LANSING (WKZO-AM) — A bill that would restrict advertising by a government agency has been floated in the Michigan Senate, but apparently needs work.
The measure proposed by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker, R-Lawton, would bar the Department of Health and Human Services from advertising to increase the enrollment of the state’s Healthy Michigan Plan, which has greatly expanded the number of people who are now eligible for Medicaid.
DHHS had hoped to eventually sign up 470,000 recipients for the program, but in the first year they have already signed up nearly 614,000.
DHHS currently spends about two million a year, half of it from the federal government, and say most of it is spent on educational programs to help recipients use the program more effectively or to show new recipients how to sign up.
The Senate Health Policy Committee took testimony on the proposal this past week, but didn’t take any action.
Some lawmakers questioned if the money wouldn’t be better spent on programming. Another wondered if it was something that should be taken up during budget talks.
Schuitmaker says she only wants to cut off paid advertising. She says the staff would still be free to provide printed information, put it up on their website or council residents on the program.
– John McNeill
