The Health Policy Committee convened on May 14, 2025, to discuss significant updates regarding healthcare practices in Michigan, particularly focusing on the role of nurse practitioners in providing care to underserved communities.

The meeting began with a brief introduction and acknowledgment of the attendees, followed by a discussion led by Representative Meerman. He inquired about studies related to the impact of expanded practice for nurse practitioners on care quality for dual-enrolled beneficiaries of Medicare and Medicaid. A representative from AARP responded, indicating that evidence from 27 states supports the notion that expanded practice leads to lower hospitalization rates without negative outcomes. The representative committed to providing further details on these studies to the committee.

Following this, Tyra Evans, COO of Authority Health in Detroit, joined the meeting via Zoom to express support for the bill concerning nurse practitioners. She emphasized the importance of collaboration between nurse practitioners and other healthcare providers, stating that their organization already practices this model effectively. Evans highlighted that current contractual requirements sometimes hinder the ability of nurse practitioners to provide necessary treatments, such as ADHD medication and chronic pain management, due to bureaucratic constraints. She argued that these limitations can obstruct timely and effective patient care, particularly in underserved areas.

The committee then opened the floor for questions, with Representative Thompson asking for more details about the services provided by Authority Health. Evans explained that they operate outpatient clinics offering primary care services to a diverse patient demographic, including adults, adolescents, and elementary school children.

The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of the need for legislative support to enhance the role of nurse practitioners in Michigan's healthcare system, particularly in addressing the needs of underserved populations. The committee plans to follow up on the discussions and studies presented to further evaluate the implications of expanding nurse practitioners' practice scope.