say health care is too expensive and too few people receive adequate care. The Republican chair of the House panel said she has no timeline to approve or reject the creation of the health exchange website.
Governor Rick Snyder and Republican leaders in the Legislature say they plan to work on autism-treatment legislation in 2012. Michigan is one of 21 states that do not require insurance companies to cover autism treatments.
Rick Remington is with Autism Speaks, a national advocacy group based in New York. He said the group is confident Michigan will approve autism-treatment legislation this year. He said autism-treatment coverage has become a bipartisan issue in many states, including Michigan.
"What these laws are intending to do is end the discrimination against families raising children with autism. They're paying thousands of dollars in premiums, and yet they receive no coverage."
In the past, Republican lawmakers in Michigan said they were concerned that requiring insurance companies to cover expensive autism treatments could drive up premiums. But now it appears G-O-P leaders and Governor Snyder would like to see an autism measure approved.
The Michigan Supreme Court heard its first arguments Thursday on cases that could help decide how far police and prosecutors can go to enforce the state's medical marijuana law.
The law was approved by Michigan voters in 2008.
Defense attorney Shawn Patrick Smith told the state Supreme Court that police and prosecutors are being too zealous in pursuing charges against medical marijuana users and caregivers.
"These people are not simply being prosecuted. They're being persecuted."
Not so, said Thomas Grden. He's an assistant Oakland County prosecutor. He said law enforcement recognizes the law says marijuana is only for people with terminal or painful chronic conditions, and should be strictly regulated.
"If we're going to treat marijuana as a medical tool, it should be taken seriously."
In one case, a grower was charged because did not keep his plants in an enclosed, locked place. In another, a patient wants a possession charged dismissed because he got a medical marijuana card after he was arrested.
Northern Michigan Hospital in Petoskey announced yesterday it will be joining forces with McLaren Health Care in Flint.
Reezie DeVet is the President and CEO of Northern Michigan Regional Hospital. She said economically the merer makes sense.
"We really looked very seriously at remaining independent and actually our board commissioned a special features committee in which we brought in a consultant to help us evaluate whether that was an appropriate approach. But we found that if we tries to stay independent it put us at risk for not being able to be the hospital and provide the services we felt are necessary."
DeVet said the merger will help improve equipment and technology. And patients can maintain their usual physician.
Today we continue our series on doing good in the new year with a story that we're confident will make at least 20 people smile.
The Traverse Health Clinic is welcoming 2012 with a new initiative to provide dentures to 20 uninsured individuals in their service area.
We've often heard how good physical health is related to good oral health.
For some people, good health of any type is hard to come by.
This year the Traverse Health Clinic is helping clients feel better starting with their teeth. Sherry Fenton is with the Clinic.
"Our resolution is to continue offering access to health care for uninsured people in need in our three county area and so January 28 & 29, twenty Traverse Health Clinic-enrolled dental patients will be getting a new smile."
Think of this as an Extreme Makeover for teeth. The Health Clinic tapped into dentists and technicians in the area. They're volunteering their time to do in one night, a job that normally takes two-weeks.
"Baker Dental lab will be open through the night because it's a process that typically takes a couple of weeks. And so they will work through the night and get them made and get them in people's mouths the next day."
Fenton said the idea of providing this dental intervention originated last year, just before the holidays, in part as the result of a song.
"This came out of I guess discussions before Christmas. The small group of organizers had wanted to kind of support the slogan, 'All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth.'
Fenton said while the song is whimsical, the dental problems faced by uninsured people are serious. She said the majority of their patients have been without dental insurance, and dental care, for many years.
"There's a statistic out there that says for every person who is uninsured with health insurance, there are 2-point-five percent more people who don't have dental insurance. When you look at our statistics and our percentages, it definitely does parallel what's going on across the United States."
The Traverse Health Clinic Fenton said, it's facing a call rate of 75 patients a month coming in with urgent dental needs. Things like abscesses in their mouth. She said the six-month bi-annual exam often recommended by dentists is considered a luxury for many; and something they have to forgo.
"It's sad when we see some of our patients who talk with their hand over their mouths, because they're so embarrassed by what their mouths look like. So we truly do believe that we're going to be putting a smile on 20 of our patients' faces."
At a cost of around a-thousand dollars per patient, this one-day volunteer probono outreach carries a value of $20,000.
Fenton said if the pilot program is a success, organizers would like to make it an annual event.
So, later this month, a lot of volunteers and a long night of work will mean a lot of smiles in Grand Traverse County.
Tonight we continue our series "Reaching out in 2012".
We're looking at organizations whose new year's resolutions help improve their communities.
Tonight; taking care of our older pets. One Traverse City area veterinarian is making it his focus this year to educate pet owners on how to keep their best friends active and pain-free in their golden years.
If you're like a lot of people, your dog is your recreation partner. Jogging or hiking when you want to, curling up by the chair when you want to read a good book. Or listen to the radio.
But if you've been finding that your aging dog seems less interested in jogging and more interested in the floor near the chair, don't write if off to old age just yet.
Dr. Eric Peck in Traverse City said it could be a treatable condition
"Our plan for this year is to educate our clients is to the subtle signs of chronic pain and what their options are to help improve the quality of life of, of their housemates and friends."
Dr Peck said acute pain is easy to diagnose. Maybe the dog yelps of limps because he broke a toenail or you bumped him in the side.
Chronic pain, he said, is another story.
With chronic pain, it's really all about what the pet is no longer doing. Things like playing ball, you know. A lot of clients will come to me and say you know I throw the ball twice and hes going to go just go lay down. I say yeah hes getting older, and up to a couple years ago we would agree with the client and said you know what your dogs getting older hes just acting like a normal dog that's fine. Now what were realizing is that, the things that they don't do is what tells us that they hurt.
Dr. Peck said chronic pain, often associated with arthritis is not reserved for just certain breeds of dogs. Large breeds he said, have more stress on their joints from weight. Small breeds often run into problems with wear and tear from constantly jumping off of things like the bed or the couch.
Dr Peck said recognizing that animals should be treated for pain, chronic or acute, is a a real sea-change for veterinary practitioners.
"Ten, fifteen years ago we never even sent dogs home with pain medications after they had a spay procedure, a surgical procedure. And, and today that would be considered malpractice to not acknowledge that pain and, and provide something for it."
So the high risk time for dogs, Dr. Peck said, begins at around seven years old. He said by age ten and above, 75-80% of dogs have some sort of arthritis.
The same numbers hold true with cats he said. But they're even harder to diagnose.
"Cats? It's actually a little bit more tricky because cats can truly be lazy cats."
Dr. Peck said it's possible, in fact, not uncommon to see a decrease in a cat's activity level when it's still young.
Some of them just prefer to lay in the sun he said.
He said, like dogs, cats don't vocalize about chronic pain. You have to watch their behavior.
"The things that we start looking for with them as they get older, is you know they use to be able to jump up on the counter to get to their food dish, cause quite often clients will have food elevated for cats because their dog will eat their food. Or their sliding off of the counter real slow instead of jumping off. Some of these really older arthritic cats struggle to even get in their litter boxes. So we look for those subtle signs, take x-rays and they can be treated just as effectively as well."
Dr. Peck said the treatment for chronic pain may involve anything from inexpensive over the counter medications to laser treatments which can run hundreds of dollars a month.
He said vets will work with clients to find an approach that fits your budget. He said the important thing is for pet owners to keep their eyes open for those subtle signs of pain.
If you see them slowing down, really pay attention to the things that they're are no longer doing that they use to enjoy. That, that's really the,the biggest message and don't just assume it's because they're getting older.
Getting older is inevitable, Dr Peck said, living with pain is not.
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said he believes groups trying to legalize pot are using the state's medical marijuana law to push their cause. Schuette spent much of his first year in office working to close marijuana dispensaries and tighten enforcement of the law.
Schuette said he does not intend to relent in 2012.
Schuette supports efforts in the Legislature to add restrictions to the law, which was approved by voters in 2008. The attorney general said he does not believe the drafters of the medical marijuana law were honest about their motives, and that's one reason why he does not support an expansive interpretation of the act.
"We should not have nod-and-a-wink justice."
Schuette said voters approved the law strictly to allow people who are suffering and dying to use marijuana for pain relief.
But they didn't vote to legalize drugs. They didn't vote to legalize across-the-board marijuana. They didn't vote to have dispensaries or pot shops near schools and churches."
Schuette opposed the ballot question and led the campaign to reject it. Medical marijuana advocates said Schuette is trying to divert attention from the benefits of medical marijuana and the fact that the public supports the law.
The public health laboratory in the country of Bangladesh is seeking help from the Michigan Department of Community Health to improve the quality of their facility.
Dr. Frances Pouch Downes is the MDCH Laboratory Director.
She said Bangladesh doesn't have independent labs like we do in Michigan.
"And so they may not have any laboratory in that jurisdiction that is doing for example investigations on food born disease outbreaks, everything is geared toward patient care. So that's one of our recommendations is that they look at, try to provide, more of those community based intervention resources so that prevention can actually keep people out of the hospital."
Downes said she hopes Bengladesh will use the Michigan public health laboratory as a model for improving their own.
She said she will continue to offer resources and training for labs in Bangladesh.
The state Department of Community Health is using technology to help improve the health of infants. The department has partnered with a national program that gives advice to new mothers via their cell phones.
The program is called text-4-baby. It sends three texts a week on infant and maternal health issues such as immunization, nutrition and safe sleep habits, for the first year of a baby's life. Angela Minicuci is with the Department of Community Health. She said the department is using the program to help bring down Michigan's infant mortality rate.
"Infant mortality is a very good, critical health indicator of the health of our community as a whole because it addresses both the future, with our children, and women."
Michigan's infant mortality rate is 7-point-7 deaths per one-thousand live births, which is higher than the national average.
For information on how to sign up for text-4-baby, visit our website or text4baby.org.
Opponents of Michigan's medical marijuana law say they've been working to inform the public of its dangers.
Attorney General Bill Schuette said he plans to continue efforts to fight the law in the new year.
Joy Yearout is a spokeswomen for Schuette's office.
She said the AG is concerned about conflicting medical marijuana rules within state laws.
"The Michigan motor vehicle code said you can not get behind the wheel of a car if you have any amount of marijuana in your system. But the Michigan medical marijuana law sets a different standard and said you can't drive if you're under the influence of marijuana. So that's just one example of how the medical marijuana conflicts with other parts of state law and creates genuine concern for public safety."
Yearout said Schuette is working with state legislature to resolve the conflicting laws.
She said Schutte will also continue to pursue efforts to close down medical marijuana dispensaries in the state.
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette has gone to court to shut down a chain of stores where he said employees illegally took money in exchange for marijuana.
Schuette said much of the activity was illegal with or without the medical marijuana law. Employees of Hydroworld stores in Lansing and Jackson took money for fake medical marijuana cards and sold marijuana to undercover officers without checking to see if they were legal patients or caregivers.
A court decision earlier this year shut down most marijuana dispensaries in Michigan. Schuette said pretty much the only option right now for card-holding medical marijuana patients and caregivers is to grow their own. That decision is on appeal to the state Supreme Court.
Raids earlier this week targeted marijuana dispensaries in Traverse City.
Governor Rick Snyder said he is no closer to a decision on whether to approve or reject a ban on health benefits that cover the live-in unmarried partners of public employees.
The ban would cover benefits for unmarried partners in same-sex or heterosexual relationships with public employees who work for cities or counties, school districts or state agencies. There's a question on whether the ban would also outlaw live-in partner benefits offered by state universities. Governor Snyder said he wants the law to respect the independence of public universities, and that's one of the answers he needs before he makes his decision.
"We'll take them in the normal course of things and look at them with great diligence, as we always do."
Republican state Representative Dave Agema thinks his bill does cover universities. He said universities should not be offering benefits to people in same-sex or unmarried relationships.
"So I say sign the bill."
If the governor does, it might take a lawsuit to settle the confusion.
A measure that would forbid public employers from offering health benefits that cover the unmarried, live-in partners of their employees has been formally presented to Governor Rick Snyder. The governor now has 14 days to decide whether to sign or veto the legislation. The governor's decision is complicated by uncertainty over the reach of the legislation.
The bill would cover school districts, community colleges, local governments and state agencies. But aides to Governor Snyder said he does not support any measure that intrudes into the independence of the state's public universities, which have special protections in the Michigan Constitution. There is a division even among attorneys on whether universities are part of the measure. If the governor signs the bill, it could take litigation to settle the confusion. Critics of live-in partner benefits say they circumvent the state's ban on same-sex marriage and civil unions. Supporters of the benefits say, as long as people in same-sex and heterosexual relationships are treated the same, the benefits are legal and allow public employers to create benefits packages that help them attract the best workers.
A fight could be brewing at the state Capitol over funding an exchange that would allow people and businesses to comparison-shop for health insurance. The state is supposed to create the exchange as part of the new federal health care reform requirements.
Republican lawmakers at the state Capitol have debated whether funding the health insurance exchange would be showing support for the new federal health care law. Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville said it's one of the handful of pressing questions that should be settled this week before the Legislature begins a month-long winter break. He said there are other issues that can wait.
"We want to have a docket ready to go come January, and we want to use that month of January a little more effectively than in the past."
The Legislature is also still debating whether to allow more K-through-12 charter schools, and whether to overhaul the state's workers compensation rules. And a lingering question remains whether the state House will vote to dramatically alter Michigan's no-fault insurance laws.
When it comes to seniors and prescription medication, the Affordable Care Act is living up to its name. That's according to new data from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
The Affordable Care Act provides a 50 percent discount on brand name prescription drugs once participants hit the Medicare Part D coverage gap, known as the doughnut hole.
According to the report, more than 60-thousand Michigan seniors have benefited from the discount this year, saving a total of nearly 34 million dollars.
Lonnie Scott with the organization "Know Your Care" said it's hard to argue with results.
"When people hear the facts and the numbers, it's clear that the Affordable Care Act is working."
While some aspects of the health care reform act have gone into effect, opponents continue to challenge its legality.
Last month the U-S Supreme Court agreed to take up the case, saying it would hear arguments next March, and likely issue a decision in June.
A proposal to limit access to health care coverage for abortion procedures has cleared a state Senate panel. The proposal would require employers or individuals purchasing health care plans to pay higher premiums if they want to include abortion coverage.
Shelli Weisberg is with the American Civil Liberties Union, which opposes the measure. She said it's important for insurance companies to offer abortion coverage because no one plans for unintended pregnancies or unforeseen medical issues.
"Most companies in Michigan do provide coverage for an elective abortion, and this would so deny women really comprehensive healthcare coverage at a time in their life, during pregnancy, when they have the most medical risks."
There is no plan in the Senate to approve the abortion insurance proposal before lawmakers begin a winter break next week.
Some state Senate Republicans want to place new limits on health insurance coverage of abortion procedures. This week, a state Senate panel is expected to look at potential changes to abortion coverage in Michigan.
Republican state Senator Jim Marleau said the proposal will protect fetuses under all health care options in the state. But he said the measure won't stop women from getting abortion coverage if they want it.
"Now if you want abortion coverage, that is going to be a rider, and additional rider that's on the policy, paid for separately, a separate premium."
Marleau chairs the Senate Health Policy Committee. He said the proposal will prevent Michigan from being forced to participate in potential new national health care laws requiring abortion coverage.
The U-S Supreme Court's decision to hear a challenge to the federal Affordable Care Act has Republicans in Lansing divided on whether to adopt a state mandate in the law. It requires states to create health coverage exchanges for people and business owners to comparison shop online for insurance.
It's become a point of controversy between the governor and the state's legislative Republicans.
Republican Governor Rick Snyder says the health care exchanges are a good idea that will benefit businesses and consumers regardless of how the Supreme Court rules. The governor says he's also afraid Michigan would be thrown into a federally designed system if the Legislature does not act quickly.
"Before the end of the year would be best in terms of being prepared."
But Republican House Speaker Jase Bolger said he's in no hurry and would rather wait for the Supreme Court to decide one way or the other.
"I don't expect the House to act until or unless we have to act."
Bolger said he, like many Republicans, believes the federal law is unconstitutional and is likely to be struck down by the nation's highest court. A decision is not expected before next summer.
An Antrim County elementary school has reported 10 cases of chickenpox. The outbreak has officials urging parents to ensure their kids are up to date with their vaccinations.
The Health Department of Northwest Michigan offered a Community Immunization clinic yesterday to help fight against the disease.
Suzette Daly is a family health supervisor with the department. She said schools are working to prevent the spread of chickenpox.
"They have looked at all the immunization records of students in their schools and came up with kids who were under immunized or not immunized. I think the school secretary called parents to let them know their child needed vaccines and they could go to their physician or the health department for the varicella."
Daly says school officials are working with the health department to track new cases.
The state Senate has adopted a bill to create a statewide health coverage exchange where people and businesses could comparison shop for insurance. Republicans in the Senate majority were divided on the question, and whether a vote for it was an endorsement of the federal health reforms. Michigan Public Radio's Rick Pluta reports.
Some Republicans argued they should take a principled stand against the federal law by refusing to enact any portion of it. Others such as Senator Bruce Caswell, argued the state should not risk being forced into a federal bureaucracy.
"I do not support putting this state in the position of having the federal government come in and basically take over regulation of health care."
Caswell said Michigan can always shut down the exchange if the federal law is repealed or struck down. Democrats used the state Senate debate as an opportunity to defend the federal law.
The measure now goes to the state House. Republican Governor Rick Snyder said the statewide coverage exchange is a good idea with or without the federal mandate. He has asked the Legislature to send the bill to his desk before the end of the year.
