NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIAN LICENSURE S.B. 826:
SUMMARY OF BILL
REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 826 (as reported without amendment)
CONTENT
The bill would add Part 186 (Naturopathic Physicians) to the Public Health Code to provide for the licensure of naturopathic physicians. Specifically, the bill would do the following:
-- Prescribe requirements for naturopathic physician licensure, including an application and examination.
-- Prescribe the scope of practice for naturopathic physicians.
-- Create the Michigan Board of Naturopathic Medicine and prescribe its duties, including determining the qualifications of individuals applying for licensure and the scope of practice of naturopathic medicine, establishing continuing education requirements, and promulgating rules for examination standards.
-- Create the Naturopathic Formulary Council.
-- Require the Council to establish a naturopathic formulary, which would have to be reviewed annually, or at any time at the Board's request, and prescribe the scope of the formulary.
Additionally, the bill would amend the Code to require the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) to annually establish a schedule of fees for an individual licensed or seeking a license as a naturopathic physician to offset LARA's administrative expenses, and include in the definition of "prescriber" a licensed doctor of naturopathic medicine.
MCL 333.16265 et al. Legislative Analyst: Stephen Jackson
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have a minor, negative impact on the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. The bill would have no impact on local units of government. The bill would allow LARA to set licensure fee rates for naturopathic physicians. These fees initially would be high to offset information technology and processing costs associated with setting up a new online license application. Estimates from LARA indicate that the initial licensing fee for about 30 anticipated applicants could be as high as $750. Once application fee revenue exceeded the cost to set up the new online license application, those fees would come down significantly.
It is expected that the Department would absorb sustained costs associated with Board support and rule-making, as it already has staff in place to perform those tasks for other health care and professional boards, and would absorb travel expenses associated with the new seven-member Board and the new five-member Formulary Council. Travel expenses for board members can vary and are reimbursable for other boards housed in LARA.
Date Completed: 3-15-18 Fiscal Analyst: Michael Siracuse
This 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.