Is Michigan Speculating On Medicaid Marijuana For Agra-Pharm Industry?

Whenever I see amending of the Michigan False Claims Act, I seem to take a pause.

I remember well the last time the Act was reviewed by HHS because it was addressed to the previous attorney general and I called for correction.

This was done in 2011 and Michigan has yet to bring the Act into federal compliance.

Now, there is a Bill to build an exception being offered for one specific condition which sounds really fishy.

For the benefit of the doubt of being ethical and knowing how sneaky Michigan is, I did a cursory backgrounder.

Marijuana has been known to provide a wide array of health benefits so I would understand why the state would want to preemptively adopt the medicinal purposes into billing law, but why the State False Claims Act when it has yet to come into federal compliance?

This is the legislative analysis of the Health Care False Claims Bill and I have reservations:

The bill would amend the Health Care False Claim Act to include a payment from a drug manufacturer for a health care service associated with the use of a multiple sclerosis drug in an exception to a prohibition against kickbacks, bribes, and rebates for furnishing health care goods, services, and benefits.

Is this the agricultural-pharmaceutical industry's way of getting into the Medicaid billing game by qualifying medical marijuana through the back door of this Act?

Michigan is known for experimenting with socio-economic policy.

One would think the legislators would want to first bring the Act into federal compliance and include provisions for Medicaid fraud in child welfare, but what do I know?

Michigan False Claims Bill 2016

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