Readers speak out against No Fault reform bill SB 248
On April 23, the Michigan House Insurance Committee passed a revised version of the latest No Fault reform proposal, Senate Bill 248. Our readers, many who are Michigan auto accident victims, are making it very clear that they do not support the bill.
Here are some key highlights of the bill, which is awaiting a vote before the full House.
- New, unprecedented and permanent restrictions on in-home attendant care.
- Price controls on what doctors and hospitals can charge for treating Michigan car accident victims.
- A one-time savings of $100 on auto insurance
As an accident attorney who closely follows this issue and writes and lectures frequently on the topic of Michigan No Fault insurance, I oppose SB 248. I believe SB 248 would take No Fault insurance benefits, such as medical care and attendant care, away from the people and automobile accident victims who need it most, all in the name of boosting insurance company profits.
Today I’d like to share some comments I’ve received from readers, expressing their strong feelings on this bill:
Barb: “In 1978, I was in a high speed head on collision as a rear seat rider, now at age 52, i am on major surgery #20. My spinal fusion of 3/4 of my spine failed and now has to be done 2 years later and fusion is going up higher.. ..HOW can anyone with a normal I.Q. think this bill is nothing but trouble ?? PLEASE pass this article on all social media and tell everyone you can, it is BAD NEWS..It will cause patients to not get proper health care and cause bankrupt families. This is serious and can and will touch you in some way..If not for this law, I’d be bed ridden and in a nursing home many years ago because of not being able to afford necessary medical treatment to keep me walking…”
Paul Bonis: “Thousands of severly injured Michiganders with lifetime disabilities who rely on this fund and dtheir family will have no where to turn for help. This is not just a political play by the auto insurance lobby it is cruel and unjust and will in some cases cost lives and in many more it will certainly detrimentally harm the quality of life and financial stability of the families of those severly injured in car accidents. This bill is irresponsible, thoughtless and downright cruel.”
JustSayNo: “Many are against this but can’t speak out fast enough (since Lansing lawmakers are generously shoving it all through like a shot-gun wedding
because they know it’s a bogus deal…. ). Please post whom the public can call or contact to speak out against this egregious, money grab they’re trying to pass as “reform”. The proposed no-fault legislation is a very dangerous bill that will hurt millions of Michiganders. They’re keeping the public ignorant of the full scope of the negative impact for a reason. And it isn’t about “lowering rates” — what a joke. No, this bill is constructed *solely* for the benefit of the wealthy, greedy billionaire auto insurance carriers themselves and their bought and paid for politicians. People are being intentionally distracted from the real issues and severe negative impact of this new proposed legislation — Gursten is on target and you will thank him later should you ever find out what really happens to families in Michigan going through a catastrophe (even under the current law it’s an egregious process but the new reforms are truly unethical and unspeakable). —-”
CPA48412: “Every single elected official that passed this bill but never had a family member injured in an auto accident needs to be ousted. Period.”
Robert Young: “The author is correct. The insurance company ruined my family’s lives by admittedly neglecting to pay for necessary care of father my after his TBI. This new bill will cause my father to not be able to live at home and instead he will live in a facility. Not only does the bill not provide any savings to consumers, in our case, it will cost more for care in the facility than for him to live at home. I suspect the insurance companies will make up for cases like ours by using their hand-picked doctors to deny people the care they need and paid for.”
What you can do: If you want to speak out against SB 248, contact the House representative in your district and urge him or her to vote “NO.” You can locate your representative here.
