PRE-ABORTION ULTRASOUND H.B. 4446 (H-1): FLOOR ANALYSIS
House Bill 4446 (Substitute H-1 as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Representative David Robertson
House Committee: Health Policy
Senate Committee: Health Policy
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Public Health Code to do the following:
-- Require a physician or a qualified person assisting the physician to perform an ultrasound on a patient before obtaining her consent to an abortion, and give the patient an opportunity to view the active ultrasound image and receive a physical picture of it.
-- Require the Department of Community Health to make available on its website a list of health care providers, facilities, and clinics that offer to perform free ultrasounds.
MCL 333.17015 Legislative Analyst: Julie Koval
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would likely lead to a small, indeterminate increase in cost for State and local governments. Mandating that medical professionals perform an ultrasound before performing an abortion could lead to a slight increase in the cost of providing health benefits to employees of State and local governments. Although the State does not cover nonemergency abortion procedures through the Medicaid program, ultrasounds are covered by Medicaid and this requirement could create a mild increase in fee-for-service Medicaid cost. The Department of Community Health also could bear a small increase in administrative cost associated with compiling and maintaining a list of available ultrasound providers on its website.
Date Completed: 12-1-05 Fiscal Analyst: David Fosdick
Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. hb4446/0506