Lawmakers hear hours of testimony on HB 4399, a bill to remove mandatory collaborative agreements for nurse practitioners

At a House Health Policy Committee hearing, lawmakers heard more than a dozen witnesses for and against House Bill 4,399, the measure sponsored by Representative Preston that would make physician collaborative agreements for most advanced practice registered nurses (commonly called nurse practitioners or NPs) voluntary rather than required by law.

The debate centered on two competing claims: supporters, including AARP Michigan, community health centers and nursing associations, said removing the mandatory contracts would improve access to primary care—especially in rural and underserved areas—and reduce bureaucratic barriers; physician groups, radiologists and some emergency medicine specialists said the proposal risks patient safety by allowing providers with different training backgrounds to practice without the supervision they now have.

Supporters told the committee that the contracts can act as a works-stopping barrier when a physician revokes an agreement or when newly graduated NPs cannot find a collaborator. Cassie Thirfelder,…