State Rep Mark Tisdel Updates on Business Relief Program, Drug Prices, and COVID-19 Funding

Feb 18: Rep. Tisdel encourages Greater Rochester businesses to apply for relief

State Rep. Mark Tisdel today encouraged Greater Rochester business owners to apply for an afflicted business relief program he helped pass into law.

Tisdel and the Legislature approved a bipartisan plan last December to create a $409 million relief program for businesses that have struggled the most because of the pandemic. A business’s property taxes, unemployment insurance taxes, license and inspection fees, and decline in sales will factor into the grant amount.

The application for the program will be open from March 1 to March 31, and Tisdel encouraged businesses to prepare now.

“From hotels to theaters to barber shops, small businesses in Greater Rochester have truly struggled since the onset of the pandemic,” said Tisdel, of Rochester Hills. “Our new afflicted business relief program will provide crucial economic support in Michigan communities.”

Additional details about the program application and eligibility requirements can be found at Michigan.gov/ABR. At the website, people can also sign up for informative webinars about the program, hosted by the Michigan Department of Treasury.


Feb 16: Plan to Reduce Prescription Drug Prices for Michigan Residents

State Rep. Mark Tisdel and the Michigan House of Representatives today approved a plan to help reduce prescription drug prices for Michigan residents.

House Bill 4348 would help patients save on prescription costs by reforming regulations for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), which serve as middlemen among health plans, drug manufacturers and pharmacists. Unregulated practices by the PBM industry have contributed to the rising prices consumers pay for pharmaceuticals.

“Michigan families are paying way too much for the medicine they need because prescriptions are loaded with unnecessary costs,” said Tisdel, of Rochester Hills. “This legislation will provide greater fairness for consumers in drug pricing.”

HB 4348 would provide for PBM licensing, with specific requirements to bolster transparency and limit unfair business practices that unnecessarily increase drug prices. Targeted tactics include, among others, added fees charged retroactively to pharmacies; discriminatory purchase limits and price hikes for some pharmacies; and restrictions that prevent pharmacies from providing relevant medical information to patients or from discussing and selling less costly alternatives.

After earning broad, bipartisan support in both the House and Senate, HB 4348 now advances to the governor for her consideration.


Feb 8: Plan to Allocate $1.2 billion to Protect Michigan Residents against COVID-19

State Rep. Mark Tisdel and the Michigan House of Representatives today approved a plan to allocate an additional $1.2 billion to support health care and protect Michigan residents against COVID-19.

“COVID-19 continues to afflict Michigan residents, and our plan continues to fight the pandemic with funding to prevent illness, identify cases and treat the sick,” said Tisdel, of Rochester Hills. “Vaccines, testing and early treatment will all help fight this virus.”

Highlights of the plan include:

Early treatment in COVID cases: A $175 million investment will help set up eight regional centers across Michigan to speed delivery of early treatments proven to help lessen the severity of COVID and allow patients to recover more quickly. Studies suggest monoclonal antibodies, for example, can reduce the risk of hospitalization or death for COVID patients by up to 85 percent.

Easing the health care worker shortage: A $300 million investment will help hospitals and other short-staffed health care providers retain, recruit and train more workers. An additional $114 million will be provided for adult foster care facilities, nursing homes and other long-term care facilities — including funding for respirators.

Keeping students in school and protecting residents: An additional $150 million will provide more screening and rapid testing in schools, helping classrooms stay open for in-person instruction. Overall, the Michigan Legislature has appropriated roughly $6 billion more in additional, one-time federal and state funding to help schools navigate the pandemic over the past two years.

“Mitigating the impact of the pandemic will help keep teachers and students healthy so schools can stay open,” Tisdel said.

Strengthening other community health efforts: An additional $367 million will help Michigan communities continue outreach and testing efforts. More support is included for child welfare, homeless shelters, respite care and other services.

Tisdel also highlighted a $10 million appropriation for a state public-health laboratory.

The plan, contained in House Bill 5523, now proceeds to the Senate for final approval.

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Feb 17, 2022, Rochester.Life Staff