The Legislature returns to the state Capitol tomorrow.
The state House was intently focused on the effort to bring down insurance rates by allowing consumers to choose limited medical benefits. But the effort went down in overwhelming defeat.
House Speaker Tom Leonard backed the plan. He says the issue’s not dead, but he’s got other priorities.
“It has sucked a lot of oxygen out of the room, so certainly I’m ready to move on to other things.”
House Speaker Tom Leonard helped develop the plan, which would have traded premium reductions for caps on medical benefits. Leonard says he’s moving on to other things.
“The issue’s not dead, but I need to start working on other issues and solving other problems that are facing the citizens of this state.”
State Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof was never a fan of the House plan. He says it’s time to focus on other issues.
“I think we have a good opportunity to help local communities that have been overcommitted. Some that are doing, most that are doing really, really well, and we don’t want to do something that upsets their apple cart.”
Meekhof says creating a system to give each school in Michigan a letter grade is also a priority.