Republicans in the state Legislature want to change Michigan's workers-compensation law. They say the changes would help Michigan businesses by reducing what they pay in insurance premiums. Democrats said the changes would also reduce the amount of money given to many injured workers.
Michael Czinski was hurt on the job as a police officer a few years ago. He broke his wrist in a fall and damaged an artery that supplied blood to the area. Three surgeries later, he has limited use of his right hand.
"I can write somewhat, it's painful, it's hard to type, I definitely can't shoot my weapon anymore."
He's had to learn how to do every-day tasks with his left hand.
"Shaving, a lot of the eating, it's hard to hang onto utensils."
And the right hand still hurts.
"Daily pain, 24 hours a day. And the workman's comp has stopped treatment of it, so I'm pretty much stuck with it now."
When Czinski was hurt, workers-comp paid him about 60 percent of his wages, or 644 dollars a week. But then a vocational counselor appointed by the insurance company determined since Czinski could no longer be a police officer, he should get a job as a state worker with the Department of Human Services. Czinski applied for the job but was never contacted for an interview. That didn't matter to the insurance company, who reduced his workers comp benefits based on how much he would have been making if he got the job. That took his payments down to 190 dollars a week. The insurance company calls that money he could be making, his "earning capacity." Critics of the proposal call that "phantom wages."
"It's probably the most damaging to those least-able to protect themselves, and that is the lower-wage earners."
That's workers-comp attorney and former Michigan Association of Justice president Rick Warsh. He said it's not fair to penalize an injured worker just because a job exists somewhere that they could do.
"So if you can be, say, a greeter at Walmart or Meijers, or be a security guard where all you have to do is monitor security monitors in a chair, there may only be a thousand of those jobs available in the state, none of them may be available to you, and yet they still get a credit for it."
Recent Supreme Court orders indicate reducing someone's benefits based on earning capacity could be legal. And Republicans in the Legislature want to codify those court orders to make things more predictable for business owners. State Representative Brad Jacobsen's family owns a small business. He said he knows how damaging working with workers comp can be.
"Yeah, our family has flower shops and green houses, 92-year-old business that great-grandpa got started, and as a small business owner we had a couple fraudulent claims, along with a few legitimate minor cuts and stitches and things, and back in the mid-80s we had trouble getting workers comp insurance, and paid a very long price for that insurance, because, in part, of two fraudulent claims."
Supporters of the workers comp proposal said it would work against fraudulent injury claims from workers and encourage injured workers to find some type of job. Wendy Block is with the Michigan Chamber of Commerce. She told lawmakers that the measure would, "Increase certainty for employers and employees alike, keep premiums affordable for job providers, and generally make Michigan more competitive in its workers comp system as well."
"What this bill basically does is it moves the law about three clicks to the right, and then nails it shut." Said Rick Warsh.
"I'm a political realist, the fact of the matter is we have a Republican House in the state, we have a Republican Senate, we have a Republican governor. But when you get a law that is skewed so far one way, it's bound to have some serious repercussions."
"If that happens, the taxpayers will be asked to step up to the plate and help people out."
That's Flint-based workers-comp attorney Robert MacDonald. He said if people who can't work have their workers-comp benefits cut, they're going to have to get assistance from somewhere else.
"You'll have people applying for state disability assistance, Medicaid, it's not a free-ride here for these injuries. Someone is going to have to take care of these people when they're hurt on the job."
Michael Czinski said even though he did not get the job he was told he could reasonably do for the state, he's still looking for jobs that would not require him to use his hands too much.
"They say they're out there, but I don't know where. Especially with the economy, I just don't know where they're at."
The Michigan Attorney General filed a lawsuit Monday to close down a Saginaw abortion clinic.
The suit charges that Health Care Clinic of Eaton county, and its affiliate Women's Choice Clinic of Saginaw, violated state regulations. The lawsuit said there's evidence to suggest the clinics improperly disposed of medical documents and did not have a medical doctor at the helm.
Joy Yearout is a spokeswoman for the Attorney General's office and said, "When you have a profit-seeking medical clinic and you don't have a medical profession in charge, you run the risk that patient care could be negatively affected. And in this case, we have two abortion clinics that do not have doctors in charge, and in that case, it's very possible that patients are not getting the best care that they deserve."
The lawsuit also said there's evidence that the Eaton county clinic, the parent clinic to the Saginaw facility, threw aborted fetuses in trash cans. In addition to fueling the AG's lawsuit, that allegation has also prompted new legislation. Senator Rick Jones of Grand Ledge has introduced a bill setting requirements for the proper disposal of fetal remains.
The clinics now have an opportunity to respond to the lawsuit claims. It's expected a hearing will be set in Eaton county court.
The rising rates in obesity both nationwide and in the state have led to calls for lifestyle changes to improve personal health.
Mid Michigan will hear from a young woman who made the change in front of millions on "The Biggest Loser." Amanda Arlauskas was one of the finalists in 2009 during Season 8 of the show. Since then she has traveled across the country sharing her story of how her life did change when she made it onto the show when she was a 19 year old nursing student.
HealthPlus of Michigan's Rainmaker 2011 Grant Program and the non profit Northern Transformation Corporation are bringing Miss Arlauskas to Harrison High School Auditorium Wednesday evening at 7 PM, her talk is free and open to the public.
I called Amanda at her home in Butler, New Jersey last week, and I asked her what health initiatives are in place at the state level where she lives..
One of Season 8's Biggest Losers, Amanda Arlauskas, will bring her inspirational message to Harrison High School this Wednesday, October 26 at 7 PM. The evening is free and open to the public.
Her appearance is being funded by HealthPlus of Michigan's Rainmaker 2011 Grant and also made possible by the non-profit Northern Transformation Corporation.
Staff from Mid Michigan Medical Center will also be on hand for questions and they will also be offering free blood pressure testing beginning at 6 PM.
A northern Michigan school is being nationally recognized for its health and wellness initiative.
First Lady Michelle Obama and the USDA awarded a gold distinguish award to Roscommon Middle School. The school received the award for offering healthier foods in their cafeteria and increasing students physical activity.
Ron Alden is the former principle of the middle school. He said kids are responding well to the changes because they were a part of the process.
"So we did things like have taste surveys, where kids could come in and taste certain things and then put the one with the most support or most votes, we'd serve that on Friday."
Alden said the school offers a free breakfast which is popular among the kids.
Students are also utilizing a rock wall recently installed in the gym, hiking trails and a Wii dance-off hosted once a week at the school.
He said the funding for the initiative has come from private donations, federal grants and the schools general fund.
Allden is now working as principle for the high school. He said he will be introducing the same changes there.
State House Republican leaders are trying to round up the votes for an overhaul of Michigan's no-fault insurance law, but that's not likely to happen this week. At the same time, Democrats are trying to block a vote to end Michigan's generous medical benefits under the law.
Democrats brought accident victims and their families to the state Capitol Tuesday.
Judith Guezen is a licensed social worker and a nurse's aid. She cares for her husband who was hit by a car and seriously injured when he was 16-years-old. She said doctors first told his parents that he would be in a permanent coma if he lived through the accident.
Guezen said she is worried that her husband will not receive the care he needs if the bill passes. She said he falls a lot and now needs 24-7 care.
"This bill will affect us. It will affect me, my husband and many, many people."
Many Republicans said Michigan's current no-fault system cannot be sustained because it allows for unlimited lifetime medical benefits.
Governor Rick Snyder said the state's infant mortality rate needs to be lower. Michigan has one of the worst infant mortality rates in the nation. Snyder shies away from any specific proposals to deal with the issue of infant mortality.
Snyder has had some push back recently from lawmakers who do not like the governor's health proposals which include body-mass-index reporting and banning smoking on state park beaches. Snyder said he thinks he will be able to sway skeptical lawmakers.
"Well they're all in the pipeline, they'll come along in terms of looking at those types of issues, because health and wellness is a big issue."
Snyder said infant mortality rates reflect the broader picture of health and wellness in Michigan. He said he does not think there needs to be anything done legislatively to help drive the rate of infant deaths down in the state. But Snyder said state officials and medical science leaders need to get together to come up with a plan to reduce the rate of infant deaths.
Governor Rick Snyder will deliver the opening remarks today at a gathering in Ypsilanti of health professionals and government officials trying to find ways to bring down Michigan's high infant mortality rate. The governor called for the summit to find out why the state has one of the nations' higher mortality rates.
In Michigan, almost eight infants of every thousand born don't live to see their first birthday. Among African-Americans, that number is much bigger 15 infants out of every thousand don't live to age one. The national average is six-point-seven births per thousand.
For the past 30 years, the infant mortality rate has improved in Michigan, but that trend has reversed over the past three years, said Angela Minicuci of the state Department of Community Health.
"The main purpose of this summit is to really find out what is causing this increase, especially over the last three years and what we can do to address it."
The infant mortality rate is also considered a useful measure of how well the health care system is working. Governor Snyder called for reducing infant mortality in a health care message that also focused on Michigan's high rate of obesity.
Six Michigan children died from influenza in the past year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the numbers earlier this week.
Dr. Robert Gram is the medical director for the Mid and Central Michigan District Health Department. He said nationwide, more than 100 pediatric deaths may have been prevented with the flu shot.
"Only half the people who are eligible, especially kids that are eligible actually get them. Influenza is almost entirely preventable."
The CDC reports just over half of Michigan children ranging from six months to 4 years were vaccinated during last flu season.
Gram said Michigan ranks fifth from the bottom in flu vaccination coverage for children.
He said to create a safer flu season this fall parents and children should get their flu shots as early as possible.
Last week, the Michigan Supreme Court refused to hear the state's case for recovering millions of dollars taxpayers spent on the drug Vioxx for Medicaid patients. The drug was pulled off the marketplace years ago after it was linked to an increased risk of heart attacks.
Democrats in the Legislature said that decision helps make the case for repealing the unique-in-the-nation state law that bars most product liability lawsuits against drug companies.
The Republican-led Supreme Court's refusal to take the case upholds lower court rulings that the state cannot try to recover what Michigan paid the drug-maker Merck for the painkiller Vioxx. That decision also affects future lawsuits to recover taxpayer dollars. A 1995 Michigan law bars product liability lawsuits for medications approved by the U-S Food and Drug Administration.
Democrats are using the opportunity to renew their drive to repeal the law.
"The manufacturer of a dangerous drug and not the taxpayer should be responsible for the cost of a dangerous product." Said State Representative Ellen Cogan-Lipton.
Business groups defend the law, they said it is a firewall against frivolous lawsuits against drug companies.
Governor Rick Snyder and Attorney General Bill Schuette both Republicans have been silent on what they'd like to see happen next.
Dozens of people in wheelchairs and with sustained injuries from car accidents were among those who showed up at the state Capitol Tuesday to call on lawmakers to reject proposed changes to Michigan's no-fault auto insurance law.
Many of the car accident victims said they are alive because of the law's mandatory lifetime medical care benefits.
William Horgan was hit by a car in 2006 while he was walking across the street. Horgan suffered a traumatic brain injury and is now paraplegic. The former landscaping business owner said his daily life is drastically altered.
"I have a caretaker that's with me 12 hours a day, actually 11 hours a day, plus a nurse that comes and visits me to take care of wounds that I have incurred."
He said he also has ongoing visits to doctors' offices and expenses for medications. He said this is his routine now.
"Yeah, for the rest of my life."
Those who want to get rid of lifetime medical coverage said medical costs are ballooning and making the no-fault insurance structure unsustainable. The proposal suggests that drivers choose from auto insurance plans that max out at 5 million dollars of medical coverage.
Michigan won't be able to recover millions of dollars spent by the state on the drug Vioxx. As The Michigan Supreme Court has refused to hear a case filed by the state against the drug company Merck.
Michigan has a unique-in-the-nation law that shields drug manufacturers from lawsuits as long as the medicine was approved by the U-S Food and Drug Administration. It was enacted in the 1990s to make Michigan more alluring to drug manufacturers. A lower court ruled the law bars Michigan from suing Merck to recoup taxpayer funds spent on Vioxx for Medicaid patients. The lawsuit claimed Merck failed to warn the state about the dangers posed by the anti-arthritis drug. Vioxx was pulled from the market in 2004 after it was linked to an elevated risk of heart attacks and amid complaints the company covered up the risks.
The court split on the case. Republican justices in the majority rejected the appeal. Democrats said the state might have a claim despite the immunity law.
Midland's Dow Diamond will soon open its doors not only to baseball fans, but to blood donors. The Michigan stadium is the first in the country to house a blood donation facility.
Nick Wasmiller is the PR manager at Michigan Blood. He said he is pleased to partner with Dow Chemical and the Great Lakes Loons baseball team to encourage people to become donors.
"We hope that it keeps Michigan Blood and the need for blood in general top of mind, and that it improves the ability of the community to come out and donate. We're really in a constant need to be able to connect with the really great donors of the Great Lakes Bay region, and I think a top mind location like Dow Diamond is one great way that we're going to be able to do that."
Wasmiller said Michigan Blood hasn't yet decided on what the donation process will entail, but whole blood will definitely be taken. From those samples, technicians will extract certain elements of the blood, like red blood cells, platelets and plasma.
Wasmiller said Michigan Blood's commitment to its donors states every drop of blood donated at the facility stays in Michigan. He Said the organization has exclusive relationships with 32 hospitals across the state where Michigan Blood provides their entire supply.
NPR's Julie Rovner is reporting reported yesterday on a new study looking at the impacts of the health care law higher premiums.
The study found that employers added 2.6 million young adults, 26 and younger, to existing policies as mandated by the law.
Former Michigan congressman Bart Stupak was at Central Michigan University this week, talking about the outcomes he wanted in and fought for in the health care debate improved access to care in rural areas.
"One of the strongest parts of the bill and one of the reasons we had to have the executive order for no funding for abortions was there is $8 billion for community health centers which provide a lot of health care in our communities. And you go to a health center a community health center whether you have insurance or not. There is a sliding fee you get the service you need, and that's the way we pay for it. We're expanding that to increase access, especially in rural America."
Stupak also said he is pleased with the provisions that emphasize support for general practice physicians serving in rural areas.
He said that the medical school at CMU will train GPs and help place them in the rural parts of Michigan that have been undeserved.
MIR's can help save lives but for a claustrophobic patient it can be a nightmare. A new open MRI was installed in Mt. Pleasant Tuesday.
John Hoyle is with "Open MRI" he said the new machine will give patients a peace of mind.
"The biggest issue in MRI is claustrophobia for patients going inside a tunnel. Even the so called open boar or the wider boar magnets you still feel like they're inside a tunnel. And this is much more open side to side and you can actually lay several people inside this next to each other."
Hoyle said the bigger machine will not be more expensive for patients. And because it's located at an outpatient facility instead of a hospital setting, he said, insurance companies are more inclined to cover it.
He said the bigger MRI machine is just as effective as the smaller version but makes it easier for patients to move around.
Hoyle said the machine will be ready for patient use within the next few weeks.
A state Senate panel has voted to forbid mandatory no-fault auto benefits from paying for medical marijuana. The panel approved the bill over the objections of medical marijuana advocates.
Patient groups said marijuana should be covered as an alternative to narcotic painkillers. Insurance companies said claims have been filed by people who want their coverage to pay the costs of medical marijuana as a treatment for chronic pain from an auto accident.
State Senator Rick Jones said that was never the intent of voters who approved the medical marijuana law in 2008.
"I have been very concerned about this ever since the ballot initiative passed because I think it will drive up the cost of auto insurance."
Jones is one of the Legislature's loudest critics of the law. He and other lawmakers are trying to enact some additional rules on medical marijuana including a one-year residency requirement before someone could qualify for a Michigan medical marijuana card.
The Michigan Department of Community Health is seeking input on ways to improve the quality and access of care for people who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid.
Angela Minicuci is with MDCH. She said people who are eligible for both health care programs have to navigate two very separate systems.
"So the goal of this contract and what we're doing is a way to simplify and to reduce duplication while improving the quality of care people that people are receiving that way people don't have to go through two different systems in order to do that."
Minicuci said Community Health has hired consultants to gather information from stake holders and the public.
A website has been set up for people to leave opinions on how to improve the system.
Minicuci said she's not sure on what issues will be brought up but is confident the project will help improve the process.
Preliminary estimates say fewer than 100 unmarried state workers will request health benefits for their live-in partners by the deadline at the end of the month.
This is a story about numbers. An early estimate from the state Civil Service Department led lawmakers to predict taxpayers could end up paying eight million dollars for domestic partner benefits. Now it appears so few people will sign up for the benefits that it will only cost about 600-thousand dollars.
"I don't care what numbers you want to use now, we used their original numbers to come up with our number, so if they want to use a lower number now it still doesn't justify their actions and what they're doing."
That's Republican state Representative Dave Agema. He sponsored a measure that would prevent live-in partner benefits from being offered to public employees in the future. He said the benefits are just a way to get around the state's ban on gay marriage and civil unions. His proposal was approved by the House and is in the Senate.
Governor Rick Snyder told a conference looking for ways to reduce obesity in Michigan that his health reform agenda is not an example of government overreach. The governor has set a goal of reducing the high number of overweight or obese people.
Governor Snyder said diabetes and other obesity-related conditions add three billion dollars a year to the costs of medical care in Michigan. He said high medical costs make Michigan less attractive to employers and take a toll on the overall quality of life in the state.
The governor said the U-S has a great system for dealing with medical emergencies....
"It doesn't do you a whole lot of good if you're suffering from one of these chronic conditions. And when you look at the list of chronic conditions that lead the way, obesity would be at the top or near the top, at least in my opinion."
It's estimated that two thirds of children and adults in Michigan weigh more than is healthy and that one third are obese.
The governor has run into some resistance to his health reform agenda from Republicans who say it amounts to government meddling with decisions on personal behavior.
