Posted On:
October 30, 2009
Michigan Physician Tax Fails in Senate
A proposal which would have imposed a 3 percent tax on physicians' gross revenues was defeated Wednesday in the Michigan State Senate. HB 5386, which was intended to raise state Medicaid funds and in turn garner additional federal matching funds, was stopped short by a 32-4 vote in the Republican-controlled Senate.
The tax was designed to ultimately increase access to health care by producing higher payments to physicians who treat Medicaid patients. However, opponents to the bill such as the Michigan State Medical Society expressed concerns that such a tax would exacerbate the already-present drought of primary care physicians in Michigan by provoking doctors to look elsewhere for employment.
