CPAN: Special Election Offers Opportunity to Refocus and Pass a Legislative Solution to the Care Crisis

CPAN: Special ElectionOffersOpportunity to Refocus and Pass a Legislative Solution to the Care Crisis

Hoste: ‘To adjourn without passing a fix would tarnish the legacy of everyone involved’

LANSING, Mich.—(April 17, 2024)— With last night’s election of Mai Xiong and Peter Herzberg to the Michigan State House of Representatives, CPAN today is calling on the Legislature to refocus and recommit to passing a solution to the care crisis affecting thousands of crash survivors, their families and those who care for them. 

The following statement can be attributed to Tim Hoste, CPAN president. 

“On behalf of CPAN, I would like to congratulate Mai Xiong and Peter Herzberg on their successful races last night. They are no doubt already familiar with the devastating impact that the 2019 auto insurance reforms have wrought on our state. Thousands of catastrophic crash survivors have lost needed care. Their heartbreaking stories have been shared in news stories, across social media channels, and in direct conversations with legislators. Rehabilitation facilities have closed their doors, leading to the loss of thousands of good-paying health care jobs. Family members have been forced to become full-time caregivers providing the difficult and dangerous care their loved ones need. They’re exhausted, overwhelmed, and are pleading for assistance. 

Meanwhile, the reform has objectively failed to lower auto insurance premiums for the vast majority of Michiganders. In fact, the state Department of Insurance and Financial Services has approved over $1 billion in rate increases in two consecutive years.

Last October, the Senate passed a package of bills that would provide relief to crash survivors and their families—but so far, those bills have stalled in the House. Now, there is only about two months left before the Legislature leaves on its summer break. To adjourn before a fix is passed and signed by Gov. Whitmer would tarnish the legacy of everyone involved and lead to more unnecessary suffering for those who deserve better.” 

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CPAN is a broad bipartisan, Michigan-based coalition whose mission is to be the consumer advocate for auto insurance policyholders, those who have been injured in a motor vehicle crash and the medical providers caring for them, representing them at the Capitol, in the courts, and in the public forum. For more information, please visit www.CPAN.us.