Governor Rick Snyder has approved a one percent tax on health insurance claims to ensure that medical coverage for low-income families is not slashed by almost a billion dollars.
Everyone who files a claim for a treatment or a checkup will now pay the one percent tax. It will not apply to co-pays or deductibles. It replaces a six percent tax on Medicaid H-M-Os.
Michigan's system for financing the Medicaid program for covering low-income families was on the cusp of being thrown out by federal authorities because it did not spread the burden wide enough. Governor Snyder had a difficult time winning the votes for the health claims tax in the Republican-led Legislature. But he said he was committed to not rolling back health coverage for the poor during tough economic times.
The Snyder administration has come under fire by human services advocates for rollbacks in other types of aid for low-income people, including new limits on cash assistance and food stamps.
Draft versions of Governor Rick Snyder's health care reform plan are to be presented this week to state lawmakers. Governor Snyder has asked lawmakers to adopt major portions of his health reform plans before their Thanksgiving break.
The governor faces a lot of skepticism from G-O-P leaders because there are so many mandates in the plan. House Speaker Jase Bolger said he's going to carefully examine the details.
"But I think the time to enact something is still quite a ways off."
Bolger and other Republicans are wary of requiring insurance companies to cover childhood autism treatments, a government database of children's health statistics, as well as adopting mandates in the federal Affordable Care Act, such as health coverage exchanges.
"The reason I would look at exchanges is with what the federal government has done and it would be reluctantly and it would only be if we have to."
Bolger said he wants to wait for courts to rule on the challenges to the federal law.
The governor said an exchange that would allow people and businesses to comparison shop for health coverage is a good idea no matter the fate of the federal health reforms.
The state House has approved measures that would forbid public employers from offering benefits that cover the live-in partners of public employees. Republicans say public employers should not be allowed to use live-in partner benefits to cover people in same-sex relationships.
The measures passed on largely party-line votes.
Democratic state Representative Joan Bauer said the state, local governments, school districts, and public universities should be allowed to follow the example set by many private sector businesses that offer domestic partner benefits.
"It's extremely short-sighted and rather hypocritical to now deny our public employers the ability to use all the tools in the toolbox to attract the best and brightest workers."
Republicans argued that public employers use live-in partner benefits to skirt the intent of Michigan's voter-approved amendment that outlaws gay marriage and civil unions.
The bills now go to the state Senate.
Republicans failed earlier this year to reject state worker contracts that include benefits for same-sex or heterosexual couples that live together.
Governor Rick Snyder said people need to take more responsibility for their own health if Michigan is going to reverse some dismal trends and save money on healthcare. That was part of a health care reform message he delivered today Wednesday at a Grand Rapids clinic.
Governor Snyder said too many Michiganders smoke, are overweight, and don't exercise. Michigan ranks 10th in the country in people who are overweight or obese. Nearly two in 10 people still smoke.
"We have a crisis in our country and our state on healthcare. We're not doing well."
The governor said Michigan needs to address a physician shortage and improve infant mortality rates in urban areas. He wants to update insurance rules and the public health code.
"We have a broken system."
The governor wants the Legislature to adopt many of his health reform ideas including some controversial insurance mandates by Thanksgiving. But the governor said state government cannot force people to adopt healthy lifestyles. So the governor said he will lead by example. He set a goal of dropping 10 pounds by the end of the year.
Governor Rick Snyder's health care agenda appears at the outset to be more popular with Democrats at the state Capitol than with the governor's fellow Republicans.
There are a couple proposals that have G-O-P leaders particularly concerned.
Republican House Speaker Jase Bolger said he is all for encouraging personal responsibility in health and wellness, and he said he would like to lead by example. But he said he is not interested in some of the governor's proposed mandates. That includes requiring health insurance companies cover treatments for autistic children. Bolger said he's not ready to support the proposal, but he's not ruling it out either.
"What's a pull is the serious issue that those families face. It's a very real issue and they bring up very good points. The issue is not on my agenda, but I'm willing to talk about it."
Democrats in the Legislature, as well as Republican Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley, have tried for several years to approve autism treatment coverage. Democratic leaders said they appreciate many aspects of the governor's health reform agenda.
Health care workers at Munson Health Care Center in Traverse City are lining up to get their flu shot this week. After the center mandated all employees must be immunized.
Munson hopes the mandate will stop the spread of influenza in the hospital.
Munson Health Care Center said it's in the best interest of patients for all employees to be vaccinated.
Sue Waltmen is the president of the advocacy group Michigan Opposing Mandatory Vaccines. She said very low numbers of health care workers choose to get vaccinated.
"They see people coming into the emergency room who have had a bad affect from the flu shot so I think they're really well informed and educated when they're making this decision for themselves."
Dr. Karen Speirs, an infectious disease specialist at Munson, said bad reactions to the flu shots are uncommon. She said mandating immunizations is becoming more of a common practice.
President
Obama's Asian carp czar was in Michigan Tuesday to reassure tourism
officials that the federal government is doing everything possible to keep the
invasive species from infesting the Great Lakes. John Goss said there is a
short-term strategy to buy time that gives the U-S Army Corps of Engineers five
years to develop a permanent solution.
John
Goss said the stop-gap efforts include hiring commercial fishers to pull hundreds
of tons of Asian carp from the water systems leading to Chicago shipping
canals. He said that takes some pressure off electric barriers that are
supposed to keep the fish from reaching Lake Michigan and the rest of the Great
Lakes.
"There is a sense of urgency.
We certainly know that stopping an invasive species before it gets established
is the absolute best thing to do, so we have to do that."
Goss said long-term strategies
might include developing an Asian carp poison or, improving fish barriers in
the Chicago canals, or if nothing else will work physically separating the
two water systems.
Michigan
has filed a federal lawsuit demanding that the Chicago shipping canals be
closed immediately as a precaution.
Governor Rick Snyder is expected to call today for a ban on smoking at beaches in state parks. It will be part of the governor's plan for making Michigan healthier place to live.
Aides to the governor said a smoking ban on beaches at state parks will make the waterfronts more family-friendly by not exposing children to second-hand smoke. They said it will also make the beaches more environmentally friendly.
Bill Rustem is Governor Snyder's policy director. He said there are plenty of studies that show cigarette butts that litter the beaches leach toxins into the water, and that makes it less safe for drinking and for wildlife.
"You can take a cigarette butt and put in a goldfish bowl with a goldfish and the goldfish will die. One cigarette butt."
Lawmakers would have to approve the ban. The Legislature last year enacted a controversial ban on smoking in workplaces including bars and restaurants. It's a ban that many Republicans would like to reverse.
Governor Rick Snyder will ask Michiganders to quit smoking, lose weight and eat better in a health care message today that's expected to focus on wellness and disease prevention.
The speech is expected to focus as much on identifying the problems as outlining solutions that won't cost taxpayers a lot of money.
Governor Snyder is expected to acknowledge there is not a whole lot government can do to make people live healthier lives.
Bill Rustem is the governor's policy chief, and he is helping to write the message.
"Government can't force people not to smoke. We still have a significant portion of the population something like 18 percent of adults and about the same number of young people who smoke. Government is not going to say, you can't smoke. Government can't deal with how we eat and how much we exercise. You can't have a law that says you've got to go out and run five miles a day and nor that you have to eat certain things and certain times of the day."
But Rustem said everyone pays for people who don't take care of themselves either through higher insurance premiums or higher taxes to pay for treating people who don't have health coverage.
Doctor Peggy Hale sees a lot of those people. She is an emergency room physician at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing.
"Well over half of the cases that we see either aren't necessarily emergency or were preventative that were not taken care of sooner."
Doctors here said the rising number of uninsured people is the growing strain on this emergency room. Peggy Hale said many people ignore chronic conditions and warning signs until they become a problem too big to ignore.
"We see medication non-compliance. We we see patients that don't have primary care physicians that come in for coughs, colds, sore throats. We see patients that have let their lifestyles get the better of them where obesity and smoking tends to lower their immune system and lead to problems such as diabetes, heart disease."
Hale and other doctors at Sparrow said they've seen too many cases of once-controllable cases of diabetes, heart conditions, even cancer show up at their hospitable.
Governor Snyder's message is expected to focus largely on education and connecting people to existing resources to help them improve their health.
Marianne Udow directs the Center for Healthcare Research and Transformation at the University of Michigan. She said the success still not fully realized of the anti-smoking campaign shows how public education efforts can help change behavior.
"That is absolutely attributed to a concerted effort at the federal level, at the state level and the local levels to do something about smoking, and it's a multi-faceted effort and we've got lots of evidence that campaign really did work."
"There are things government can do. There are things government can encourage people to do by rewarding them in some way, shape or form."
The governor's advisor Bill Rustem said the Snyder administration has identified improving people's health and controlling costs are key to improving the state's economy and the quality of life.
"Our health care costs are going up astronomically and we are becoming to a large extent a lot unhealthier. Smoking has gone down, but things like obesity have gone up. Michigan actually experienced an increase in infant mortality over the last three years, so there's significant challenges that require both institutional change and behavior change, so he's going to be talking about both those things."
Rustem said the governor will ask for at least one new government mandate he will call on the Legislature to ban smoking at beaches in state parks. He said that will expose fewer children to second-hand smoke, and help get rid of cigarette butts that contain toxins that pollute the water.
A renovation project that's described by administrators as 'much needed' began last Friday, September 2nd, on a Wexford county nursing home.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development granted a 4.5 million dollar loan to Lakeview Manor in Cadillac.
Scott Schryer is with Lakeview Manor. He said the loan makes an expansion possible.
"Lakeview is currently the only skilled nursing facility in Wexford County. In fact in Wexford and Missaukee County combined there are only two. And Lakeview is the larger of them."
Schryer said the project will be completed in ten months. And will create anywhere from 150 to 170 jobs.
"We have a very aggressive timeline. We're expecting in July of 2012, we'll have completed the final parts of the project."
The facility will have three distinct areas, for short-term, long-term and memory patients.
Northern Michigan Regional Health System is offering a new program to provide emotional support to children ages 5-12 who have a parent or other loved one diagnosed with cancer.
The six-week program begins on Monday, September 12th.
CMU Public Radio's David Nicholas talked with Oncology Social Worker Amy Juneau to learn more...
To learn more about the program, contact Amy Juneau at (231) 487-4015.
A state senator said in-home health care workers should be licensed by the state as a deterrent for fraud.
State Senator Mark Jansen said some in-home caregivers prey on the state's most vulnerable people. He said the caregivers make fraudulent Medicaid claims that can cost the program millions of dollars.
"These are things that are happening to some of us as parents, some of us our grandparents, but this fraud and abuse is happening to some of the most vulnerable people, I think, in the state of Michigan." Said Jansen.
Jansen sponsored a measure to require the licensure of the in-home care agencies.
After a summer of monitoring Cass River, the Saginaw Bay Resource Conservation and Development Council, or RC and D has determined the water quality is poor. The team is now deciding what action to take.
The Cass River in the thumb is battling nutrient loading, e-coli and dissolved action problems.
Ben Belkholm is with the Saginaw Bay RC&D. He said the council is designing a Watershed Management Plan to handle the crisis.
"The Watershed Management Plan is a document that will outline not only the main concerns that are in the watershed but the specific locations that we think need the most focus."
Belkholm said the plan will also outline the necessary action to improve the water quality.
He said the RC&D will suggest education for farmers on how to properly dispose of cattle waste, and for local residents on how to maintain their septic tanks.
About two thousand medical marijuana supporters rallied at the state Capitol Wednesday. They gathered to protest proposals to regulate the state's Medical Marijuana Act.
Medical marijuana users and supporters cheered and laughed as a plane flew over head, circling the Capitol with a banner that read state Attorney General Bill Schuette wants to "Keep Patients off the Streets."
Many people in the crowd held "Don't Tread On Me" flags alongside signs asking Schuette and lawmakers not to treat medical marijuana users like criminals.
"They're damaging what we set out to make legal, and what the voters want in Michigan."
That's Bill Teichman, a member of a medical marijuana club in Oakland County. Teichman says the medical marijuana community is frustrated by state officials who are trying to regulate a law that was approved by voters by a wide margin in 2008.
The Michigan Court of Appeals has rejected the legal defense of a man who got a medical marijuana card after he was busted for possession.
As we hear from Michigan Public Radio's Rick Pluta, the court struck down a defense against marijuana charges that's been tried in several Michigan counties.
Brian Reed's home was raided after a police drug team spotted six marijuana plants growing in his backyard. Reed said he never got a medical marijuana card because his regular doctors work for a clinic that would lose its federal funding if they prescribed marijuana to patients.
Between the raid and when he was formally arrested and charged, Reed got a different doctor's approval and a state-issued medical marijuana card as a treatment for chronic back pain. Reed said that should be enough to protect from prosecution under Michigan's medical marijuana law, which was approved by voters in 2008. The appeals court upheld a lower court ruling, and agreed a person busted for marijuana possession cannot use getting a doctor's permission after the fact as a legal defense.
Packages of smoked salmon sold at Meijer stores around the state are being recalled because of possible Listeria contamination.
The recalled packages are labeled "Vita Classic Premium Sliced Smoked
Atlantic Nova Salmon," and have a sell-by date of December 15th, 2011.
Listeria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections. Symptoms
include high fevers, severe headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain
and diarrhea.
Vita foods is asking anyone who bought the recalled salmon to return it to its purchase location.
A coalition of hospitals, schools and health centers are working together to enroll children in the state's free and low-cost health insurance plans.
Phil Bergquist is the manager of health center operations at the Michigan Primary Care Association. He said there are about 127 thousand uninsured kids in Michigan. Sixty five percent of those kids are eligible for free medical insurance but haven't applied.
He said state offered programs such as Healthy Kids and MiChild are based on income and are aimed at working families.
He said a family of four making about 44 thousand a year would qualify.
"If families aren't sure they qualify or if your income is a little bit above that we encourage families to give us a call so that we can kind of look at that income situation with you and see what deductions the families may qualify fir as well." Said Bergquist.
Berquist said the application process takes less than thirty minutes and is as simple as dialing 211 on your phone.
The Michigan Court of Appeals said medical marijuana dispensaries and the sale of medical marijuana are illegal in the state. The court ruled there is nothing in the 2008 voter-approved law that allows either. As we hear from Michigan Public Radio's Rick Pluta, the court declared the clinics a "public nuisance."
The ruling appears to give local prosecutors immediate clearance to ask courts to shut down marijuana dispensaries. In this case, the Isabella County prosecutor went to court in an effort to shutter a clinic that charged fees to facilitate medical marijuana users sharing with each other.
Matt Taylor is one of the owners of the Compassionate Apothecary in Mount Pleasant.
"I firmly believe that we fulfilled the spirit of the law while abiding by the letter of the law."
Taylor said his operation will remain open for now, but he expects the ruling will force some clinics to close. He says no decision has been made on appealing the decision to the state Supreme Court.
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette and some state lawmakers are seeking tighter controls over medical marijuana dispensaries. The state Supreme Court also has two medical marijuana cases on its docket.
A new report released by the non partisan research group, the Mackinac Center, shows that more than half of Michigan school districts are contracting out services.
The report shows estimated cost savings to be nearly 14 million dollars a year.
The report shows that 25% more schools are contracting out services today compared with ten-years ago. It's largely an effort to save money, but James Hohman, the fiscal policy director at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, said there are many other reasons schools are opting to contract out.
"Some of the time it's just a matter of quality. Most districts operate their own food service programs but sometimes have pretty low participation. The kids don't really like their meal so they'll hire a private sector vendor to come in and they'll increase the number of meals served in the school." Said Hohman.
Critics point out the meals offered by private contractors are popular because they are unhealthy. One critic refers to the Southfield School District which served only pizza in the lunch line after contracting out.
A new health care facility is planned for the town of Beaverton in Gladwin County. Officials said it's part of a trend toward improving health care in rural areas.
According to a recent survey, a medical center is a much needed addition in the city of Beaverton.
Ray Stover is with Mid-Michigan Health, he's the head of the project. He said there is an increased demand for primary care services in the mid-Michigan area. He said their goal is to ensure the Beaverton community has the best services for health and wellness in their own backyard.
"We plan to bring in some specialty physicians for example maybe a cardiologist can spend a day a week in that building, maybe a urologist, orthopedic surgeon. We plan to use the building for many different specialties in the future but starting out it's pretty much just going to be a primary care practice." Said Stover.
Stover said the office will have a staff of five. He said that number should double within a few years of operation.
The facility is planned to open the Spring of 2012
Another round of federal funding is heading to northern Michigan this time, to improve water quality on Grand Traverse Bay.
The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay is receiving one-point-seven million dollars in federal grants to clean up storm water flowing into the bay.
Watershed Center Executive Director Andy Knott said one project will target Traverse City's East Bay Park where beach advisories are a common occurrence because of poor water quality.
He said the project will capture storm water and filter it before it enters the bay.
"Our hope is that it will eliminate the E Coli. issues at East Bay Park, and eliminate those beach advisories that we've seen over the years at that park."
Knotts said a similar project will address storm water issues in Suttons Bay.
The Watershed Center also received half a million dollars for sediment management on the Boardman River where officials hope to remove two obsolete dams next year.
"Just removing these first two dams will restore 184 acres of wetlands, 32 acres of upland habitat, and over two miles of cold water river habitat."
Teen deaths are on the decline in Michigan. That's according to an annual report that compares indicators on the wellbeing of children.
According to the report, Michigan ranks better than the national average for the death rate among teens. Jane Zehnder-Merrell is the "Kids Count" project director at the Michigan League for Human Services. She said teens are getting into fewer fatal car accidents. But she said Michigan is experiencing a national trend toward more teen murders.
