By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com


A local lawmaker has introduced legislation that would allow people with illnesses get help without risking infecting others.

Republican State Representative Hank Vaupel of Fowlerville has new legislation that is part of a six bill package that expands the definition of telemedicine in Michigan. Vaupel says, if passed into law, it will allow more people to get the care they need without leaving home. Vaupel called it asynchronous telehealth, and said that it means residents can access their health care by an electronic method and potentially avoid a trip to the doctor’s office.

Vaupel, who chairs the House Health Policy Committee, pointed to the coronavirus as an example of how this package can be a boon to treatment. Rather than going to a physician’s office or the hospital and risking infecting other patients and health care workers, people needing treatment can get it remotely. The legislation is currently being reviewed by the House Health Policy Committee.