IMPORTANT BUSINESS UPDATE
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Initial Auto Insurance Rate Filings Exceed Anticipated Savings Under New Law
Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) announced that Michigan’s auto insurer rate filings approved by DIFS will provide savings to Michigan’s drivers, that not only equal, but exceed, the law’s required reductions of average statewide per vehicle premiums. In its review, DIFS rejected Personal Injury Protection (PIP) filings that used any rating factors not permitted under the new law, such as sex, marital status, home ownership, or zip code, requiring companies to resubmit each filing with prohibited factors removed. For the first time, all filed rates were reviewed by outside independent actuaries to confirm compliance with the law.
“This is great news for Michigan drivers and their families,” said Governor Whitmer. “Last year, we worked across the aisle to pass a historic, bipartisan auto insurance reform to bring down costs for drivers everywhere. It’s great to see that it’s paying off for Michiganders, especially during a time when drivers may need extra money in their pockets. I look forward to continue working across the aisle to ensure lower rates for Michiganders.”
Under the new auto insurance law, which takes effect for policies that issue or renew after July 1, 2020, Michigan drivers will now have a choice in the amount of PIP medical coverage to purchase on their policy. These choices equal or exceed the highest benefits in the country, and Michigan is the only state where unlimited PIP medical continues to be an option.
PIP Medical coverage pays allowable expenses for medical care, recovery, rehabilitation, and some funeral expenses, and typically represents almost half of an individual driver’s premium. Even when adjusted for statutory increases in Bodily Injury coverage (BI), the filings continue to show savings better that what the law required. Pursuant to the new law, rate reductions are shown as statewide averages and are required for eight years. Auto insurance premiums are very individual to each consumer and may vary based upon such things as driving record, miles driven, and coverages selected.
The Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce will offer a Zoom Webinar coming up on May 14 on the new Auto Insurance law that goes into effect on July 1 of this year and how it may impact your health insurance. Please watch your email for an invitation and additional details.
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Governor Takes Significant Step to Make Child Care Affordable and Accessible for Families
On Wednesday, April 29, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced a $130 million investment to make child care more affordable and accessible for Michigan families during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Child care providers have been critical partners in helping our state respond to COVID-19, and we are extremely grateful for their service,” Governor Whitmer said. “Every child care provider and early educator is important in giving parents some peace of mind while they are delivering essential services to our state at this challenging time.”
Michigan has created the “Child Care Relief Fund” to provide direct, non-competitive grants to child care providers. These funds help ensure:
- Child care providers currently serving essential workers remain open, and costs associated with providing care during the COVID-19 pandemic are not passed on to essential workers.
- Child care providers can stay afloat during the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” state of emergency.
- Child care is more affordable to families now, and as our economy begins to reopen.
- Child care providers across the state have the resources needed to reopen for Michigan’s workforce when the recovery process of the current COVID-19 pandemic begins and more families are in need of child care options.
Michigan’s Child Care Relief Fund consists of $100 million in federal CARES Act funding and $30 million from the state’s child care fund, both dedicated to be used only for child care services.
Licensed child care centers, family group homes, tribal child care providers, provisional disaster relief child care centers, and subsidized license exempt providers are all eligible for Michigan’s Child Care Relief Fund grants.
Grant recipients must commit to reducing their weekly rates for families by at least 10 percent, and provide care for children of essential workers regardless of where their parents or caregivers work. Grant recipients must also agree not to charge a fee to hold a child’s spot in a program while receiving grant funds.
“These funds will help sustain high quality child care that is vital for Michigan’s children and families,” said State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice. “Whether it’s to help child care providers cover fixed costs like their mortgage, utilities, insurance, or payroll, we wanted the funds to be as flexible as possible to meet their specific needs.”
The Child Care Relief Fund will be administered by the Michigan Department of Education’s Office of Child Development and Care – with support from the governor’s office and the Michigan Department of Labor and Regulatory Affairs. Beginning April 29, there will be a simple online application for child care providers to use at
www.michigan.gov/childcare
.
Grants start at $1,500 for home-based providers and $3,000 for child care centers. Additional funds will be awarded based on the size of the provider, whether they are open and serving essential workers, and their quality rating.
In addition to this grant program, Michigan has also made important changes to the Child Development and Care program, commonly called the child care subsidy.
These changes ensure families can access the care they need and providers have some financial certainty. This includes continuing to review and approve applications; increasing the hours school age children can be in care; extending the deadline for re-determinations so families can continue to receive the subsidy during the crisis; and continuing to make subsidy payments based on the number of children enrolled in a program, not the number attending
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"Futures for Frontliners," a G.I. Bill Program for Essential Workers Announced
Program Provides Tuition-Free Postsecondary Education Opportunities for Essential Workers; Governor Announces Other Initiatives to Protect Workers and Their Families During the Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic
Governor Whitmer announced at a 3pm news conference on Wednesday, April 29, a series of initiatives to help Michigan workers and their families during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, including the
"Futures for Frontliners”
program to provide a tuition-free pathway to college or a technical certificate to essential workers who don’t have a college degree. This includes workers like the ones staffing our hospitals and nursing homes, stocking the shelves at grocery stores, providing child care to critical infrastructure workers, manufacturing PPE, protecting public safety, picking up trash, or delivering supplies.