"It's troubling to see that as we push down one rate another rates starts going up; the homicide rate. Suicide rate has remained relatively stable, but we may see increases in that as well with the stress."
Zehnder-Merrell said unemployment rates and home foreclosures add stress on all ages. She said most startling news from the report is there has been a 64 percent increase in the number of children living in poverty over the past decade. She said the only way to reverse the trend is for the Legislature to adequately fund programs that help struggling kids and families.
Community Health Centers have been a fixture throughout the United States since the 1960s, serving the needs of under served areas.
They were recognized this week, as part of Natinal Health Center Week.
Reliance on these health centers has been on the increase, said Dana Lawrence with the Michigan Primary Care Association.
"There's definitely been an increase in the number of patients being served at health centers, in light of the difficult economic times," Lawrence said.
According to Lawrence, Michigan community health centers serve about 600,000 residents annually at 170 different sites around the state.
Community Health Centers are unique, because management decisions are made by patients.
"They really respond to the health care needs of their individual communities," Lawrence said. "They are operated by a patient-majority board of directors, which really ensures that the needs of their specific community are being met."
Lawrence said community health centers accept all patients, regardless of their ability to pay. Fees are based on a sliding scale, based on income and family size.
She said they provide a wide range of services.
"They provide medical services, behavior health services, dental services, pharmacy, there's even translation for people who need help with translation," Lawrence said. "Or transportation as well. Some people lack access to care because they can't get to their doctor."
A new tax on all health insurance claims waits for approval from lawmakers in the state House. The tax is essential to balance the budget for the coming fiscal year.
Lawmakers must approve the health insurance claims tax in order to replace the existing tax on Medicaid H-M-Os. The federal government is expected to rule later this year that the existing Medicaid tax is illegal. To continue to receive funds from the federal government to help pay for Medicaid the state must approve the new tax on insurance claims.
Some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have said they do not like the new tax proposal. Republicans said they will not vote for a new tax, and some Democrats arguing that it would disproportionately affect some seniors who had their pensions taxed earlier this year.
The House is expected to approve the tax changes when lawmakers return in a couple weeks.
Capital Bureau Chief, Michigan Public Radio Network
LANSING -- The question of whether Michigan's medical marijuana law allows people who smoke medicinal pot to get behind the wheel of a car or truck is headed for the state Court of Appeals.
Rodney Koon is a registered medical marijuana cardholder who acknowledged that he smoked pot about five hours before he was stopped, but says he was not stoned at the time.
That was in February of last year. He was cited for driving under the influence according to a Michigan law that says a driver is assumed to be impaired if there is any amount of THC in their system.
The question is whether the voter-approved medical marijuana law changes that standard, and whether prosecutors have to prove in each case that a medical marijuana user was actually an impaired driver.
Attorney General Bill Schuette opposed the medical marijuana law. He said it's poorly written.
"It's filled with loopholes and problems and this is a major one," said John Sellek, spokesman for the attorney general.
"I don't think anyone out there would agree that you should be on a schedule one drug and be able to operate a motor vehicle," he said, "but unfortunately what the law has put into place is in complete conflict with other parts of the law that protect people from those who are driving under the influence of drugs."
Others disagree.
"There's nothing poorly written about it," said Steven Thompson, a medical marijuana advocate who heads the Michigan chapter of NORML - the National Organization for Rational Marijuana Laws.
"It's a very simplified law the way that it's stated, and I've been pointing out to these people all along that, technically, yes, marijuana is legal in the state of Michigan," he said.
The argument could ultimately wind up with the Michigan Supreme Court, which is just now starting to see cases asking the justices to settle questions surrounding the state's medical marijuana act.
The Michigan Health Department is offering reduced cost (15 dollars) vaccines for the uninsured or under-insured after three cases of tetanus infections was reported in southeast Michigan.
The Northwest Michigan Health Department is encouraging people to stay up to date with their vaccinations.
Dr. Joshua Meyerson is with the Northwest Michigan Health Department. He said people should get a booster every ten years.
Meyerson-
"Certainly people can go to their physician. Most physicians offer tetanus vaccines and Tdap vaccine. But they can also get the immunization at almost any local health department. Our health department offers vaccination clinics several times a month."
Meyerson said lockjaw is much easier to prevent then it is to treat.
He said patients are encouraged to get a Tdap booster which prevents both tetanus and whooping cough.
The amount of organ donors in Michigan increased 73 percent within the past three months. But some advocates are saying this is still not enough.
Michigan is currently one of the lowest ranking states in terms of registered organ donors.
Tracy Ward is with the secretary of state. She said there are over three thousand people in Michigan right now who are waiting for organs that could save their lives.
"We are about 44th in the nation in terms of our registered donors on the Michigan organ donor registry so we can do better and actually we've had a lot of improvement in the last three months."
Ward said she hopes the increase will continue. She said with every donor eight lives can be saved and 50 more improved.
She said the Secretary of State has been taking extra initiatives to encourage people to become organ donors.
The Michigan Department of Community Health is seeking input from the public to begin identifying and addressing top health concerns in the state.
Betsy Pashe (pash) is with the MDCH. She said she suspects there will be two reoccurring themes. The obesity epidemic, which she says Governor Snyder has already been addressing. And the problem of infant mortality among minorities.
Pasche said it is important that people voice their concerns so issues can be addressed properly.
She said the MDCH will use the information to create a statewide health needs assessment.
"The next step when we're done with that is to develop a state wide health improvement plan. And the third step in the process is a strategic plan to get the health improvement plan implemented."
The next forum will be held on Tuesday
(Aug 2nd) in Bay City. Other stops are scheduled for Big Rapids and Gaylord.
You may not think of hospital food as the height of culinary excellence, but some hospitals in Michigan have joined an initiative to make hospital food healthier.
Otsego Memorial Hospital is one of more than 50 facilities in the state that are part of the "Healthy Food Hospital" program.
The hospital is improving the quality of its menu for pediatric patients and working to make cafeteria offerings healthier.
Christie Purdue with Otsego Memorial said the key is to offer a variety of appealing options.
"We're definitely not forcing a menu on anybody, we're definitely not making people eat what they don't want to eat. We want to provide options, but we want them to be healthy. It used to be difficult to buy healthy food to feed 500 people in a day and that's changing. So we're excited to be one of the leaders in moving in that direction."
The hospital has launched a new labeling system to make it easier for patients, staff and visitors to identify healthy offerings in the cafeteria.
And cafeteria workers are using more locally grown food. They hope to have at least 20% of their menu coming from Michigan sources by 2012.
Lawmakers and staff members of the Michigan House will be required to pay more for their health insurance benefits come October first.
As Michigan Public Radio's Laura Weber reports, the change was ordered by House Speaker Jase Bolger.
Bolger made the decision to require all state House employees to pay as much as 20 percent of their health insurance benefits alongside an 18 percent reduction to the money lawmakers have allotted for their office expenses.
"And that's not pleasant for anyone, and we empathize with them..."
That's Speaker Bolger's spokesman, Ari Adler.
"...But we also empathize with the taxpayers who are facing many similar situations in their own households, and we all have to share in the sacrifice."
The changes ordered by Bolger's office comes amidst a debate between the House and Senate over how much teachers and local government employees should be required to pay for their health benefits. Adler said House lawmakers need to lead by example if they plan to cut benefits for other public workers. The House Democratic caucus supports the new policy, but many Democrats oppose passing a law to force public employees to pay more for their benefits.
Picture by Steve & Christine from USA [CC-BY-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
You may not think of hospital food as the height of culinary excellence, but some hospitals in Michigan have joined an initiative to make hospital food healthier.
Otsego Memorial Hospital is one of more than 50 facilities in the state that are part of the "Healthy Food Hospital" program.
The hospital is improving the quality of its menu for pediatric patients and working to make cafeteria offerings healthier.
Christie Purdue with Otsego Memorial says the key is to offer a variety of appealing options.
"We're definitely not forcing a menu on anybody, we're definitely not making people eat what they don't want to eat. We want to provide options, but we want them to be healthy. It used to be difficult to buy healthy food to feed 500 people in a day and that's changing. So we're excited to be one of the leaders in moving in that direction."
The hospital has launched a new labeling system to make it easier for patients, staff and visitors to identify healthy offerings in the cafeteria.
And cafeteria workers are using more locally grown food. They hope to have at least 20% of their menu coming from Michigan sources by 2012.
A joint legislative panel is set to negotiate how much some public employees should be required to pay into their health insurance benefits.
Republican Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville said the payment structure for health benefits for public employees should have been overhauled several years ago. But he said lawmakers should still work with public employee unions to find the savings, because collective bargaining...
"...is a superior way of doing things too, so how do you fold that in?"
Representatives of public employees said they have already made many concessions over the past few years.
"And that's been done at the bargaining table, and that's been a proven place to find those savings."
That's Ray Holman with U-A-W Local six-thousand. Holman represents state employees who won't be affected by the proposed changes to public employee benefits. But, Holman said, if collective bargaining is compromised in the measure before the House and Senate conference committee, all public employees will be on alert and at risk of paying more for their health benefits.
State senators will convene for a midsummer session at the state Capitol tomorrow (Tue.) to discuss a few outstanding issues. Michigan Public Radio's Laura Weber has more.
The subject of what to do about feral pigs has been lumbering its way through the Capitol over the past couple months. Some lawmakers are passionate about the destruction rogue pigs could cause to farmland and livestock. Others say wild boars are an important source of income to hunting ranches. And then there are the lawmakers who think the subject is, well, a bit silly.
"I don't have a pressing need to act on that right away, but I think we need to talk about it."
That's Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville. He recognized that the swine question is important to many people and needs to be dealt with. But Richardville also has his attention set on how to change the way public employees pay for health care benefits, and how long people should be able to collect welfare benefits. The Senate is expected to look at all of these issues in their midsummer meeting.
In Traverse City this weekend, an award-winning author will be speaking about his newest book. The book, "Anatomy of an Epidemic" by Robert Whitaker, is getting attention for promoting ideas that fly in the face of conventional wisdom about an issue that affects millions of people.
The book explores how the medicines that we as a society take for mental illnesses- things like depression and even schizophrenia - may be actually making the problems worse.
Whitaker says his book is based on research compiled over the last half-century -but viewed through a different lens. "What's new about this book is looking at long term outcomes. Medications get approved for their use based on their short term efficacy. Do they knock down a target system of a disorder better then a placebo, and the drugs do that. And you know, there are some people who fair well in the medication long term too and that needs to be acknowledged and be a part of the story. But what I'm really looking at is how medication shape long term outcomes in the advocate and there you find a pretty grim picture told in this scientific literature time and time again."
Whitaker says one of the problems with the common belief system today with mental illness is that it's inevitably assumed to have a biological genesis- often compared with diseases like diabetes,"Unfortunately that is a false metaphor. What you find when you research that, you find that there was a hypothesis that was raised in the 1960's, that people with mental disorders had these chemical imbalances. The hypothesis arose from the understanding on how the drugs acted on the brain. But when they looked to see if people actually had such characteristic chemical imbalances didn't seem to be so. So, that metaphor in which we think the drugs are fixing some known pathology is a false one. And what you really find when you look in the science is that the drugs quote work by perturbing neuro transmitter systems in the brain. The brain goes through these compensatory adaptations in response. So your brain is modified by the drug. But it's not a normal dizing preordain. That is the first thing I think they need to understand. And once you do understand that's when the drugs might be problematic for some people"
Whitaker's book was released just over a year ago. He says the reception has been mixed. The drug industry continues to support the efficacy of psychotropic medications in the treatment of mental illness. However Whitaker says his claims are beginning to gain traction within the professional community, "You find this time and time again where researchers away from the public headline say, I think something is going wrong here, I think that say anti-depressants while they may be effective over the short term are actually depressive-genic agents over the long term."
Whitaker says still, his theory is a tough sell to psychiatrists and to the public - people who suffer from mental illnesses,who may feel that medication is their best hope, "there really is a sense of, what do we grab onto then? What can you offer us? I do think science is telling us some things that can be developed. You can have thoughtful effective response systems. But are they in place now, nope. So that is a real problem. I'll tell you this too. I've had psychiatrists come up to me read the book. In positions of authority and say, okay I think your right. I've read this and I've looked back at your citations. Now you have to tell me two things. You have to tell me how I can look back at the last 20 years and still feel good about that, and you have to tell me how I go to work tomorrow. So it's almost like, if they're really going to accept this literature its a real existential crisis for them. So that's a real problem".
Whitaker will discuss his book and his beliefs from 2-4 tomorrow at Horizon Books in Traverse City. The event was planned by community members. His presentation is open to the public.
A coalition of community health centers, hospitals and schools is trying to reduce the number of uninsured children in Michigan.
To do that, they're offering gift cards to anyone who refers an uninsured child to the state's MIChild or Healthy Kids programs.
Philip Bergquist is with the Michigan Primary Care Association.
He said there are over 170,000 children in Michigan that have no health coverage, despite programs that offer it for free or at low cost.
"For each family that you can find with an uninsured child, we'll recognize your great work and your service to the community by giving you a $10 gift card. And that gift card is our way of saying 'thank you' for helping us connect that child with health insurance and health care," Bergquist said.
Warnings are going out to Morel mushroom hunters; make sure the mushroom you've found is actually a morel before you eat it. Health officials says ten people in Michigan have already been hospitalized this year after eating toxic, false morels.
Last year there weren't any hospitalizations. In 2009 there were five.
Sarah Ray with the Grand Traverse County health Department, says if you eat a false morel, it doesn't take long before you feel the symptoms, "It presents very similar to a food-borne illness, so you have the nausea, stomach cramping, vomiting, but it can quickly progress depending on an individual sensitivity to the toxin that could lead to things such as coma or stroke"
Ray says if you're new to morel hunting, you should go with an experienced Morel hunter or take a guidebook along.
You can also get information on how to determine what's a real morel at the Michigan poison center at the Detroit Medical Center. Their website is www.childrensDMC.org
State voters approved the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act in 2008. In the two-and-a-half years since, medical marijuana users and state and local officials have begun seeking to resolve questions about the law.
Advocates of medical marijuana say the law allows ample room for interpretation. But some state and local officials say portions of the law are very clear.
"I think the law set out a very specific framework in which medical marijuana patients could have marijuana; one is to grow their own, or two, to get it from a caregiver," says Isabella County Prosecutor Larry Burdick. He filed a case against a Mt. Pleasant organization that facilitates the transfer of medical marijuana among legal users.
Burdick initiated civil proceedings requesting the court to close the club. He says the court should answer a very specific question, "whether dispensaries, or compassion clubs, or consignment shops, or whatever you want to call these type of businesses, whether they're able to distribute medical marijuana to individuals other than their patients."
Isabella County Circuit Court ruled that this sort of operation is legal, and Burdick has appealed that decision. The next round of proceedings is pending.
Club operators believe the law accommodates their business.
"Basically, we are a provider of medical marijuana to legally-registered patients," says Matt Taylor, owner of the club in question in this particular case, Compassionate Apothecary of Mount Pleasant. He's also a partner in similar organizations in Traverse City and Lansing. Taylor says his clubs have a total membership of nearly 2200.
Taylor says without operations like his, patients wouldn't be able to access medical marijuana as quickly.
"It seems like the current activities have for the most part channelled it in the direction of legitimacy, and the only thing preventing us from getting further down that road are challenges like Burdick's. I honestly believe that not just CA (Compassionate Apothecary), but there's a few other places out there, that are doing this in a way that benefits the state, and benefits the communities that host them."
While state and local officials say there is some room in the law for interpretation, they also say some of that wriggle room conflicts with other laws.
For example, the Grand Traverse County Prosecutor filed a case against a registered medical marijuana user who drove with marijuana in his system, in violation of the state's motor vehicle code. That case is pending appeal after county district and circuit courts ruled in favor of the driver.
Another challenge is in Shiawassee County. The prosecutor there brought felony possession charges against a registered user who grew his plants in an outdoor dog kennel. The state Court of Appeals ruled the kennel wasn't secure enough.
The American Civil Liberties Union has asked the state supreme court to review this case.
"The ACLU of Michigan has long been an advocate for protecting the rights of medical marijuana patients in Michigan," says ACLU staff attorney Dan Korobkin. His organization is involved in several other Michigan cases involving medical marijuana.
"We're involved in an employment lawsuit against Wal-Mart, we're involved in a lawsuit against several cities in Michigan who have taken it upon themselves to try and ban medical marijuana, even though that's illegal under state law, and we've been involved in advocating for the rights of medical marijuana patients in public housing."
And just as supporters of medical marijuana have some organizations like the ACLU on their side, law enforcement has support in several cases from Michigan's Attorney General.
"Attorney General Bill Schuette is making it a great priority to support county prosecutors across the state who are struggling to ensure public safety in the face of a very poorly-written and vague medical marijuana law," says Attorney General spokesperson Joy Yearout. She says this is the early stage of working out the questions surrounding this law.
"We're at the very beginning stages right here, and there are cases all across the state. Attorney General Schuette is going to continue to work with county prosecutors and use the resources of his office to reign in this law to make sure that it is properly respected and that public safety is ensured."
The specific details of these cases aside, some say there's a philosophical element to consider, too. Some wonder whether these questions ought to be resolved by the courts, or by the legislature.
Isabella County Prosecutor Larry Burdick says he would prefer the legislature to take the lead.
"I wish the legislature would get back at work on fixing a lot of these uncertainties in the Medical Marijuana Act -- they just don't seem to be able to get at it quite yet. So that's why the courts are dealing with this all over the state. That's not the best way to do it -- it just really isn't."
