House GOP proposes all-out assault on Medicaid
Getty Images
Threats to Medicaid are mounting, with the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce unveiling a new, harmful plan this past weekend that would not only have a devastating impact on Michiganders' ability to access health care, but lead to a catastrophic ripple effect on our state's health care systems and economy. Under the plan, up to 512,000 adults in Michigan could lose coverage due to new, punitive work requirements.
This latest news comes at a time when Michiganders have sent a loud-and-clear message that they don't want cuts to Medicaid. In fact, according to new statewide polling results released last week, 83% of Michigan voters across political views and party affiliations want to see Medicaid spending either increased or kept the same. EPIC·MRA, with support from the Community Mental Health Association of Michigan, Michigan Association of Health Plans, Michigan Health & Hospital Association, Michigan Primary Care Association, and Protect MI Care, conducted the new statewide poll to determine where Michiganders stand on the proposed Medicaid cuts. The poll also showed that 82% of Michiganders oppose cutting Medicaid to pay for tax cuts and 80% said Medicaid is important in their communities.
More than 2.6 million Michiganders — including more than 1 million children — rely on Medicaid for their health care coverage. This includes 1 in 5 adults ages 19-64, 2 in 5 children, 3 in 5 nursing home residents, 1 in 6 Medicare beneficiaries and 3 in 8 working-age adults with disabilities.These are our family members, friends, co-workers and neighbors, and they live in every county in our state. Each and every one of them deserves to be able to access the care they need in order to live healthy lives.
Health care providers, advocates urge Michigan congressional delegation to vote no on Medicaid cuts
In addition to providing health care coverage to nearly half of Michigan's kids, Medicaid covered 45% of all babies born in our state last year and allows more than 270,000 older Michiganders to live safely at home or in caregiving facilities. It also serves as a lifeline for Michiganders seeking care at behavioral health and substance use treatment centers in rural and underserved areas, and, statewide, it protects families who otherwise couldn't afford care from serious health consequences and insurmountable financial burdens.
Medicaid is foundational to Michigan's health care delivery systems, providing an essential source of funding for hospitals, nursing homes, Community Mental Health Services Programs, schools and Emergency Medical Services. The program brings over $19 billion in federal funding to Michigan, supporting care, providers and thousands of jobs.
In addition to stripping health care away from hundreds of thousands of Michiganders, the implementation and administration of the House GOP's proposed work requirements would lead to exorbitant administrative costs, with Michigan taxpayers footing a potential $155 million bill in the first year alone. This is funding that would be put to much better use as a means to maintain and, better yet, increase health care coverage for the people who call Michigan home.
The plan also proposes tax 'reforms' that could result in a $3 billion annual loss in funding for our state, including a $2.3 billion decrease in payments to Michigan hospitals and upwards of $325 million in cuts to nursing homes. The closures of hospitals and other health care facilities are a real possibility under this plan, which would be deeply felt in rural and underserved areas where health care accessibility is already a major issue.
Let's be clear: this new plan is an all-out assault on Medicaid that would push families off coverage, overwhelm hospitals with uncompensated care and deepen workforce shortages in essential health care services.
