Sec. 109d.

(1) The legislature finds that the use of medicaid funds for elective abortions has been clearly rejected by the people of Michigan through Act No. 59 of the Public Acts of 1987, initiated by the citizens under the rights of the people reserved in the Michigan constitution, approved by a majority of this legislature, affirmed by the citizens at large through a statewide referendum, and sustained by the Michigan supreme court.

(2) In light of evidence that abortion providers, in conjunction with third party payors, may have devised and implemented plans for reimbursing services in violation of the intent of Act No. 59 of the Public Acts of 1987, the legislature finds the enactment of section 109e a necessary clarification of, and enforcement mechanism for, Act No. 59 of the Public Acts of 1987.

(3) The legislature finds that any practice of separating or unbundling services directly related to the performance of an abortion for the purposes of seeking medicaid reimbursement, with those funds thereby subsidizing in whole or in part the cost of performing an abortion, is an inappropriate use of taxpayer funds in light of Act No. 59 of the Public Acts of 1987.

(4) Recognizing that certain services related to performing an abortion can also be part of legitimate and routine obstetric care, section 109e should not be construed to affect diagnostic testing or other nonabortion procedures. Only physicians who actually perform abortions, and particularly those who perform abortions but do not provide prenatal care or obstetric services, should view themselves as potentially affected by section 109e. Unacceptable requests for reimbursement include those services which would not have been performed, but for the preparation and performance of a planned or requested abortion.

History: Add. 1996, Act 124, Eff. Mar. 31, 1997 Popular Name: Act 280