But for now, the judiciary has the first opportunity to resolve some of these disputes -- nearly three years after the law was passed.
The Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) has approved the sale of certain reformulated alcoholic beverages. The drinks used to be alcoholic energy drinks, but were banned late last year because of their combination of alcohol and stimulants, like caffeine. Some called the original beverages "blackout in a can."
MLCC spokesperson Andrea Miller says companies reintroduced the products this month.
"They removed all the stimulants, such as the caffeine, the taurine, the guarana, but they still have similar labels and similar price-points. So that's the concern right now -- that they still look the same, and people are calling and saying, 'These items are still on the shelf,' when really, they've been reformulated and approved."
State officials are still concerned about the drinks, even without the stimulants, says Andrea Miller
"The concern is that the cans are typically 23.5 oz in size, with the alcohol volume as high as 12%. And as such, one beverage is equivalent to approximately two to three beers, with a price point of $2-$3 per can."
She says labels on the reformulated beverages are so similar to the original, that people don't realize they're different drinks.
"The commission has been receiving calls -- more or less anonymous tips -- saying that the store is still selling these products, when in truth they have been approved as of March 1 to be put back on, because the stimulants were taken out."
The MLCC banned the original alcoholic energy drinks last December.
Dow Corning and the UK-based Centre for Vision in the Developing World (CVDW) say they plan to combat a shortage of eye-care professionals in developing countries. The partners plan to improve children's vision using innovative, cost-efficient eyeglasses.
The adjustable eyeglasses let users fine-tune the amount of silicone fluid inside the lenses, to tweak the glasses' strength.
Officials from the partner organizations say the glasses can improve children's vision. Lindsay Kuhnle, Global Marketing Communications Leader for Dow Corning Healthcare, says the initiative has implications beyond simply improving vision.
"The aim is to increase the effectiveness overall of classroom-based education by improving the child's ability to see the blackboard. Can you imagine being in a classroom, and not having the appropriate or any vision correction, and the challenges you would have with being able to see the blackboard? So what we're ultimately hoping to do is by improving and increasing vision correction for these children, that ultimately we'll be impacting their education."
Kuhnle says the adult glasses are relatively inexpensive.
"The glasses that are out there cost about $20, but in order to make this mass production and to get this to more children, we know that we'll need to bring the cost of the overall glasses down. So the overall goal is to significantly decrease that $20 cost of the current pair, and make them much more cost-effective to hopefully increase distribution of the child-specific glasses."
Kuhnle says the CVDW has already distributed adjustable glasses to 40,000 adults in developing countries. She says the children's glasses are based on that design.
"Picture putting on these glasses that have syringes and tubes on the side, and these little adjustment wheels. And by adding or removing the fluid, via the removable syringes and the dials, the wearer can modify the power of the lens. So the glasses are designed to provide vision correction, and they don't need to have an eye-care professional there to actually do that."
Dow Corning has committed $3 million of funding and materials-expertise to the project.
Kuhnle says the partners plan to distribute 50,000 pairs of glasses to kids in developing countries within 12 to 18 months. The partners still have to determine where exactly the glasses will go.
The Michigan Department of Community Health says a new, dangerous drug is making its way through the state. Users call it "bath salts," but it's a chemical mixture that officials say produces dangerous highs.
David Wade directs the division of Environmental Health at the Department of Community Health. He says people ingest the chemicals simply to get high -- these drugs have no legitimate use, medical or otherwise.
"And in fact, they are derivatives of chemicals that are already controlled substances. These chemicals are derivatives of compounds that are already illegal, and because they resemble parent compounds that are already illegal, they themselves are illegal, as well."
Wade says the drugs cause dizziness and paranoid delusions.
"Most significantly, they appear to be hyper-anxious, hyper-vigilant, very paranoid; they'll describe a number of hallucinations. And the hallucinations are very, very disturbing, and again, all tend to be similar, in that they're being pursued by something bad: a devil, a demon, an enemy combatant. They all sort of uniformly describe being pursued by something bad."
He says although the mixtures are called "bath salts," they're in no way related to actual Epsom salts or similar products. Wade says that's a misnomer, meant to camouflage the chemicals' real use.
Agencies are moving against these drugs, according to Wade.
"The Marquette County Health Department issued an emergency rule, citing imminent public health danger, as a result of these products, collectively known as bath salts, and went to the one supplier that they knew of in the area, and were able to confiscate all of the material."
Wade says he expects other health departments and law enforcement agencies across the state to follow suit in the coming weeks.
Wade says cases began appearing in Michigan within the last several weeks, having been first reported in Louisiana and Florida. He says one death in Michigan could be potentially related to the drugs.
Officials say it's not yet clear who produces the chemicals.
Officials from Planned Parenthood of West and Northern Michigan say they'll consider whether to begin offering abortions.
This comes following a recent decision by the Planned Parenthood Federation of America to expand its definition of core services, which the organization says should be offered by each of its affiliates nationwide.
Katherine Humphrey is President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of West and Northern Michigan.
"The only two services that we don't provide at every site is HPV vaccinations and abortion, and we'll begin phasing in the HPV vaccination at our health centers in this first quarter of this year."
Humphrey says her affiliate so far hasn't offered abortions.
"Over the years, in terms of abortions, we've regularly evaluated our need for abortion services, compared with the associated costs and the availability of other providers in the affiliate's service area, which is a 52-county area. And we'd made the decision not to provide these services directly."
Humphrey says the affiliate now has to reconsider whether to offer abortions.
"In terms of abortions, in response to the standard, our board of directors, and our medical directors, and our senior leadership are in the process of conducting appropriate due diligence. And we'll determine how best to move forward once this process is completed."
Humphrey says they have until 2015 to make that decision.
Planned Parenthood of West and Northern Michigan has eight offices across 52 counties, with centers in Big Rapids, Petoskey, and Traverse City.
A Michigan non-profit is warning that repealing the national health care law could have some costly consequences for Michigan small businesses.
More than 120,000 Michigan small businesses would lose tax credits if the national health care law were repealed, according to a report by the Public Interest Research Group in Michigan, or PIRGIM.
The group says repealing the law would also lead to rate increases on the individual market.
"A repeal would raise premiums on the individual market, so for people who are buying their health insurance individually, separate from an employer, up to 20 percent by 2016," said Meghan Hess, a program associate with PIRGIM.
According to Hess, repealing the health care law would lead to higher costs for employers as well, which would lead to 6,000 fewer people being hired annually by the end of the decade.
"Rolling back the law would drive up employer health costs, which would lead to over 6,000 fewer jobs created per year," she said.
Hess said an outright repeal of the law would pull over $14 billion in Medicaid dollars out of Michigan's economy, and put 184 community health centers in jeopardy.
"And these community health centers help to fill gaps in access to care," Hess said. "They give more people the ability to seek preventative care, instead of going to the emergency room, which is another way we can help keep costs down in our medical system."
Other provisions in the law allow people under age 26 to remain on their parents health insurance.
According to Hess, those provisions would be gone if the health care law was repealed.
PIRGIM, a non-profit non-partisan organization, said it based the report on data from the Congressional Budget Office, other government agencies, business groups and health analysts.
Michigan's attorney general is investigating the sudden closure of a national dental chain that had at least six locations in Michigan, including in Flint.
Allcare closed its doors in 15 states last week, after running out of cash and failing to secure new financing. That left customers without access to dental care or their dental records.
"We're hopeful that we'll be able to either get consumers the products they expected, whether that's dentures or dental care, or secure a refund for them if they weren't allowed to access those services before the business closed," said Joy Yearout, a spokesperson for Attorney General Bill Schuette.
She said the attorney general is working with his counterparts in other states to investigate the closure.
"Attorney General Schuette launched a multi-state taskforce he's putting together to work with other state attorneys general," said Yearout, "so everyone's on the same page, has access to the same information, and can help bring this to a resolution quickly."
Yearout is urging all Allcare customers to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office, regardless whether they are owed services or not.
"Even if you don't have an outstanding service, or have already paid for something you did not receive, you will need to get access to your medical records at some point," Yearout said. "So we're hoping to serve as a liaison for those patients as well, to ensure that they get access to their records for future care."
Complaints can be filed by contacting the attorney general's office at (877) 765-8388, or online at Michigan.gov/ag.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture is investigating several cases of phony food inspectors that have cropped up across the state.
The scam involves fake food inspectors contacting restaurants and other food establishments to schedule inspections.
About a dozen or so cases have been reported so far.
Jennifer Holton, a spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, said inspectors will rarely schedule a visit in advance.
"Both state and federal food inspections are usually unannounced just to make sure that proper food safety measures are always in place, and are always being adhered to," Holton said.
Holton said most food establishments have a relationship with their inspectors, and if they suspect someone is posing as a food inspector, they should contact their local health department.
The incidents are now under investigation.
"We're working with our local health departments, as well as with local law enforcement officials to identify the size and scope" of the scam, Holton said.
"Is this one individual, is this multiple individuals? We don't know, so we're working really closely with those folks to address it," she said.
According to Holton, food inspectors will never ask for personal information such as social security numbers or banking information -- and that requests for such information is a sign of a scam.
SAGINAW -- Central Michigan University has finalized affiliation agreements for its new medical school.
The university is partnering with Synergy Medical Alliance, Covenant HealthCare and St. Mary's of Michigan to form a new medical school.
Covenant and St. Mary's currently control Synergy Medical.
But under the new agreement, they will relinquish their control to CMU, said Synergy CEO Terry Lerash.
"In exchange, CMU will designate Saginaw as the east campus of the College of Medicine," he said. "Furthermore, CMU has committed to training medical students in Saginaw, and to build a state of the art facility in the city of Saginaw to host all medical education programs."
CMU President Dr. George Ross said the new partnership will benefit residents throughout the state.
"The groundwork has been put in place that will create a fully integrated medical education program," said Ross.
According to Ross, the new medical program is "designed to meet the specific health care needs in medically under-served and rural communities in mid and northern Michigan."
The new medical school will improve health care across the entire region, said the school's dean, Dr. Ernie Yoder.
"Where there are medical schools, and where there are medical education programs, there tend to be higher quality of care, physician retention, and the ability to recruit the excellent physicians you need to the community," Yoder said.
St. Mary's CEO John Graham agreed, adding that the school would be an economic boon for the region.
"A new college of medicine is an investment in our future," he said. "Our children and our grandchildren need strong health care opportunities, as well as career opportunities here in this region. This partnership will ensure that."
Leaders in Saginaw are already excited about the prospect of a new medical school being built.
According to City Manager Darnell Earley, the school could spark a revitalization of downtown.
"The models that I've seen in Flint with the University of Michigan, and what it's done in Flint; Cooley Law School and the impact it's had on downtown Lansing, and of course Grand Valley in the Grand Rapids area. So I would like to think that Central can be a good partner with the city, and help focus on revitalizing our efforts here as well," Earley said.
The next step in the process is to earn accreditation for the new medical school. According to Ross, that's expected to happen next year.
And if all goes well, the first class of students should begin in 2012.
Over 70 percent of Michigan residents support the state's workplace smoking ban, according to a new survey by the Michigan Department of Community Health.
Community Health officials say Michigan's workplace smoking ban protects business employees and patrons from second-hand smoke.
Spokesperson James McCurtis says the ban also encourages smokers to quit. He says the Department of Community Health asked over 2,000 smokers how the ban affected their habits.
"More than 50 percent of them either quit or tried to quit smoking. We feel like that's making some good progress. That's a good thing. And hopefully we can move along in that trend for those who really want to try to quit smoking."
McCurtis also says lots of businesses report having more patrons since the ban's implementation more than six months ago.
Jeremy Lawless is the Director of Operations and Marketing at Riverwood Resort in Mount Pleasant. Riverwood's bowling alley allowed smoking until the ban. Lawless says he's seen mixed responses since the switch.
"People like myself, and our staff, and a lot of our regular bowlers appreciate it. Our non-smokers say, 'Hey, it's a better environment now.' You also see customers that have been doing it for 30 years that have a negative connotation about it."
Lawless says he doesn't know of anyone who stopped bowling at Riverwood since the workplace smoking ban went into effect.
The Department of Community Health survey indicates that more than 85 percent of respondents reported going to bars and restaurants just as much or more since the ban's enforcement.
Northern Michigan Regional Health System announced today that it will cut some services in the Petoskey area.
Services at a neonatal intensive care unit, a hospitality house, and the inpatient mental health unit in Petoskey will all be discontinued.
Mental health professionals say the loss of Northern Michigan Hospital's inpatient mental health services means patients from the area will likely have to travel farther from home for inpatient treatment.
Alexis Kaczynski is the Director of North Country Community Mental Health, which serves six counties, including Emmet.
"It will affect our ability to hospitalize people close to home. There aren't any units in my six-county service area, except for the unit at Northern Michigan Hospital. There aren't very many psychiatric units in northern Michigan."
Kaczynski says the remaining inpatient units are quite spread out across the region.
"There's one in Alpena, there's one in Traverse City, and there's one in Kinross. So, it depends what part of the area you're in, as to which one is closest to you. But as you can see, none of them are especially close."
Kaczynski says Northern Michigan Hospital's 14-bed unit was the most popular inpatient mental health unit for patients served by her office.
Officials from Northern Michigan Regional Health Systems say the affected services will be discontinued by December 18.
BY RICK PLUTA Capital Bureau Chief, Michigan Public Radio Network
LANSING -- A study commissioned by local governments says Michigan's voter-approved medical marijuana law has so many holes it should be scrapped and re-written.
According to William Matheson with the Michigan Municipal League, the only way that will happen is if and when a federal judge rules state medical marijuana laws are preempted under the U.S. Constitution by federal drug laws.
But he says local governments should not wait to enact medical marijuana ordinances.
"It's going to take a long time for that to develop probably and in the meantime," Matheson said, "local officials and local communities need to make sure that their community standards and the health, safety, and welfare of citizens in that community are protected."
Challenges in other states have had mixed results.
It would take three-quarter majorities in both chambers of the Michigan Legislature to amend the medical marijuana law. It was overwhelmingly approved by two years ago by Michigan voters.
LANSING -- Advocates for mother and infant health say the negative effects of budget cuts are reflected in Michigan's pregnancy statistics. The Right Start report from the Michigan League for Human Services says an uptick in low birth weights is of particular concern.
Jane Zehnder-Merrell is with the group. She said vital programs that help ensure the health of mothers and their babies are being cut.
"We have to start at day one. We have bodies of research now about how important those years are and how those interventions shape the architecture of the brain, the developing brain," Zehnder-Merrell said. "And we can't afford to wait until kids are in kindergarten or middle school or high school to start worrying about how they're doing in education."
The report also shows a disproportionate percentage of negative birth statistics - such as low birth weights and teen pregnancies - affect African American and Hispanic women in poorer communities.
According to Zehnder-Merrell, term-limits in the Legislature contributes to short-sighted budget cuts.
"There's less willingness to take the challenges of long-term investment," she said. "And children, no mistake, are a long-term investment. Those of us who are parents know this. And it's unfortunate that we're not doing this, because in the end we will pay the price. One way or another, we will pay the price."
The report says that over the past eight years, budget cuts to Maternal and Children's Health Services was cut from more than $20 million a year to about $3.5 million
Young adults with attention disorders tend to make more driving errors than those without those disorders, according to researchers at Central Michigan University.
Researchers say having Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD) or the related Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) could make drivers between 18 and 22 as much as twice as likely to make risky decisions on the road, like speeding or running traffic lights.
CMU's Center for Driving Evaluation, Education, and Research is conducting the study. Dr. Richard Backs is the Center's Director.
"More of their problems, in at least simulated driving in our laboratory, seem to be related to these other issues associated with inability to control their emotions, anger, hostility, frustration, when they're behind the wheel, than in any of their actual operational driving abilities."
Dr. Backs says researchers plan to study ways of incorporating impulse control into driver training for young adults with attention disorders.
"Our ultimate goal is to be able to identify how to really approach this problem from the impulsivity/emotion control side, and provide some kind of remediation to help them become better drivers, either something that could be included as a part of drivers' education, or maybe as a separate program."
Dr. Backs says researchers use their AAA Michigan driving simulator to monitor the driving behavior of study participants.
LANSING -- Michigan is expected to receive about $700 million in federal aid, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The U.S. Congress is expected to approve the money for Medicaid and schools Tuesday.
State officials had been crafting worst-case-scenario budget plans in case Congress did not approve an extension in Medicaid funds. But now it appears Michigan will receive $380 million for Medicaid, and another $318 million for schools.
Karen Holcomb-Merrill is with the Michigan League for Human Services. She said the money will be helpful, but it's still not as much as the state had originally planned for Medicaid.
"There will still have to be either some cuts made or some additional revenue raised in order to close that gap," said Holcomb-Merrill.
Senate Republicans say they plan to balance the budget once again with cuts alone, and with no new taxes or fees. Holcomb-Merrill said the state has already endured deep and painful cuts, and now it's time to look at new revenue.
LANSING -- Leaders in the Michigan Legislature are waiting for the U.S. Congress to approve an extension of Medicaid funds this week. They say it will make budget negotiations in Michigan go much more quickly and smoothly.
According to House Speaker Andy Dillon, hundreds of millions of dollars in Medicaid funds would solve many issues with the budget deficit.
"So I think that we'll have the resources we need to get budget done between now and September," said Dillon. "So now that we've got some definite numbers I think we'll be able to start finishing the balance of the budgets."
Dillon says budget talks should also be easier now that the primary elections are over.
Children's health advocates say current federal law doesn't adequately address toxins making their way into the Great Lakes.
Rebecca Meunink is the spokesperson for the Michigan Network for Children's Environmental Health. Her organization is one of several seeking to revise the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976.
