DIETICIAN NUTRITIONIST LICENSURE H.B. 4608:

SUMMARY OF BILL

REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

House Bill 4608 (as reported without amendment)

Sponsor: Representative Laurie Pohutsky

House Committee: Health Policy

Senate Committee: Health Policy

CONTENT

The bill would add Part 183A (Dietetics and Nutrition) to the Public Health Code to do the following:

-- Establish a licensing process for dietician nutritionists and prescribe the requirements an individual seeking licensure as a dietician would have to meet.

-- Prescribe the scope of practice for a dietician nutritionist.

-- Prescribe the requirements of a qualified supervisor, which would be a person qualified to oversee the clinical practice of a prospective licensee under the bill.

-- Create the Board within the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) and prescribe its membership.

-- Require LARA, in consultation with the Board, to promulgate rules for appropriate supervision that were consistent with the range of prevailing professional standards and for continuing education requirements as a condition of license renewal.

-- Allow LARA, in consultation with the Board, to promulgate rules to supplement the requirements for licensure as a dietician nutritionist.

-- Prescribe requirements for temporary licensure under Part 183A.

-- Allow LARA to issue a license by endorsement to an applicant from another state that, at the time the applicant obtained the license from the other state, had licensure requirements substantially equivalent to Part 183A.

-- Restrict the use of certain titles to only dietitian nutritionists.

-- Specify that Part 183A would not require additional third-party reimbursement for services rendered by an individual licensed as a dietitian nutritionist.

The bill also would amend Part 161 (General Provisions) of the Code to prescribe license fees for an individual seeking licensure as a dietician nutritionist under Part 183A.

MCL 333.16141 et al.

BRIEF RATIONALE

Medical nutrition therapy is a necessary, sometimes lifesaving treatment given to many people with chronic conditions and diseases, such as diabetes. According to testimony, dietitian nutritionists cannot get medical nutrition therapy covered by insurance because they are not licensed by the State. When services are not covered by insurance, it causes many patients who require the service to either pay out of pocket or forfeit the service altogether. Some people believe that the State should adopt licensing requirements to make medical nutrition therapy more accessible and affordable to Michigan residents.

Legislative Analyst: Alex Krabill

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on LARA. The chart below illustrates the fees the bill would permit:

Fee Type	Amount
Application processing fee	$75
Annual license fee	$55
Temporary license fee	$55

The revenue collected would depend on the number of applications and licenses issued, and LARA likely would incur administrative costs associated with developing and implementing the licensing structure for dietitian nutritionists. Whether additional appropriations and staff would be required is indeterminate since the number of applicants is unknown.

Date Completed: 2-29-24 Fiscal Analyst: Elizabeth Raczkowski

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.