We here at the Michigan League for Public Policy continue to stand strong in our fight to protect Medicaid, and we do not stand alone. We stand together with the majority of Michiganders and the more than 150 organizations that make up the Protect MI Care coalition. The stakes right now could not be higher, which is why the League is proud to have helped launch the Protect MI Care coalition in order to build a united front against any cuts or caps to Medicaid. The health and well-being of Michiganders and our state economy depend on it.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Trump makes the world a safer place — and shows America means exactly what it says
US planes bombed three Iranian nuclear sites Saturday, returning safely with President Donald Trump calling for an immediate peace now that, presumably, the work of destroying Tehran's nuke program is complete. The prez had warned that he'd be deciding 'within two weeks,' and as Iran made it clear Friday, there wasn't much point in waiting as its leaders began to attempt to give world leaders the runaround again. And that, as we noted Friday night, obliged Trump 'to pay even more heed to the risks of holding off on a decisive intervention.' President Trump ordered the bombings of 3 vital Iranian nuclear sites Saturday. Getty Images He plainly decided on a fast intervention, using US bunker-busters to take out the super hardened Fordow site with two other nuclear facilities. It was an action that as we have stated gives 'the best hope for the region to stabilize.' We'll see what comes next; Iran's noise about the United States taking action somehow triggering 'all-out war in the region' will hopefully prove to be nothing but characteristic bluster — but US forces in the Middle East will surely be on full alert for days, with bases worldwide on the watch for some sort of terror attack. Yet most fears of escalation seem ill-founded: Iran has proved unable to do much in the face of daily pounding by Israeli warplanes — a humiliation that all by itself posed a dire threat to the regime. It can't have been holding much back. The president tried to get this done peacefully, giving Tehran ample time to make a deal and clear warning of the consequences. Now, thanks to the bravery and professionalism of our armed forces, he has followed through on his warnings. The Israelis can stand down while the 'regime change' crowd heads back to its think tanks and the 'hundreds of thousands of Americans will die' kooks pretend they never predicted disaster. Moscow, Beijing and the rest of the world are on notice as Trump's clinical strikes reverse the damage of Biden's disastrous Afghanistan pull out. Trump doesn't chicken out — and when it comes to war, peace and America's national interests, he means exactly what he says.
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Here are some of the US bases and assets Iran could target in retaliation for Trump strikes
The US has several bases and military assets in the Middle East that Iran could target in retaliation for the strikes President Trump ordered earlier today. President Trump steps off Marine One before boarding Air Force One at Morristown Municipal Airport in Morristown, New Jersey, on June 21, 2025. AFP via Getty Images Here are a few of the ones Iran may target: Al Udeid Air Base — located in Qatar, it's the largest US military base in the Middle East US Navy Fifth Fleet — its headquarters is in Bahrain and is a critical asset in the Persian Gulf Al Asad Air Base — a US base in Iraq that Iran targeted in 2020 after the killing of Quds Force leader Qasem Soleimani There are several other key bases and assets in the region. Iran could hit US embassies in nearby countries such as Iraq, the United Arab Emirates or even Israel. Although not a US asset per se, Iran could also try to close the Strait of Hormuz, a critical potential chokehold where about 25% of the world's oil consumption and roughly a third of the world's liquefied natural gas flows.
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Trump takes heat from Dems and GOPers over decision to bomb Iran: ‘Another foreign war'
A handful of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle fumed at President Trump's decision to bomb top nuclear facilities in Iran and accused him of violating the Constitution. On Sunday, Trump announced that he had ordered strikes to target Iran's Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan nuclear sites. Trump noted that all planes successfully departed Iranian airspace and were 'safely on their way home.' 'Every time America is on the verge of greatness, we get involved in another foreign war,' firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), a top Trump ally, lamented. Advertisement Several lawmakers of both parties met President Trump with fuming responses to his decision to bomb nuclear facilities in Iran. REUTERS 'There would not be bombs falling on the people of Israel if Netanyahu had not dropped bombs on the people of Iran first. Israel is a nuclear-armed nation. This is not our fight.' Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who hasn't been shy about splitting with Trump in the past, simply declared: 'This is not Constitutional.' Advertisement Top Intel Committee Democrat Jim Himes (D-Conn.) similarly accused Trump of exceeding his presidential authorities with the strikes. 'According to the Constitution, we are both sworn to defend, my attention to this matter comes BEFORE bombs fall. Full stop,' Himes fumed on X. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) simply declared: 'This is not Constitutional.' in response to the bombings. Getty Images Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) also called it an 'unambiguous impeachable offense.' Advertisement 'This is not about the merits of Iran's nuclear program. No president has the authority to bomb another country that does not pose an imminent threat to the US without the approval of Congress,' Casten said on X. 'I'm not saying we have the votes to impeach. I'm saying that you DO NOT do this without Congressional approval and if Johnson doesn't grow a spine and learn to be a real boy tomorrow we have a BFing problem that puts our very Republic at risk.'