Meunink says that law hasn't prevented certain toxins from accumulating.
"Like mercury, PCBs, lead, dioxins keep showing up in the Great Lakes environment and have detrimental impacts both on wildlife and then up in the food chain - our own human health."
Meunink says a revision to the law would require all industrial compounds to be tested for danger. Current law only requires safety testing after other evidence suggests a compound is potentially dangerous.
"What it doesn't do is require an immediate phase-out of those persistent bio-accumulative and toxic chemicals. And those chemicals are not only just the ones that have been around for quite some time, but also the newer chemicals that are showing up in Great Lakes fish."
Meunink says mercury, lead, PCBs, and dioxins are still being found throughout the Great Lakes food chain.
The two-day Michigan Teen Conference wrapped up Wednesday afternoon on the campus of Central Michigan University.
The conference is meant to help teenagers in the state's foster care system transition to adulthood.
Over 100 teenagers were at this year's conference.
Teens like Delawrence Billingsley of Detroit, who just recently "aged out" of foster care.
"I've been in foster care from the age of 10," said Billingsley. "I've been neglected and abused by my mother. She was on drugs."
Delawrence's life has been full of uncertainty. He lived in four foster homes in seven years and has attended two different high schools.
Delawrence, and teens just like him from across the state gathered at CMU this week, to talk about their experiences in foster care and to learn some valuable life skills for the future.
"For those of us who did not grow up in foster care, we learned these things from our families," said Laura Mitchell with Lutheran Social Services of Michigan. She was chairperson of the conference. "
"Just how to do laundry, or what to do to open a bank account, just all that basic stuff in life. Sometimes kids who are in foster care, their focus is elsewhere," she said.
According to Mitchell, that's why the Michigan teen conference was started 10 years ago - to teach foster teens skills they might not get anywhere else.
"Managing money, we have a workshop on teen dating violence, we have a workshop on how to access funds through the State of Michigan. A whole variety, 12 different workshops, all geared toward the teenagers," said Mitchell.
The conference also brings in foster care success stories to talk with the teens.
"I'm Cherish Thomas. I'm a former foster care alumn, and I graduated from the University of Michigan, currently a grad student in the school of social work."
Thomas was one of the conference's keynote speakers.
Her message for the teens was one of self-worth and personal identity.
"When the system comes in and takes us from our parents, a lot of times we lose who we are because we don't know where we came from," said Thomas. "And you lose a sense of self."
"I think that as a child, being able to grow up in a two-parent household, having the privilege to know who your parents are, seeing their interactions, knowing where you get certain traits from and being able to identify with them culturally, foster care kids don't have that anymore," she said.
"They're ripped from that. So a lot of times we try to find ourselves through other people, and who we look at. And they lose the sense of self, they try to adapt to what somebody else has."
Thomas encourages foster teens to find their own sense of self "by finding out what they like, what they don't like. What they want, what they don't want. And really being able to do self assessments and self evaluation to be able to refine themselves throughout their journey."
The Teen Conference is all about making sure foster children are as prepared as they can be for the adult world, says Denita Echols.
She's a foster alum, and now works for the state Department of Human Services...
"Foster care is a very temporary thing, although it feels like forever," said Echols. "When I was seven, I couldn't imagine being 18. And after 18, I wanted to go back. Because to me, the State of Michigan was my parent."
"You know, they took me from my mom, which that was a good decision, but my mom was not able to parent me. I looked for the state to parent me, and they were not able to do a good job. But everybody else, when they had a problem in college, they went home to their parents. And I tried that, and I was rejected," she said.
"So I feel it's important that my young people learn that there's gonna be obstacles, but you have to prepare for them. And part of that is learning, getting as much information as possible, and learning," Echols said.
That's exactly what Delawrence Billingsley was doing this week. He'll be heading off to Western Michigan University this fall to study social work.
He eventually wants to help other kids in the foster system.
"I can't say I can know what they've been through, but I know the similarities," he said. "I know I can feel their pain, and give them feedback that can help them move on and do something with themselves."
Maybe, in a few years, the tables will turn, and it will be Delawrence speaking to foster children, telling them success is always within arm's reach, no matter where they come from in life.
Delta College is offering a day camp next week for children with asthma. Asthma Camp includes swimming, crafts, and Latin dance lessons.
Tim Heinz is an associate professor of respiratory therapy at Delta College. He says the camp's activities will help make kids comfortable around respiratory therapists - and campers will get to interact with each other, too.
"The campers can talk about their own experiences that they've had with the other children. And so, one child may say, 'I'm allergic; I have a problem playing out in the grass.' And another camper may say, 'You know, I had that problem, too, and this is what I did to alleviate my asthmatic symptoms.' And so they can learn from each other."
According to Heinz, the camp will teach kids how to manage asthma.
"Respiratory therapy is really into education, and so we're trying to get out there and educate the public. Campers could then teach their parents, or teach their relatives."
There are two sessions - one for ages seven through nine and another for ages ten through twelve.
The Delta College program is one of three asthma camps in Michigan, according to Heinz. He says support from St. Mary's of Michigan Free Ward Association and Delta College makes the event free for campers.
This is the second year Delta College has hosted Asthma Camp.
Northern Michigan residents are being told to avoid the St. Mary's River and Lake George Channel in Chippewa County because of elevated levels of bacteria.
The advisory follows heavy rain earlier this week, which can cause elevated levels of E. coli and other harmful bacteria.
The Chippewa County Health Department says people should avoid body contact with area waters for at least 24 hours following a heavy rain event.
New research demonstrates a positive correlation between vigorous physical activity and GPA - which generally means the more exercise, the higher the grades.
Dr. Joshua Ode, an Assistant Professor of Kinesiology at Saginaw Valley State University, supervised the study. He says the association between grades and vigorous physical activity is a correlation - and more research is needed at this point to identify an actual cause.
"The beneficial effects of activity might actually increase their attentiveness in class -- they're more alert, they feel better. The psychological benefits may actually, in turn, help them in the classroom."
He also says students who exercise more might have discipline that keeps them on-task at school.
Dr. Ode says this information could help college students form healthy life habits.
"When you get into college, you're often leaving home. It's really the first time that you're becoming an adult, and so a lot of lifestyle habits, I believe, occur during the college years. This is just more evidence that shows that a healthy lifestyle - with good amounts of physical activity - may influence your academic success."
He is careful to point out that correlation does not equal causation - so future research is necessary to identify the exact cause for the relationship.
Dr. Ode describes vigorous activity as the sort that makes you sweat or breathe hard. His study shows at least twenty minutes a day correlates to higher grades.
Children and their caregivers are being encouraged to turn off the TV and video games this week, and go exploring outside.
This week is "No Child Left Indoors Week" in Michigan.
According to Ray Rustem with the state Department of Natural Resources and Environment, too many children are spending too much time indoors.
"We're seeing a real decrease in kids' connection to nature," said Rustem. "And that's what this really, this week is really about, is reconnecting them back with nature, and getting them just time to play and explore."
He said children who spend more time outdoors tend to be healthier.
"When kids play outdoors, they're more physically active, less chance of obesity, they have less stress, they retain things better when they play outdoors," he said.
Around 260 Red Cross blood services employees in Michigan went on strike Wednesday morning. They allege the Red Cross is engaged in unfair labor practices and violated FDA regulations.
The Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 459 represents the strikers, twenty of whom are in Petoskey.
Lance Rhines is a service representative with the union. He says the strike will end Friday.
"If we were out here just trying to leverage contract negotiations, this would be an open-ended strike, and the issues would be much different. This message is about engaging the communities to look at what's going on with the American Red Cross and to help us turn this organization back around."
Monica Stoneking is the Communications Manager for the Great Lakes Region of the Red Cross. She says the Red Cross is compliant with FDA regulations, and that stalled contract negotiations triggered the strike.
"The main issue at hand is that the American Red Cross, across the board, has asked its non-union and union staff members to pay the same amount for healthcare. Unfortunately for our union staff members, they're being asked to pay about twice as much."
Union members also say the strike is to draw attention to FDA fines against the Red Cross for preventable errors in handling blood products. Stoneking says clerical errors triggered all eleven recalls of blood products in the Great Lakes Region of the Red Cross last year.
Both the union and the Red Cross say the strike will not disrupt services. The strike began with one thousand employees in Michigan, Connecticut, Ohio, West Virginia, and California.
The National Labor Relations Board will hear arguments about unfair labor practices between union members and the Red Cross on June 21.
It's been nearly a month since Michigan's workplace smoking ban took effect. In that time, calls to the state's Tobacco Quit Line have increased by twenty percent.
That phone line offers support to tobacco users who want to quit. Karen Brown is the Tobacco Dependence Treatment Specialist with the Department of Community Health, which operates the line. Brown says it was harder to quit when people encountered smoking in the workplace.
"All those visual cues, all the olfactory cues - just going, 'Wow, everybody else is smoking; I want to do it, too.' So, taking that away just really helps with willpower. It helps a lot with the cravings - there's less cravings, because they're not smelling it all the time."
Brown says the line has received an average of thirty-two new calls a day since late April.
The Tobacco Quit Line refers callers to quit support services throughout the state. It also offers some over-the-phone counseling for callers who don't have insurance.
"If you are uninsured, on Medicaid, Medicare, or on a county health plan, you actually can qualify for a counseling program. You'll get one counseling session on the spot, and four follow-up calls around your quit-date to help you stay smoke-free."
Brown says the Department of Community Health expected a jump in calls because of the smoking ban, but she says the number of new callers per day will likely fall back to the low twenties in the next couple months.
The Tobacco Quit Line can be reached at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669).
Speaker Dillon says he thinks the plan could still save the state a (b) billion dollars. But with a few new proposals, including one that would allow public employee unions to opt out of the health care pool and pay the difference, it's unclear just how much money the plan would save.
Democratic state Representative Pam Byrnes chairs the committee examining the proposal. "It's got to be cost-saving, if it's not cost-saving than it's not worth doing. And I think that's what the Speaker was saying.
Kayla Polk was recovering from eye surgery when a friend gave her a stuffed animal to comfort her.
Kayla so appreciated the gesture that she wanted to do the same for other kids.
"After I, like, recovered, that's when I got the stuffed animal. So it helped me put a smile - a big smile - on my face. It feels really good."
In the year and a half since her surgery, Kayla says a lot of people have helped her start her nonprofit organization, called Kayla Kares.
"Lots of people have given me new stuffed animals, not-really-used stuffed animals that they've had at their house. We have a lot, so we're going to be giving them away soon."
She says she enjoys receiving the donations, and writing thank-you cards to the people who send them.
Her mom says Kayla has always been a caring kid -- so she wasn't surprised when Kayla wanted to share stuffed animals with other young patients.
Kayla hosted a spaghetti dinner earlier this week to raise money for Kayla Kares. It was hard work - but she says the high turnout and support means "it went awesome."
Kayla Kares distributes the stuffed animals through the office of Dr. Daniel Thuente, the surgeon who treated Kayla.
The number of Michigan births by C-section is up fifty percent compared to ten years ago. According to the CDC, more than one in four babies in Michigan are now surgically delivered.
Desirre Andrews is the president of the International Cesarean Action Network.
"The under-25 age group, since 2000, is the highest increase in cesareans. It's fascinating and heart-breaking at the same time. These are women at the beginning of their child-bearing years."
Andrews says the overall increase is in part due to hospital policies that require mothers to have C-sections if they've had one before. She says those policies aren't necessary, and mothers should ask questions about the procedure.
"If it doesn't sound right to them, like, 'why do I need to do this? This is really major surgery.' Interviewing providers, maybe looking at different avenues of birth, maybe a birth center, maybe a home birth."
According to Andrews, a recent study from the National Institutes of Health suggests that natural birth can still be an option for women who have undergone C-sections.
The CDC says cesarean births cost nearly double compared to natural delivery -- and C-sections are the most common surgery in the US.
It will take years to fully implement, but the governor says the immediate impact will be to reduce the ranks of the one million uninsured people in Michigan by a third. The federal government will pick up the additional cost. She says people with health coverage are less likely to make expensive emergency room visits, which will save taxpayers money.
"We've done the analysis and it's a very good deal for Michigan and for our healthcare coverage."
The governor says the new law is also a good deal for young adults who will be able to remain on their parents' health plans, and for small businesses. She says many of the objections to the law are simply political. The governor is at odds with Republican state Attorney General Mike Cox on the question. He has joined a lawsuit seeking to reverse the law as unconstitutional.
The Shiawassee Taskforce on Prevention is asking for help from parents to fight underage alcohol, tobacco, and drug use.
Cathy Spreug-Emans is the coordinator of the taskforce, commonly known as STOP. She says the group has made efforts to curb these illegal activities.
"We have supplied the scorpion cameras to the sheriff's department. They are little, micro-size cameras that can fit on an officer's uniform or they could be mounted on a dashboard. They are to be used for collecting evidence on underage drinking."
Spreugg-Emans also says STOP uses community advocacy and enlists college students to mentor junior high and high school students to fight underage substance use. She says the state spends nearly two billion dollars every year because of underage drinking -- and rates of traffic accidents related to underage drinking in Shiawassee County are among the highest in the state.
Spreug-Emans says rates of traffic accidents related to underage drinking in Shaiwasee county are among the highest in the state.
"We still have suppliers in Shiawassee County that are still selling liquor to the youth, and they're also selling tobacco to our youth. And we are doing compliance checks regarding that. We're also trying to change the norms in our community - it's not okay to have this going on."
According to STOP, complications from alcohol use are the fourth-leading cause of death among ten to twenty-four year-olds, and the average young drinker begins at age thirteen. Spreug-Emans says the effects of underage drinking, including traffic accidents, cost Michigan around two billion dollars a year.
STOP will hold a town hall meeting at 6 PM tonight at the Welcome Center of Baker College's Owosso campus to discuss the issue with Shiawassee County. More information about STOP is available here.
The Shiawassee Taskforce on Prevention is asking for help from parents to fight underage alcohol, tobacco, and drug use.
Cathy Spreug-Emans is the coordinator of the taskforce, commonly known as STOP. She says the group has made efforts to curb these illegal activities.
"We have supplied the scorpion cameras to the sheriff's department. They are little, micro-size cameras that can fit on an officer's uniform or they could be mounted on a dashboard. They are to be used for collecting evidence on underage drinking."
Spreugg-Emans also says STOP uses community advocacy and enlists college students to mentor junior high and high school students to fight underage substance use. She says the state spends nearly two billion dollars every year because of underage drinking -- and rates of traffic accidents related to underage drinking in Shiawassee County are among the highest in the state.
Spreug-Emans says rates of traffic accidents related to underage drinking in Shaiwasee county are among the highest in the state.
"We still have suppliers in Shiawassee County that are still selling liquor to the youth, and they're also selling tobacco to our youth. And we are doing compliance checks regarding that. We're also trying to change the norms in our community - it's not okay to have this going on."
According to STOP, complications from alcohol use are the fourth-leading cause of death among ten to twenty-four year-olds, and the average young drinker begins at age thirteen. Spreug-Emans says the effects of underage drinking, including traffic accidents, cost Michigan around two billion dollars a year.
STOP will hold a town hall meeting at 6 PM tonight at the Welcome Center of Baker College's Owosso campus to discuss the issue with Shiawassee County. More information about STOP is available here.
Congressman Bart Stupak is being targeted by a national Catholic organization for his opposition to health care reform legislation.
Stupak, a pro-life democrat from northern Michigan, has said he will not support the bill because it doesn't do enough to ensure that federal funds are not used for abortion.
But the group, Catholics United, is using TV ads to disagree with Stupak's assessment.
"Some say health reform would force taxpayers to fund abortions," the advertisements state, adding, "It's not true."
Over the last week, several pro-life organizations, including the Catholic Health Association and its 600 member hospitals have signed on to the reform bill.
The ad is being run throughout Stupak's district, including in the Alpena, Flint, Marquette and Traverse City television markets.
The timing was poor, to say the least. The news broke that Governor Granholm had signed the proclamation declaring Saturday Michigan Meatout Day as hundreds of crop growers, livestock farmers, and food processors were preparing to converge on the Capitol for their annual agriculture day. Agriculture is a $70 dollar business in Michigan. More than half of that is related to livestock.
The governor's proclamation extols the virtues of reducing or eliminating meat from diets, including reducing the risk of heart disease and diabetes. And that did not sit well, or rather not at all, with the beef, pork, and poultry farmers visiting the Capitol - including Harley Sietsema, who owns large-scale hog and turkey farms in west Michigan.
"I'm just disappointed in the administration, either her or her staff. Agriculture is the Number Two industry in this state and we produce some really high-quality safe and affordable food. We need a balanced diet. That requires protein along with carbohydrates. So a mix of those vegetables with some good turkey meat or pork, we think is an excellent idea."
And it did not sit well with rural lawmakers.
"What? The governor is encouraging people not to eat Michigan meats?"
State Senator Ron Jelinek represents a rural district in southwest Michigan.
"Excuse me, governor, this is like telling people not to buy Fords or Chevys that are made in Michigan."
Republicans could not pass up the opportunity to hammer the governor on what appears to be a misstep. The Senate debated the governor's proclamation for more than an hour before adopting a resolution asking her to rescind it.
The governor's office says no disrespect was intended to livestock farmers, and she did place a call to the Michigan Farm Bureau to reiterate her support for agriculture. Her office issued a statement saying this was just one hundreds of proclamations and it was based on a constituent request. And it says similar proclamations have been issued in 31 other states.
But the controversy did cost the governor a precious day as she pushes for action in the Legislature on some time-sensitive issues. She said earlier that the Legislature needs to send her a bill by April first - less than two weeks away -- that would save schools money by encouraging veteran teachers to retire. And she says the need is urgent to fund the Pure Michigan tourism campaign as television ad schedules fill up. She says April is already gone and May, when people are making summer travel plans, is slipping away.
