For Tuesday, June 2.

MARQUETTE — Some retailers must reopen their bottle return facilities and resume collection of returnable beverage containers beginning June 15, the Michigan Department of Treasury announced.

This applies to retailers with bottle return facilities located at the front of the store or housed in a separate area and serviced exclusively by reverse vending machines requiring minimal or no person-to-person contact.

Retailers re-opening their bottle return facilities must ensure those facilities comply with all state-mandated safety protocols and restrictions, including the most recent state-mandated safeguards to protect workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During this initial phase, retailers must limit the volume of weekly returned beverage containers to no more than 140% of their average weekly collection volume for the period of April and May 2019.

Consumers have the option of recycling their returnable beverage containers if they choose not to return them to a bottle deposit redemption facility.

Additionally, retailers may take any or all of the following steps:

Limit the number of beverage containers that may be returned by a single individual per day to a deposit refund amount of $25;

≤ Establish special or limited hours of operation for bottle return facilities;

≤ Limit the number of available and operating reverse vending machines;

≤ Periodically close bottle deposit facilities as needed for cleaning and supply management; and

≤ Implement such other procedures or restrictions as each retailer may determine are necessary or advisable to promote safety and/or efficiency.

Ishpeming Fourth of

July festivities canceled

The Ishpeming Fourth of July Committee announced on Facebook that it has canceled the traditional festivities for this year. This includes both of the parades, the picnic and fireworks.

“We weighed options on both sides and ultimately it results in the fact that there is still too much uncertainty,” the post reads.

It also noted it is hard to plan a large-scale event without fundraising in advance, particularly without knowing what phase the Upper Peninsula will be in on July 4 regarding the six-phased MI Safe Start Plan.

Behavioral services

addressed

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has announced plans to ensure residents will continue to have access to behavioral health services as providers deal with challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has created.

MDHHS is working with the state’s regional prepaid inpatient health plans on stability plans for providers of Medicaid-funded behavioral health and developmental disability services. Consistent with their contractual responsibilities, the department will work together with plans to ensure that service providers remain viable.

PIHPs, which are the regional managed-care entities that administer Medicaid behavioral health services through community mental health agencies, are expected to take all necessary steps to make sure their service delivery network remains viable and can provide adequate access to all covered behavioral health services.

Nearly 280,000 Medicaid beneficiaries in Michigan receive behavioral health or developmental disability services through PIHP providers.

MDHHS is requiring that each of the state’s 10 PIHPs submit a Provider Network Stability Plan that outlines the steps being taken to support its network of providers. Stability plans are due Thursday. As part of their stability plans, MDHHS will allow PIHPs to engage in alternative contracting approaches to ensure the stability of the provider network.

Refunds to be issued

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services announced that DIFS Director Anita Fox has ordered all Michigan auto insurers to issue refunds or premium waivers to consumers as a result of insurance companies’ reduced risk due to extreme reductions in driving during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Michiganders have been staying safe and staying home and they should see the benefit in reduced auto insurance rates during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Whitmer said in a news release. “Every family is feeling added financial pressure due to this virus, and this order will provide some much-needed relief to drivers.”

DIF set a deadline of June 10 for insurers to submit filings that include the refund or premium waiver amount, information on how that amount was determined, and how consumers will receive payments. It also requires communication plans to inform customers about the refund and the options available to those with long term changes in driving habits, for example, those who have been laid off or are telecommuting.

“This order will ensure all insurers are issuing appropriate refunds or premium waivers to their customers,” Fox said in the release. “Consumers may realize additional savings by modifying their policies to reflect their current driving habits. Drivers should contact their agent to discuss garaging a car or making other changes to save on their premiums.”

DIFS can assist consumers with questions or disputes that cannot be directly resolved with their insurer. Contact DIFS 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at 833-ASK-DIFS (275-3437) or by emailing autoinsurance@michigan.gov.

Food supply the focus

Whitmer also has signed an executive order that provides additional requirements and procedures to keep agricultural workers and the food supply safe from the effects of COVID-19.

Executive Order 2020-111, which takes effect immediately and expires on June 29, requires owners and operators of employer-provided migrant housing licensed by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to provide residents with the same safeguards businesses are required to provide workers under Executive Order 2020-97. This includes creating a COVID-19 response plan, providing personal protective equipment and following social distancing measures.

Housing owners and operators must also:

≤ Separate beds by at least six feet or more in all directions wherever possible and encourage residents to sleep head-to-toe;

≤ Provide isolation housing for COVID-19-infection who have not received a positive result from a COVID-19 test, unless the resident resides in a single-family housing unit or family living unit that is part of a multifamily unit and can effectively isolate

≤ Provide housing, dining and bathroom facilities for COVID-19-confirmed residents separate from residents who are not COVID-19-confirmed;

≤ Ensure regular ventilation of rooms where COVID-19-affected residents are housed;

≤ Ensure anyone who delivers food and water to isolated residents is equipped with appropriate PPE;

≤ Arrange for COVID-19-affected residents to be evaluated by a medical provider through the local health department or federally qualified health center; and

≤ Adopt any additional infection control measures consistent with guidance issued by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Christie Mastric can be reached at cbleck@miningjournal.net.