Medicaid Warning Letters Reach Michigan Residents as Families Prepare for Coverage Losses

After the Republican Tax Law cut nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid, Michiganders have been receiving notices this month about harsh rules put in place for the program, which covers over two million residents. The cuts in the law are putting rural hospitals at risk of shutting down, would take away health care from seniors and those with disabilities, and endanger coverage for patients with serious illnesses like cancer. Representatives Tom Barrett (MI-07), John James (MI-10), and Bill Huizenga (MI-04) voted for the law, which made the largest cuts to Medicaid in the program's history.

“My family relies on Medicaid for my son who is disabled,” said Kim, who lives in Michigan’s 4th Congressional District. “We all work hard and do the best we can to take great care of him, and to think that people like my son could be losing the health care they depend on through no fault of their own is heartbreaking.”

Health care costs are already on the rise in Michigan. After Republicans in Congress allowed the enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits to expire in December, millions of families saw double- and triple-digit premium increases. And with the new Medicaid rules coming into effect in just a few months, an estimated 171,000 to 355,000 Michiganders could lose health care coverage.