Beginning March 1, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan will no longer pay for counseling services provided in a private office by limited license providers.
Michigan Health Watch
In-depth reporting on the intersection between public policy and important health topics ‒ such as insurance coverage, hospital admissions, opioid abuse, access to care, medical research and the business of health care ‒ that impact nearly every Michigan resident.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Michigan drug deaths drop, but lawmakers question disjointed opioid efforts
Michigan lawmakers grilled a Whitmer administration official about poor coordination between county and state efforts to blunt the opioid epidemic.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Michigan teens skip organ donor signups. Lansing hopes to change that
With only about 1 in 3 first-time teenage drivers registering to become organ donors, Michigan lawmakers are considering a bill that would ask schools to explain the importance to students.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Michigan Medicaid rolls drop 5%, prompting fears of surge in uninsured
Michigan’s Medicaid numbers dwindled after the state reviewed everyone’s eligibility after the pandemic. That began in 2023. It’s unclear why those numbers continue to fall.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Michiganders soon to face stricter Medicaid rules. What to know
The ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ of 2025 will mean most working-age, able-bodied Michiganders will have to prove they are working or somehow engaged in the community next year. Details are now becoming clearer.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch, Talent & Education
Backlash led Michigan to ease student vaccine waivers. What happened next
Michigan health officials tried making it harder for parents to send their kids to school unvaccinated. Now, relaxed rules are helping counties move away from a policy once credited with sharply reducing vaccine waivers.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Michigan center for adults with disabilities to reopen after dispute
Clients of the Bergmann Center, a Charlevoix day program for dozens of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, lost services last month amid a battle over funds.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Michigan lawmakers revive push to legalize physician-assisted suicide
Michigan House Democrats are renewing an effort to legalize physician-assisted death. Opponents worry the framework is morally dubious and may create new pressures in health care.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Addiction counselor shortage hits Michigan hard: ‘We’re all struggling’
Michigan is facing one of the nation’s highest shortages of addiction treatment providers. Organization heads say the stress on providers created by the shortage, along with low reimbursement rates for services, is impossible to sustain.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Study of PFAS levels in Michigan firefighters raises cautious optimism
Despite being at greater risk, a new study indicates the state’s firefighters have similar exposure to the toxic ‘forever chemicals’ as the rest of America.