Tri-City Sun

State Rep. Matthew Bierlein has expressed his support for a series of bills aimed at reforming mental health care coverage in Michigan. The proposed legislation would require health insurance companies to use best-practice clinical standards when making decisions about mental health and substance use disorder treatments, similar to the standards already applied to physical health coverage.

Bierlein, who serves as chair of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Public Health and Food Security, highlighted that current insurance policies often rely on outdated definitions of medical necessity. As a result, many residents are denied access to standard treatments such as therapy or inpatient care.

“Each day, mental health professionals in Michigan are forced to turn away patients in need of support,” said Bierlein, of Vassar. “The harsh reality is that when people see months or years of deferred and delayed treatments and can’t access these interventions, the results are tragic. It leads to more emergency room visits, more overdoses, more suicides, and more families pushed into financial crisis.

“These current policies don’t just exacerbate suffering; they undermine the potential for recovery and long-term wellness. We need a better way forward.”

Bierlein has co-sponsored one of the bills in this legislative package. He stated that these measures would hold insurers accountable while protecting patients by promoting fairness and transparency within Michigan’s health care system.

The push for reform comes amid ongoing challenges with mental health care across the state. In June, just weeks after these bills were introduced, an incident occurred in Traverse City where a man was arrested for stabbing 11 people at a department store. Reports indicated that his family had tried unsuccessfully for over two decades to secure him placement in a treatment facility due to recognized mental health issues.

“We have seen the consequences of delayed or denied care,” Bierlein said. “But we also know what’s possible when people receive the help they need – earlier recovery, healthier families, crisis intervention, and a stronger Michigan. Mental illness and addiction issues impact a sizable portion of our state’s population. We must act with fairness, compassion and determination so we can start to turn these startling statistics around.”

House Bills 4683-85 are currently being reviewed by the House Insurance Committee.