"This is an opportunity for us to play offense and not just to play defense."
But the governor was playing defense, at least for the day as the "meatout" controversy diverted attention from those issues.
The governor has signed another proclamation also declaring Saturday as Michigan Agriculture Day, praising Michigan's agriculture industry, and asking people to include in their diets a healthy measure of meat products made in Michigan.
And Saturday may now be shaping up to be a carnivorous cultural event. Republican Attorney General Mike Cox, who is running for governor, says he will host a barbecue in front of his campaign office. And Granholm's spokeswoman says the governor is not likely to pass up the barbecue chicken wings as she follows the NCAA basketball tournament.
Supporters of the measure to eliminate the paperwork say it would make the process of HIV testing easier and less disconcerting for people.
Democratic state Representative Barb Byrum says she was tested for HIV as part of a litany of tests that are procedural for pregnant women.
"I found the form a little odd, that I had to sign that form. I was tested for everything else under the sun, but I had to sign a form for HIV testing, which cause a little but of pause in the doctor's office. It just seemed strange."
But the measure caused some debate over who would really benefit - patients, or hospitals. And those concerned with the bill say it could put the state on a slippery slope of discrimination against people who are HIV positive and ethnic minorities who are in the fastest-growing population at risk of contracting HIV.
But no one testified against the bill, and it was approved easily by the committee.
The Am I Hungry? course begins next month at MidMichigan Medical Center's Midland campus, with an introductory meeting taking place tomorrow morning.
Dr. Jennifer Morse, a Clare-based family physician, teaches the course. Dr. Morse says the program focuses on eating to satisfy only physical hunger.
"Mindful eating really works to help us rediscover true, physical hunger, and to discover when our hunger is coming from other needs. And then what to do about those needs, rather than eating. Then when we do eat, to be fully in tune with every sensation we have while eating, so that we enjoy that food more, and hopefully then need less of it."
Dr. Morse says desires to eat can be triggered by many things. The program's workshops will identify and address common triggers to avoid overeating.
"Boredom is a big one. Habit is another. People can be a trigger. Stress - just walking through the break room at work and seeing donuts. During the program, we really break those into physical triggers, like thirst or fatigue, emotional triggers, like stress, and environmental triggers, like seeing the donuts in the break room."
Dr. Morse says controlling those desires is crucial to limiting the growing obesity rate.
"We have food available to us more than ever, cheaper food is not always healthier food, and we're encouraged to move less - everything's convenient for us. It just breeds the weight problems that many people struggle with. It really does contribute to a large number of health problems."
According to Dr. Morse, obesity is the second-biggest preventable health risk, next to smoking.
A national health reform advocacy group released a new report meant to detail the need for health coverage.
Families USA estimates that seven and a half thousand Michigan residents died prematurely since 1995 as a result of being uninsured. Ron Pollack, Executive Director of Families USA, estimates that rate will increase in coming years.
"For the same state, we project that approximately seven-thousand-six-hundred people would pass away over the next decade."
Families USA says being uninsured increases the risk of premature death by twenty-five percent. The group developed that estimation by applying that risk to Michigan's premature mortality rate and accounting for the uninsured portion of Michigan's residents.
The most recent data from the state indicate that more than eleven percent of Michigan's population is uninsured.
Michigan legislators, including Senator Alan Cropsey, introduced joint resolutions to amend the state constitution to prohibit federal law from compelling individuals to buy health insurance.
Pollack argues that state laws prohibiting federal mandates to purchase health insurance would not withstand constitutional scrutiny.
"This is ultimately a national problem, and Congress, because of the Commerce Clause, and other provisions in the Constitution, has authority over this. If a state, for political reasons, tries to prohibit the application of federal law, that no doubt will be challenged in court."
More seniors are now eligible for help covering monthly premiums, annual deductibles and prescription drug co-payments, under Social Security's "Extra Help" program.
According to U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak, some of the program's restrictions were recently lifted.
"This program has always been there to help out seniors pay for their medical costs," said Stupak. "But there were restrictions, such as if you receive any kind of assistance to help pay for your rent, let's say like you were living in a HUD unit, they would count that against your income. And it was very difficult for a lot of seniors to qualify."
Stupak said the Social Security Administration recently did away with those restrictions.
To qualify for the Extra Help program, an individual's annual income must be below $16,245, or below $21,855 for married couples.
"If you're receiving prescription drugs under Medicare Part D, and you have high prescription drug costs, look into the Extra Help program," said Stupak.
Nine million seniors and disabled Americans are currently enrolled in the program, saving them on average $4,000 per year.
As the President prepares for Thursday's White House healthcare summit, supporters of states' rights are getting excited about a proposed amendment to the Michigan constitution.
Wendy Day is the president of Common Sense in Government. She says a joint resolution in the Michigan legislature would prohibit the federal government from compelling residents to buy health insurance.
"So that if they don't want to buy insurance, for whatever reason, they can't be fined, taxed, or otherwise punished or discriminated against. And also, healthcare providers - hospitals and doctors - can't be fined, taxed, or discriminated against for accepting private healthcare insurance, or even cash."
Day says the government should remove certain restrictions on insurance.
"One of the first things they could do is open up healthcare insurance purchasing across state lines."
Day also says the government should enact tort reform and enforce transparency in costs to reform healthcare.
She's encouraged by what she calls the federal government's respect for states' rights on another healthcare issue.
"That's the medical marijuana law. That violates federal law, but when these states started passing these medical marijuana usage laws, the federal government has kind of backed down. We haven't seen them come charging in, demanding that the states obey the federal law."
Day expects the federal government to respect the proposed amendment to Michigan's constitution.
She met with other states' rights advocates earlier this week to discuss the resolutions.
Alan Cropsey is one of three senators to have introduced the joint resolution, which would prohibit federal law from forcing people to participate in a federal healthcare plan.
The legislature will decide whether or not the resolution will be on November's state ballot.
The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ranked counties in all fifty states on healthiness. The study used indicators ranging from mortality and liquor store density to access to healthy foods.
Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey is the President and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. She says ranking counties this way gives local leaders valuable information.
"We needed to ensure that decision makers in all sectors had the evidence they needed to build health into all public and private practices and policies. The County Health Rankings provide that evidence."
According to Dr. Patrick Remington, Associate Dean for Public Health at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, the least healthy counties across the country share certain characteristics.
"Over eighty percent of them are in small or very small rural areas, and many fewer are in the suburban communities - only two percent of the least-healthy counties are suburban communities."
Clare County was ranked least healthy of Michigan's eighty-three counties, based on population outcomes. Population outcomes measure mortality, including deaths before age seventy five, and rates of self-reported poor health.
"It's obviously disappointing news, especially to the residents of Clare County, to have the unfortunate distinction of being the least-healthy in the state of Michigan."
Mary Kushion is the Health Officer of the Central Michigan District Health Department, which serves Clare County. She says the county's strengths can be used to combat poor health outcomes.
"Clare County ranked sixth in the state for its physical environment, which means that it does have good air quality, good water quality, a low risk for radon. So there are some very positive aspects of Clare County, and I think that those are the things that we need to show as strengths as planners, parks and rec folks consider things like farmers markets, sidewalk planning."
Emmet County was ranked the sixth healthiest county in Michigan partly because of its relatively low number of premature deaths.
"People there, compared to other parts of the state, at least at this snapshot in time, are living longer."
Dr. Joshua Meyerson is the Medical Director for the Health Department of Northwest Michigan, which serves Emmet County. He says the County Health Rankings show that improving community health is a cooperative effort.
"Two-thirds of what we spend on healthcare is attributable to treating diseases that are preventable, yet we spend less than five percent of our health-care dollars on efforts to prevent those illnesses or to help people lead healthier lives."
Critics of the County Health Rankings say how people live is more influential on their health than is where they live.
Dr. James Wilson is the Medical Director for District Ten Health Department, whose ten-county service region includes Missuakee County. He says that's not necessarily the case -- when it comes to health, location matters.
"Where you live comes into play, for example, if you live in a polluted area - the air's polluted, the water's polluted. You come from a city where they don't have sidewalks, they don't have bike lanes, they don't have handicap access, which limit people's ability to exercise."
Dr. Wilson also says people are healthiest in areas where they can interact with other people.
According to Dr. Wilson, the County Health Rankings will help local leaders make cost-effective decisions.
"We're in a bad economic time, so I don't expect any new money to come to public health. But hopefully when the economy gets better, we can get some money to use wisely to try to promote health in all these aspects."
According to the County Health Rankings, Michigan's healthiest county is Livingston.
Find the complete County Health Rankings at CountyHealthRankings.org.
Since the Toxic Substances Control Act became law over thirty years ago, many new chemical technologies have evolved that aren't regulated by the federal government.
Stephen Rapundalo is the President and CEO of MichBio. He says the newly-formed Michigan Coalition for Chemical Safety is encouraging Congress to reform chemical regulations to protect businesses, consumers, and the environment.
"The EPA does not have the statutory enforcement wherewithal to regulate many of these chemicals and technologies. If we're going to have regulations on the book, then the EPA should have the ability to be able to make sure that those regulations are adhered to."
According to Rapundalo, the E-P-A doesn't even have the ability to regulate a substance like asbestos - documented to be a major threat to human health. He says new chemical regulations must also have some mode of enforcement.
State Representative Jeff Mayes from Bay City represents part of a region that has been called "Michigan's new chemical and clean energy alley." He says the Toxic Substances Control Act needs to be updated in order to protect the public and to let businesses grow.
"We're hoping to become leaders in battery technology, and we want to have high standards as a country, and we want to make sure the public is safe. But in the event that each of our fifty states has slightly a different standard in terms of how you would approach battery manufacturing, it's going to make it challenging for companies that want to locate here to build batteries and to be competitive."
Battery manufacturing is just one sector affected by chemical regulations - others include agriculture, biotechnology, and retail.
"Here in mid-Michigan, companies like Michigan Sugar, and Dow Chemical, Dow Corning, Hemlock Semiconductor are part of the national effort to promote changes in this act."
Representative Mayes says the Michigan coalition is part of a national effort to reform chemical regulations.
Rapundalo says the U-S Senate is already considering reforming the regulations.
"In early December, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held an oversight hearing. The chairman of that committee is making a big push in the Senate on this topic. We're feeling pretty good that this will see the light of day."
According to Rapundalo, the coalition's efforts are meant to improve the goods that people use in daily life.
These range, he says, from food and the agriculture industry to the chemical products and by products from Dow Chemical and Dow Corning.
The coalition is encouraging Congress to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act first passed in 1976, which the group says is outdated.
The Michigan Coalition for Chemical Safety is composed of about thirty member businesses and organizations.
For several months a large sign chastising House Speaker Andy Dillon's insurance plan has sat on the back of a commercial truck bed outside of the state Capitol. The Democratic Speaker's plan has received a lot of criticism from traditionally Democratic supporters. Meanwhile, many prominent Republicans have shown interest in the plan.
Democratic Representative Tim Melton supports Dillon's proposal. He says lawmakers should endorse good policy, regardless of party affiliation.
"At some point you have to say 'Is it right?' And I would rather take a Republican idea and get it passed - if there was a Republican idea that was great - and take credit for it as well."
But with Dillon potentially running for the Democratic nomination for governor, the idea could become a target for criticism from both sides of the aisle.
Grant money is coming to the city of Flint to help combat childhood obesity. The Crim Fitness Foundation in Flint has been awarded a 4-year, $360,000 grant. The group plans to use the money to improve and promote the city's park system. They want to see more kids be more active more often. And they hope to reinforce to the city the importance of its parks.
Lauren Holaly with Crim says it's important to build strong, long term financial support.
"Everybody's kind of struggling economically. And so there's a lot of other priorities um, at the city as well, so it's kind of like a balance of how do we make sure this becomes a priority as well"
Holaly says currently one-third of Flint's 4th-through 12th graders don't get enough physical activity.
Health officials around the state are recognizing National Influenza Vaccination Week, and preparing for more cases of H1N1 as winter rolls around.
Health officials say they're not convinced that there won't be another wave of H1N1 this winter, so they're making all the necessary precautions to prevent the disease as much as they can.
"Since 2009 H1N1 influenza disease is likely to continue, people should still get the H1N1 vaccine," said Michigan District Community Health Director Janet Olszewski.
The MDCH says that although the spread of H1N1 has decreased, there are still a few months of flu season to get through.
Robert Grahm is the medical for the mid and central Michigan health departments. He believes prevention is they key to getting through the rest of this flu season.
"Prevention is a lot easier to handle than it is to fight back," said Grahm.
Grahm says his division is receiving adequate funding to precede with the vaccination program. In Mid and Central Michigan there have been over 3,000 cases of H1N1.
Munson Medical Center has come up with an anonymous online survey to help people who have depression and may not realize it.
Participants take a survey and get feedback on the likelihood that they have depression or other illnesses including bipolar disorder, anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder.
Valerie Harpel is the program's coordinator. She says allowing people to take a test in the privacy of their own home to see if they have a mental illness can be the first step toward treatment.
"The best combination for people to successfully manage their mental health issues is that they are in therapy and they receive psychiatric help for that."
Harpel says she hopes the online screening test will encourage people suffering with mood disorders or mental illness to come forward for treatment.
Health officials expect to see a surge of people trying to quit smoking in the new year, following the passage of a state-wide ban on smoking in public places.
The smoking ban doesn't go into effect until May 1, but some health officials think people will try to kick the habit before then, making it a new year's resolution.
Lisa Danto is a registered nurse, and a coordinator with the Traverse Bay Area Tobacco Coalition.
She said smoking bans in other states have lead to a decrease in the number of smokers.
"The average adult smoking rate is somewhere between 20, 25 percent, depending on which state you're looking at," Danto said. "But in those states where they've had a smoke free law for a long time, they're in the teens."
According to Danto, there are many resources available to help people quit, including 24-hour counsling lines and smoking cessation classes.
Those classes can teach people that are trying to quit how to better cope with cravings and stress, which she said is one of the biggest causes of failure.
"People have problems at work, or with family, you know, people die," said Danto. "Different stressers are going to happen in a lifetime, and they go back to what they know what to do, which is smoke."
"If they learn how to deal with stress differently then they can handle the stress much more easily and hopefully prevent going back to smoking," Danto said.
The State of Michigan operates a tobacco help line: 1-800-QUIT-NOW. It also lists resources for people trying to kick the habit on a special website: Michigan.gov/tobacco.
The health care debate continues in Washington this week, as senators try to broker a compromise before congress breaks for the Christmas holiday.
The Senate's health care legislation underwent two major changes in the last week: the elimination of a public option, and the striking of provisions allowing people to buy into Medicare at age 55.
Michigan Senator Carl Levin was in favor of both, but he's still optimistic that a healthcare overhaul can move forward.
"I am, of course, disappointed that it's not part of the bill," said Levin. "But this bill's got an awful lot of other provisions in it which make it important that we pass this bill. We've got to put, we've got to find some way to end this spiraling increase in health care costs. And right now, health care's going up far far faster than is the inflation rate. So we've got to find ways that we can reduce some of the waste in the system, and this will do that."
Trimming waste in the system is one of Levin's biggest priorities for health care legislation.
He said the bill being considered by the Senate does that, by streamlining healthcare administration.
"Right now we've got, in each hospital, they're confronted with hundreds of different codes, from different insurance companies, for what will be covered, what are the deductibles, what are the co-pays, what are the limits. And we're going to put an end to that so that we have a much more streamlined system. And it's going to be a much more efficient system in terms of the billing. We're going to have much more electronic connections between hospitals and doctors and the insurance companies that pay the bills. We've got to bring this system into some kind of an order which will provide security for people and put some downward pressure on prices."
While Levin is optimistic that the Senate will approve health care legislation before breaking for the Christmas holiday, he admits that democrats are not there yet.
"The democratic leader is looking for the 60th vote to overcome the republican filibuster," he said. "And I don't know that he has the 60th vote yet. I think now Senator Lieberman is going to vote for it, because a couple of the pieces he objected to are not in it."
It was Senator Joseph Lieberman who forced democrats to pull the public option and the Medicare buy-in from the bill, by threatening to filibuster the legislation.
Levin says Lieberman was within his right to do that. And even though Levin disagrees with the filibuster threat, he admits it's something he's done in the past.
"During the Bush years, I thought there were a number of things that we didn't agree with, we were able to stop by requiring the republicans then to get 60 votes," Levin said. "So while I don't like it, I didn't like Lieberman using it. I thought he ought to stay with us, at least on procedural votes with the democrats. He exercised that right, and all we could do was disagree with it, try to talk him out of it, and when that failed, we just had to give in on that issue and go with what we got."
Some of the more liberal senators, like Roland Burris of Illinois, are now threatening a filibuster if the public option is not included in the Senate's health care bill.
But Levin thinks such a filibuster is unlikely.
"It's a little bit harder, I think, to vote against something because it doesn't have something in it than it is to filibuster against something because it has something in it you don't like," he said. "In other words, if you've got half a loaf or three-quarters of a loaf and you want the whole loaf, it's kind of hard to say I'm going to vote against the half loaf or three-quarters loaf. But if there's something in the bill which you violently oppose, it's a little bit easier then I think to make people understand, 'hey, there's something in this bill that I cannot accept.'"
Levin is confident that the Senate will pass health care legislation before Christmas.
But it could take longer to reach an agreement with the House; and final passage may not be achieved until sometime next spring.
Earlier this week, a federal panel suggested women wait until age 50 to start getting mammograms.
As CMU Public Radio's Mary Finn reports, the recommendation created a strong reaction from the medical community and patients alike...
