$25MIL Approved to Help Providers Through No Fault Auto Changes

SOME GOOD NEWS FOR SURVIVORS OFCATASTROPHIC AUTO CRASHES- THEMICHIGAN HOUSE AND SENATEHAVE JUST APPROVED A BILL THATCOULD HELP SOME LOCAL CAREPROVIDERS STAY IN BUSINESS.OUR MICHAEL MARTIN HASCOVERED THIS STORY FOR WEEKSNOW- HE JOINS US LIVE AT THECAPITOL WITH REACTION, MICHAEL.?25 MILLION DOLLARS WILL BE SETASIDE FOR LOCAL CAREPROVIDERS WHO CAN PROVE LOSSESDUE TO THESE CHANGES TAKINGEFFECT ON FRIDAY.... THEMONEY WILL BE FIRST-COME,FIRST-SERVED.... ADVOCATES SAYIT'S A SIGN THATTHE LEGISLATURE IS ACKNOWLEDGINGTHERE ARE ISSUES WITH THE NOFAULTAUTO REFORM BILL AS IT STANDS...BUT SAY IT WON'T BE ENOUGH TOPREVENT SOME CARE PROVIDERS FROMHAVING TO CLOSE THEIR DOORS.Maureen Howell, Activist, SonSam Injured in Crash 13.41.26"Weve had more peole phere todaythen weve had thus far.

We havepeople draining in.

"SURVIVORS OF CATASTROPHIC AUTOCRASHES AND THE PEOPLE WHOLOVE AND CARE FOR THEM.

ONCEAGAIN GATHERED AT OUR STATECAPITOL IN DROVES WEDNESDAY.Maureen Howell, Activist, SonSamInjured in Crash 13.40.18 "Wearen'tgoing to give up, were going tokeep fightingfor people here..

" HERE IN ALAST DITCH EFFORT TOPERSUADE LAWMAKERS TO TAKE UP ALEGISLATIVE FIX TOSECTIONS OF MICHIGAN'S NO FAULTAUTO REFORM BILL GOINGINTO EFFECT FRIDAY.

THA TWILLSLASH THE AMOUNT OOF MONEYINSURANCE COMPANIES WILL BEREQUIRED TO REIMBURSE LOCALCARE PROVIDERS FOR ANY MEDICALSERVICE THAT ISNN'T ALREADYCOVERED UNDER MEDICARE.Bo bMlynarek, Owner, First Call HomeHealth Care 13.37.20 "We havemade a promise to our clientsand staff thatwe will operate as long as wecan.

We expectto go into September at losses,we cant gopast that" YOU SEE, PART OF THEREFORM BILL OUTLINES NEW MEDICALFEESCHEDULES FOR SERVICES LIKE IN-HOME CAREGIVERS.PROVIDERS LIKE BOB MLYNAREKFISTR CALL HOME HEALTH CARE WILLNOW ONLY BE REIMBURSED BYINSURANCE AT JUST 55 PERCENT OFWHAT THEY WERE BEING REIMBURESDIN 20-19.

Bob Mlynarek, Owner,First Call Home Health Care13.37.47 "We'll be taking a losson every hour of care weprovide.."John Prosser, VP and Partner,Health Partners Homecare 3.47"What a horrifyingprospect, because it's justquite simple.

No one can operateon that kind of areduction." THE BRAIN INJURYPROVIDER COUNCILSAYS THE CHANGES WILLIMMEDIATELYIMPACT 661 PATIENTS.

AND COST1,488 HEALTHCAREWORKERS THEIR JOBS.

FOR JOHNPROSSER, VP ANDPARTNER AT HEALTH PARTRNESHOMECARE IN WYOMING, ONE OFTHE STATE'S BIGGEST CAREPROVIDERS OF IT'S KIND..

THECHANGES MEAN HE HAS TO CLOSE THECOMPANY THAT HAS BEEN A LABORO FPASSION AND DEDICATION FORDECADES.

John Prosser, VP andPartner, Health PartnersHomecare 4.57 "Wev'e had to layoff 530 feet field staff, andabout 30administrative staff." AS OF 7PM WEDNESDAY, HIS 90CLIENTS ARE WITHOUT A CAREPROVIDER.

A SITUATION THATLAURIE OLEKSA AND HER SON DANNYMAY SOON FIND THEMSELVES IN.Laurie Oleksa, Son Danny Injuredin Crash13.28.58 "I do have an agencythat will helptemporarily..

We'll mix hours,so they'll bedoing some of the care, ill bedoingsome.

But that will prob last amonth, amonth and a half, and then itsme doing thecare."Laurie Oleksa, Son DannyInjured in Crash 13.29.29 "Itmakes me feel terrible for dan,because I cant d othat..

I dontput him to bed and then wake upin the morning and take care ofhim for the day..

Its an everyhour to 2 hours, 24/7.

"BUT THANKFULLY, DANNY HAS HISMOM.

FOR PEOPLE LIKE JOHN WICKEOF LANSING, WHO LIVE ALONETHANKS TO THE AIDE OFCAREGIVERS, ETH FUTURE IS EVENMORE UNCERTAIN..

John Wicke,Injured in Crash, Could LoseCaregivers 5.21 "nobody can giveme an answer as to wh atwillhappen"John Wicke, Injured in Crash,Could LoseCaregivers 1.41 "could mean Iend up stcku in the hospital"THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE BILLSINTRODUCED IN RECENT MONTHSTHAT WOULD PROVIDE A NARROW FIXTO THESE FESE CHEDULECHANGES.

AND ALLOW SURVIVORS TOMAINTAIN ACCESS TO CARE..BUT ALL OF THEM HAVE LANGUISHEDIN COMMITTEE.THE ONLY BILL SEEING ANY ACTIONSENATE BILL 28..

PASSINGTHE SENATE LATE EWDNESDAY.

SETSASIDE 25 MILLION DOLLARS,MEANT TO HELP SUSTAIN CAREPROVIDERS, WHO CAN POVRE THEYARE SUFFERING FROM THE CUT TOREIMBURSEMENTS ..

Chris Miller,Owner, BrightStar Care in EastLansing 13.35.16 "Thart eallydoesn't help anyone because itsgoing totake 3 4 5 months for businessesto get themoney.

We have to cover payolrlfor thatlong and by that time somecompanies willbe closed already" WHILEADVOCATES SAY THE BILL STILLWON'T ALLOMW ANY PROVIDERS TOREMAIN OPEN.

LAWMAKERSSUPPORTIVE OF A MORE PERMANENTFIX, LIKE REPRESENTATIVE DOUGWOZNIAK, SAY THEY ARECONFIDENT AN AGREEMENT OF SORTSCAN EVENTUALLY BEREACHED.

Rep Doug Wozniak13.27.22 "We're looking at waysto solve this issue.

I think wecan, but its a process."THAT BRAIN INJURY PROVIDERCOUNCILSAYS THIS 25 MILLION DOLLARSDOESN'T PRESENT A REAL SOLUTION.AND CONTAINS ALL SORTS OF HOOPSTHAT PROVIDERS WILL HAVE TO JUMPTHROGUH TO SEE ANY MONEY FROMTHAT 25 MILLION DOLLAR FUND.THE HOPE NWO.

IS THAT THELEGISLATURE WILL TAKE UP A MOREEPERAMNENT FIX WHEN THEEY RETURNFROM SUMMER RECESS.LIVE IN THE STATE CAPITOL,MICHAELMARTIN, FOX 17 NEWS.NEWS.