Column: We must protect Medicaid for Michiganders
2025 has already been a whirlwind year, especially if you work in, around, or have any connection to policy. And isn't that pretty much all of us? Advocates and journalists are sounding the alarm daily, but joining the conversation can feel like a challenge when everything is moving at such a fast pace. It's like attempting to double-dutch when the jump ropes are swinging too quickly — it's hard to know when or how to jump in without tripping.
That's why we at the Michigan League for Public Policy have followed the data and research so we can help folks make the right decisions. With what's at stake, being informed is vital,
Medicaid is in serious jeopardy.
Right now, Republicans at the federal level are considering drastic cuts to Medicaid, the program that provides essential healthcare coverage to more than 2.5 million Michiganders in every part of the state who would otherwise be unable to afford needed medical care. The proposed cuts are part of a broader budget plan that aims to slash at least $880 billion from Medicaid to fund an extension of 2017-era tax cuts that mainly benefit the wealthiest Americans.
This is a big deal. Medicaid covers essential services like preventative screenings, mental health treatment, and long-term services and supports. If Congress is successful in passing their proposed spending cuts, thousands of children, families, seniors, and people with disabilities in Michigan could lose access to life-saving healthcare. Those cuts would also strain local economies by threatening jobs in health systems, hospitals and nursing facilities across Michigan that are vital to our communities. It truly is hard to overstate how deeply these cuts would affect our state.
Reductions in Medicaid funding would likely lead to:
Coverage losses: Millions of people could lose their health insurance, making it even harder to access necessary medical care.
Higher costs: Those who are unable to stay on Medicaid would face higher out-of-pocket costs for services and medications, putting more financial strain on already struggling families.
Hospital closures: Rural hospitals, which often depend on Medicaid funding to stay afloat, would be at increased risk of closing. For many rural areas, this would mean the closest hospital would be hours away, making emergency care, maternity care and other essential healthcare services much more difficult to access when they are needed. In Michigan, nearly 16% of seniors and more than 37% of children living in a small town have health coverage through Medicaid.
Many of your neighbors rely on Medicaid for their health insurance—check out our fact sheets to see how many people in your Congressional district are covered. This coverage means access to affordable, often lifesaving care. The more we understand and see the people behind the numbers, the more clearly we can defend a program that helps Michigan families stay healthy, stable, and able to thrive.
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