The new recommendation is causing a lot of confusion among the medical community.
At MidMichigan Medical Center in Midland, officials are working with radiologists and physicians to evaluate the new guidelines.
Carole Calvert- Baxter is the director of MidMichigan's women's health program.
She says they are still trying to understand the proposals....
"We recommend however that women work with their physicians on an individualized plan that's based on their individual medical history and risk factors to determine the frequency and the type of screenings they should receive."
For years, the standing recommendation has been for women to get mammograms annually, beginning at age 40.
State health officials say despite the bad economy, many people are still smoking. And too many are developing lung cancer.
Health officials are using this month to help smokers quit.
CMU Public Radio's Mary Finn has more.
Just 20 minutes after you quit smoking, your heart rate and blood pressure will begin to drop. This is just one among many statistics the MDCH has posted to raise awareness about lung cancer.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in Michigan, killing nearly 6,000 people this year.
The main cause of lung cancer is smoking.
James McCurtis is with the MDCH.
"What we want to do is help making those numbers go down and with hopefully smoke free legislation that will work".
McCurtis said Michigan ranks 19th in the nation when it comes to lung cancer deaths.
Mid Michigan Home Care will be bringing better technology to rural areas. The improvements are being paid for with a four hundred sixty thousand dollar Federal grant.
The money will be used to enhance tele-monitors; little machines used to send vital signs of patients at home to field offices.
With the expansion of the tele-montoring system into hospice care, terminally ill patients will benefit from better symptom management.
Christie Kanitz is the operations direction for MidMichigan Home Care.
"The whole goal of the telemonitoring system is to keep the patient out of the hospital and in the home. So the whole philosophy of home care is to help the patient recover at home where they are most comfortable."
Kanitz said that this is the third grant they have received from the rural development office in the past ten years.
State health officials say H1N1 flu vaccinations are hard to find because the supply sent by the Centers for Disease Control is much smaller than was promised.
The state House Health Policy Committee held a hearing about the H1N1 virus Tuesday.
Doctor Greg Holzman testified with representatives from the Department of Community Health. He says manufacturing of the vaccine is going slower than anticipated.
"It's put us in an awkward situation because we really thought we were going to be a lot further along right now," he said. "We were continuously told by mid-October around 45 million doses and we're not anywhere close to that."
But Dr. Holzman says vaccines will continue to come into the state throughout the flu-season.
Janet Olszewski is director of the Department of Community Health. She says about 1,200 new doctors in Michigan registered to administer the H1N1 vaccine.
"We have more doctors providing H1N1 vaccine in this state than we've ever had doctors providing vaccine previously," she said. "So then we get to a supply issue - ultimately the supply will get to us, but every week the Centers for Disease Control has provided us with estimates of how much vaccine we can order and receive in this state and they've not met any of those goals.
Olszewski says she expects there will be much more H1N1 vaccine available by the end of the year.
She says parents should keep any children with the flu at home for five to seven days.
The health officials say people should check the state Department of Community Health website for vaccination availability in each county.
LANSING - Lawmakers are again talking about a statewide health insurance pool for all state workers and teachers. The proposal was overshadowed recently by the budget negotiations.
Representative Tim Melton is on the committee overseeing the plan. He says over the past few weeks lots of misinformation about the insurance pool has been floating around the Capitol.
"You got billboards driving around the Capitol with lies on it. You've got news letters that have gone out with lies in it. I mean blatant lies - saying we're not going to cover dependant coverage. Where does that come from? You guys are smart enough that you can read, you read the bills. No where in there does it say we're going to get rid of dependant coverage for spouses and kids."
Many state-worker unions have expressed grave concerns that the insurance pool would eliminate collective bargaining, which allows them to choose their insurance plans. But Melton says the pool would change collective bargaining only by limiting available options, but it wouldn't eliminate the bargaining table.
A northern Michigan lawmaker wants the federal government to be able to negotiate drug prices for Medicare Part D recipients - a move that could save the government billions of dollars.
Since Medicare Part D was established in 2004, the federal government has been barred from negotiating directly with pharmaceutical companies to lower drug prices.
Congressman Bart Stupak wants to change that.
He and 68 other U.S. Representatives are urging House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to support legalizing direct negotiations with drug companies.
"Right now, we the federal government, negotiate drug prices for the veterans administration, and the prices and the cost to veterans' is probably about 40 percent less than what senior citizens are paying for the same drug," said Stupak, "because we use the purchasing power of the federal government to drive down the cost of those drugs."
Stupak says the provision could save the federal government over $150 billion over the next 10 years.
Residents of Michigan's first congressional district have a chance to hear directly from their U.S. Representative tomorrow.
Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) will hold his fifth town hall meeting since July tomorrow - this time via telephone.
The event is scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday.
"I've heard from a lot of constituents who actually enjoyed calling in and listening to the tele-town hall meeting while they're having dinner with their families," said Stupak, "and usually it leads to family discussions about current issues, whether it's healthcare, the economy, or just what congress does and how it works."
Constituents can sign up for the town hall meeting on Stupak's website - house.gov/stupak.
They can also call his office to sign up. The number is 1-800-950-7371.
This fall and winter are expected to be quite the busy time in hospital around Central and Northern Michigan and a new technology may help doctors and patients get through it a bit easier.
The Central Michigan University Research Corporation or CMURC, has come up with a program to let hospitals know exactly how many staff they need to have per patient.
The system is Patient Volume Forecaster and it requires no new software or hardware for the hospitals to use it.
Tracy Irwin Hewitt is a innovations consultant from Business Insight, a division of CMURC.
"They needed a tool that would help them do a better job of predicting when patients were going to come in the door so that they could make better decisions about staffing or other investments for the organization."
The Forecaster should be ready for use in the next few months.
Senator Carl Levin (D-Michigan) says he has a number of problems with the latest health care bill to emerge in the Senate.
The health care bill unveiled yesterday by Senator Max Baucus (D-Montana) is considered to be the most moderate of the five proposals floating around on Capital Hill.
But according to Senator Carl Levin, the bill still needs some work.
"It's got a number of problems in it, including some pretty significant premium costs for people," Levin said. "And I'm also worried that it may, unwittingly and unintentionally, lead to some employers dropping the health care that they currently provide for their employees."
Levin said the final health care proposal must guarantee coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.
He also said it should provide stability for people who have health insurance and extend coverage to those who don't.
All across Central and Northern Michigan there are signs reminding people to wash their hands in order to prevent them from getting the flu
Every year there are many people who are already ill and at a higher risk. To make sure they are getting the care they need, Senator Roger Kahn has introduced a bill that will prioritize those who will receive the flu vaccine.
The plan is for hospitals to educate and encourage higher risk patients to get the vaccine.
"By so doing it is our hope that we'll avoid fatalities and repeat hospitalizations".
The bill is expected to be taken up by the Senate this Thursday.
State health officials say vaccines and common sense are key to staying healthy during what is expected to be a busier than normal flu season this fall.
Lots of flu-related illness is expected this fall, said Janet Olszewski, the state's director of community health...
"Many many school children get the flu each year," she said. "They may only be out for three to five days worth of classes, but some of those children are going to become very ill."
Olszewski said all school aged children should be vaccinated twice - once now for the seasonal flu, and again in mid-October once a vaccine for H1N1, commonly known as swine flu, becomes available.
The vaccine recommendation also covers people living in long-term care facilities, health care providers, people with chronic illnesses and those who work with young children.
In the meantime, common sense is the name of the game.
Health officials are urging everyone to wash their hands frequently, clean high-touch surfaces often, and of course to stay home if you are sick.
More information on Michigan's flu recommendations is available at Michigan.gov/flu.
Constitutional amendments introduced in both the state House and Senate assert that every person has a right to provide for their own health care.
The amendments also state that a federal law cannot compel any person, employer or health care provider to participate in any health care system.
Brian Calley (R-Portland) is sponsoring the house version of the amendment.
He said the amendment gives Michigan residents a voice on the health care debate
"I'm very concerned that citizens voices around the country, especially here in Michigan, are not being heard by our elected representatives," said Calley. "We've got two senators out of the State of Michigan that have dodged town hall meetings, won't listen to their constituents. And this proposal would give them a voice right at the ballot box."
The amendments would have to be approved by two-thirds of both the state House and Senate. The issue would then be placed on the ballot for voters to decide.
The approaching flu season is expected to fill doctor's offices across the country with people seeking treatment. But research being conducted by Alma College's Chemistry department suggests Tamiflu, a popular drug for treating the flu, isn't as effective as it could be.
Students and faculty are working together to uncover new information that could help develop drugs that target specific influenzas, like Swine Flu.
Jeff Turk of Alma College's Chemistry department is heading the project.
"When Tamiflu was beind designed, it was done so using not complete information," Turk says. "But recently, there has been information to tell us more about that enzyme, which is going to spark probably a lot of drug discovery efforts toward now tackling that newly found enzyme. And so this might give rise to better drugs."
The research was made possible through a $150,000, three year grant awarded to Alma College from the National Science Foundation.
Section 12-33 of the U.S. House Proposal states physicians and their patients should discuss advance care planning every 5 years.
Not everyone is thrilled about that however; it has been debated that this discussion could be taken out of context to mean something far worse than just a chat.
Dr. Ira Byock is a hospice physician who is renowned for his work in elderly care.
"Well you know those who practice in hospitals and take care of seriously ill people those of us certainly in hospice and palliative care fail to see anything controversial about having a conversation about people's own individualized preferences for a time when they might be too ill to speak for themselves."
Dr. Byock will be lecturing on the ethics of end-of-life care at the annual Munson Hospice and Palliative Care conference September 14th.
Michigan health officials are reporting a high number of whooping cough cases through the first half of 2009, continuing a trend from last year.
Over 280 cases of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, have been reported this year. That nearly matches the total number of cases from 2008.
James McCurtis is with the Department of Community Health.
He says fewer people are being vaccinated for whooping cough, contributing to the spread of the disease.
"We're seeing cases continuing to grow," said McCurtis, "and we want to make sure that we curtail that and essentially stop the numbers from rising by encouraging people to go out and get this vaccination."
"It's very important to go out and get the vaccine for the whooping cough," he said. "It can be a dangerous illness, and we want to make sure that everyone is protected from it."
McCurtis says that up until a few years ago, only children age 7 and under could be vaccinated - but the disease can affect people of any age.
A new vaccine was released in 2005 extending protection to adolescents and adults. But many people have yet to take advantage of it.
Medical marijuana advocates are expressing their concern over proposed legislation that would put regulations on how the drug is distributed.
Last fall, voters in all of Michigan's 83 counties approved the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
Greg Francisco, the Executive Director of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Association, says the new legislation would go against the will of the voters by effectively making it impossible for patients to receive medical marijuana.
"Only pharmacies would be able to dispense the marijuana, but again, this runs contrary to federal law. So no pharmacy in Michigan would be able to stock it, but the law--616--would say pharmacists are the only ones who can dispense it," Francisco says. "It creates a catch-22. In essence, it would make it illegal to obtain the marijuana, and it would make it illegal to possess any marijuana that doesn't come from a pharmacy, but you can't get it from a pharmacy."
State Senator Gerald Van Woerkom, who introduced the legislation, says he is working with federal lawmakers to allow pharmacies to dispense medical marijuana.
The bill now remains in "legislative limbo" pending negotiations between state and federal officials.
LANSING, Mich. - The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) begins its 20th year as law this week, and advocates for people with disabilities in Michigan say it's made a huge difference there by prohibiting discrimination in a wide range of situations.
Peter Berg of the Great Lakes ADA Center says the law really is a landmark piece of civil rights legislation.
"The ADA, in fact, is a civil rights law, and it's based largely on the Civil Rights Act of the 1960s."
Berg says the law helped eliminate many barriers by banning discrimination in such things as employment, insurance, and government programs.
"This provided the ability to find gainful employment, the ability to access state and local government services, the ability to go to businesses, to go down to the corner grocery store, the ability to use transportation."
Maureen Arcand says the ADA has given her and others much more control over their own lives.
"It has given people a sense of empowerment over their own lives that is really very important."
Peter Berg says the Americans with Disabilities Act gave new freedom to people with disabilities, and it has made a huge difference in their lives.
With storms moving through the Department of Labor and Economic Growth wants to make sure all Michigan residents think wisely when dealing with power outages.
It is reported that carbon monoxide poisoning kills over 450 people and sends over 15,000 to the hospital every year. Studies have proven that a big producer of Carbon Monoxide are the generators people have in their homes and use during power outages. Ronald Farr is the state fire marshal
"If you've lost for example your primary source of power in your home due to storm outages or if you are out in a rural area camping and you have no power supply then the generator becomes your power supply. However there's no problem with using a generator, you just want to make sure that the generator is being used safely and is adequate distance away."
Experts say one reason why carbon monoxide is dangerous is because you can't see or smell it. You won't know if you have been affected by it until symptoms like dizziness or nausea occur.
BY LAURA WEBER Reporter, Michigan Public Radio Network
State lawmakers unveiled a plan Monday designed to make punishments for exploiting or abusing senior citizens much tougher.
Activists say elderly people are usually preyed on by their own family members - often being left to live in squallier while their bank accounts are drained and medications stolen.
The legislation introduced by state House Democrats would set the felony sentence for that kind of exploitation to 15 years, rather than the current 4 years. But similar legislation failed to pass through the Republican-controlled Senate last year.
State Representative Mark Meadows says that's partly because the banking industry didn't want to get involved in family disputes on joint accounts, and didn't support the bills.
"They didn't want their tellers to have to report abuse. We worked that out, actually, in the committee. And the bills that were reported on the House floor were supported by the banking industry."
Meadows says he thinks the legislation will pass this time around.
A seminar coming up next week will take a peek inside you medicine cabinet, and take a look at the benefits - and risks - of the drugs inside.
You may look in your medicine cabinet and think all those over the counter drugs you see there are safe. Then again. Maybe not.
Aspirin can help prevent heart attacks, but in some people it can cause strokes. Cold medicines might ease your symptoms... perhaps help you sleep better at night... but they can also raise blood pressure. Dr.Debra Graetz with Munson Healthcare says people need to understand the pros - and cons - of over the counter medications.
"Over the counter medications are something that you can choose to use at any point, but as with anything in life, you could overdo it. Or even daily use can be overuse. We'd like to help people understand that."
Dr. Graetz says when people understand their health needs - and health risks - they can better decide which medications to use.
Dr. Graetz will be presenting a seminar on Over the counter medicine Wednesday night in Traverse City. You can learn more at www.munsonhealthcare.org
The smoking ban approved this week by the state House could jeopardize some charity events, like the annual Father Fred Cigar Dinner.
It's a black-tie affair that benefits the Father Fred Foundation of Traverse City. The organization provides emergency services to residents of northwest Michigan.
The event is sponsored by Ashton Cigar, said David Abeel, Father Fred's Director of Development.
"They provide thousands of dollars worth of free cigars to go along with lots of other libations," Abeel said, "and a wonderful dinner which is provided by dozens of the best chefs in the area up here."
If the state Senate sticks to the house version of the smoking ban, it could lead to the end of the event.
"The worst scenario is that we would not be able to hold it," Abeel said, "because the dinner is held in a tent and of course there are dozens and dozens of workers who are providing the meal, preparing the meal who are exposed to that smoke environment."
An amendment that would have exempted charities from the smoking ban didn't make it into the final house bill - but could still be included in the senate version.
The legislative director for State Senator Jason Allen, who regularly attends the dinner, says the senator is looking into how he save the event.
"Senator Allen is concerned about the impact on the dinner and certainly wants to protect it," said Ken Osborne, Senator Allen's legislative director.
The Senate has not yet taken up the house version of the smoking ban.
Michigan's mental health care system received a failing grade this week in a national report.
Michigan received an overall "D" grade from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, a drop from the "C plus" it received in 2007.
Sherri Soloman, the group's Michigan executive director, said the state does offer some good care - that is if you have private insurance or Medicaid.
"People ineligible for Medicaid actually are not being served because our community mental health programs have lost funding," Soloman said. "And Governor Granholm proposes, in her 2010 budget, further cuts to that program for people who are not eligible for Medicaid."
Soloman said the number of people not being served is staggering.
"The most recent research is from 2007. There were 348,000 people with serious mental illness - adults - in Michigan," she said, "And only 25 percent of those individuals were actually being served."
Soloman says many mental health patients end up in jail because they cannot obtain the treatment they need.
"They end up in our jails and prisons in Michigan, where there is not care, really, for people with mental illness," Soloman said. "It is not the place for care to be delivered."
She called on the state to make a renewed investment in community based approaches, including mental health courts.
Alcona County became the second county Wednesday to adopt a regional ban that prohibits smoking in many non-hospitality related businesses.
The regulation, which is being promoted by the District Two Health Department, still must be approved by Ogemaw and Oscoda counties. It was approved by Iosco County in 2007.
"This vote sends a message to the community that second hand smoke is a danger," said Cori Upper, Health Services Supervisor for department. "It's time that public health and county officials took a step towards protecting workers in the workplace from these dangers."
Under the regulation, smoking would be prohibited in most workplaces. However, the hospitality industry, including bars, restaurants and hotels, is largely exempt from the ban.
Attempts to create a statewide smoking ban have failed recently, under presure from the Detroit casinos and the hospitality industry. According to Upper, those failures have led to the effort for a regional ban in northeast Michigan.
"We believe at the local level that we have a responsibility to protect citizens in our community," he said. "The state has been working to pass state level legislation in this area for years, and we just, we can't wait any longer."
Upper said regional officials have both the ability and the responsibility to move forward with the ban. It won't go into effect until all four of the health department's counties approve the measure.
