Bill > HB4839

This bill amends Michigan's social welfare act to require the state's medical assistance program to prioritize generic medications over brand-name drugs. Specifically, the department will not provide coverage for a brand-name drug if an equivalent generic drug exists, unless the prescribing healthcare professional takes specific actions to mandate the brand-name medication. These actions include: (1) writing "dispense as written" or "d.a.w." on a handwritten prescription, (2) initialing "d.a.w." on a pre-printed prescription blank that includes a statement about generic equivalents, or (3) expressly indicating for non-written prescriptions that the specific medication must be dispensed as communicated. The bill also provides clear definitions for terms like "brand name," "generic name," "prescriber," and "prescription," drawing these definitions from Michigan's public health code. The purpose of this legislation appears to be reducing healthcare costs by encouraging the use of less expensive generic medications when medically appropriate, while still allowing healthcare providers the flexibility to specify brand-name drugs when necessary.

Budget and Finance

https://legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-4839