In a news conference today, organizers of the Michigan Health care reform opt-out announced their petition drive fell short of collecting enough signatures to put the issue before the voters. Wendy Day, one of the organizers for Michigan Citizens for Healthcare Freedom estimated the group’s signature collectors gathered between 145,000-170,000 signatures, well short of the 381,000 needed to place the proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot.
The proposed amendment would have given Michiganders a constitutional right to opt-out of participation in the health care program approved by Congress in March. While the petition failed, a pair of state lawmakers who attended the event said they will introduce legislation mirroring the language in the proposed amendment when the Legislature reconvenes later this month.
For more information on this topic, feel free to call Abby Pendleton, Esq., Adrienne Dresevic, Esq., Carey F. Kalmowitz, Esq., Jessica L. Gustafson, Esq. or Robert S. Iwrey, Esq. of The Health Law Partners at (248) 996-8510.