Dear Neighbor,
I hope you are enjoying the start of the fall season.
As the Senate works through a robust agenda delivering results for Michiganders to reduce the cost of prescription drugs, protect our state’s natural resources and more, I hope to provide an update on some of the important legislation we’re working on, as well as information on an upcoming event we have planned.
As always, my office is here to assist you! If you have questions or need assistance, you can email my office at SenSSingh@senate.michigan.gov or call (517) 373-3447.
Sincerely,
Sen. Sam Singh
State Senator
District 28
Featured in this newsletter:
- Legislative Updates
- Upcoming Events
- Take Steps to Protect Yourself from COVID-19
Legislative Updates
The Senate recently passed Senate Bills 483–485, which would establish an independent Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) in Michigan. The PDAB aims to address this issue by implementing measures to regulate prescription drug costs, ensuring that essential medications are accessible and affordable for everyone.
In 2020, while the costs of many goods were rising, the prices of 500 prescription drugs in Michigan increased at a rate twice that of inflation. Michigan Senate Democrats are committed to alleviating the burden of prescription drug costs on Michigan residents and employers – and they are taking meaningful action to combat this persistent problem.
To learn more about this legislation, click here.
Senate Democrats Take Steps to Improve Access to Care for Michigan Drivers
We all want to do what we can to help Michiganders save money and lower costs for people, including the cost of auto insurance. But that shouldn’t be done at the expense of people who have been severely injured and permanently disabled by an auto accident.
With the previous changes to our state’s auto insurance system, we’ve now had several years to reevaluate some of the intended consequences — and address some of the unintended ones. Recently, Senate Democrats introduced Senate Bills 530 and 531 to improve access to care for injured drivers.
The bills have been assigned to the Senate Committee on Finance, Insurance and Consumer Protection as Legislators are still having ongoing conversations with constituents, community organizations and other stakeholders to ensure the legislation best addresses residents’ concerns.
Read more about these bills here.
Upcoming Events
Coffee and Conversation
These events are a great way to share your questions and ideas with me while also receiving a firsthand update on what my colleagues and I have been working on in the Michigan Legislature.
WHEN: Monday, October 16, 2023, from 8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
WHERE: Blondie’s Barn, 5640 Marsh Rd, Haslett, MI 48840
Learn more here.
Take Steps to Protect Yourself from COVID-19
As the fall season begins, immunizations and testing continue to be critical tools in managing the spread of COVID-19. To help keep yourself and your community healthy, I encourage you to take advantage of the free vaccine and testing options available to you.
Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Protects Against New Variants
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) recommends all Michiganders 6 months and older receive the updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine which is designed to provide protection against severe COVID-19 disease from currently circulating variants.
Most Michigan residents can still get a COVID-19 vaccine for free. For people with health insurance, most plans will cover COVID-19 vaccine at no cost to you. Michigan residents who don’t have health insurance or have health plans that do not cover the cost can reach out to a health care provider or local pharmacy participating in the CDC’s Bridge Access Program, their health department or visit Vaccines.gov for additional information on ways to obtain a free vaccine.
For more information, click here.
Testing Options: At-Home and In-Person
As of September 25, 2023, all U.S. residents are able to go to COVIDTests.govand sign up to receive up to four free at-home tests per household delivered via the U.S. Postal Service.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) also continues to partner with libraries across the state to provide free at-home COVID-19 tests to Michiganders. Click here for a list of participating libraries.
For Michiganders who are thinking about plans for in-person testing, Michigan.gov/COVIDTest remains in place to assist in locating a testing site.