“The Futures for Frontliners program is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to those who have risked their lives on the front lines of this crisis. This program will ensure tuition-free college opportunities and give these dedicated Michiganders an opportunity to earn a technical certificate, associate degree or even a bachelor’s degree,” Governor Whitmer said. “I want to assure all of our workers we will never forget those who stepped up and sacrificed their own health during this crisis. You’re the reason we’re going to get through this.”
The “Futures for Frontliners” program is the first of its kind in the country, and was inspired by the federal government’s support of soldiers returning from World War II by providing educational opportunities. Frontline workers who take advantage of this program will help us reach Governor Whitmer’s goal to increase the number of working-age adults with a technical certificate or college degree from 45% to 60% by 2030. The Governor stated that she looks forward to working on enacting her proposal with the bipartisan legislative coalition that helped pass Reconnect last month, the program to offer adults over 25 without college degrees tuition-free access to community college.
Governor Whitmer also announced that she is expanding the state’s Workshare Program to allow employers to reduce employee hours to receive weekly unemployment insurance (UI) benefits as well as the additional $600 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) weekly benefit. Both benefits will be funded through federal dollars. Through July, the program can act as supplemental pay for critical infrastructure workers by allowing them to collect the extra $600 per week.
Governor Whitmer also called on leaders in Congress to support Sen. Gary Peters' Heroes Fund to provide hazard pay for frontline workers putting their lives on the line to ensure access to life-saving care, food, and other critical services during the pandemic. It is estimated that more than three million of these essential workers are currently on the job in Michigan. Supported by Sens. Stabenow and Peters, the Heroes Fund proposal would provide these workers with an additional $13 per hour, up to $25,000, with an additional potential recruitment incentive of up to $15,000 for essential medical workers.
“No Michigander should have to worry about how to feed their family or pay rent during a crisis. And no Michigander should be scared to go to work,” said Governor Whitmer. “From the beginning, my team and I have been working around the clock to solve those problems for working families. And I will continue to fight for our working people long after this crisis is over.”
Additional information on plan specifics is forthcoming.
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Executive Order Ensures Equitable Access to Health Care Resources During COVID-19 Pandemic
Executive Order 2020-64 reaffirms the state’s commitment to equitable access to health care, and requires health care facilities to develop protocols that ensure non-discrimination in the event demands for critical health care resources exceed availability.
“Michigan has one of the finest health care systems in the country, and our medical professionals are performing heroically under trying circumstances. But the unprecedented challenges posed by this pandemic have created a heightened need for clear, transparent protocols based on a common understanding of core values, including equitable access to care.,” Governor Whitmer
said. “Everyone, no matter who they are, deserves access to quality, affordable health care, especially during a pandemic. This executive order helps ensure all individuals, no matter their circumstances, have equitable access to these critical resources as we continue to fight this deadly disease.”
The order affirms the right to receive medical care without discrimination based on stereotypes, assessments of quality of life, or judgments about a person’s relative “worth” based on the presence of disabilities or other factors. It also requires all health care providers to take steps to ensure non-discrimination and support individuals’ functional needs to the fullest extent possible.
Under the order, designated health care facilities must also:
- Develop patient care protocols for when demand exceeds availability of resources that prohibit discriminatory decision-making based on a number of factors. These protocols must be based on the best available medical evidence.
- Provide sign language interpreters if requested, and provide interpreters with appropriate personal protective equipment.
- Coordinate and share information about availability of resources and ability to transfer patients with the state Department of Health and Human Services.
- Post protocols online and provide them upon request.
The requirement to develop these protocols that guide decision-making applies to hospitals and entities used as surge capacity for one or more hospitals.
The order is effective immediately, and continues until Michigan’s emergency and disaster declarations are lifted.
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Resources for Business and the Community
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The Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce maintains a list of federal, state, and local resources that provide aid and information for your business, employees and our community during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. This information is ever-changing, please check the Chamber's
website,
Facebook, and your email frequently.
We will add links, resources, and updates as information becomes available. We are also converting our At A Glance Newsletter to include Coronavirus links and information as well as local updates, job availability, member coupons and most importantly Member News. Please let us know what your business is doing and how you are functioning during this uncertain time. We need to stay connected and support each other.
If you are offering a service to help the Saginaw County Community or local businesses weather this storm, please email your information to
info@saginawchamber.org.
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Please share this page with anyone who might need a source for information or connection.
Thank you and stay healthy.
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