Medicaid to Cover 470,000 More Michiganders

This article was written by Aysha Jamali and Nicole Krawcke

The state Senate approved a plan after lengthy deliberations Tuesday to expand Medicaid health care coverage to 470,000 more people.

Michigan is now the 25th state to approve Medicaid expansion after last night's 20-18 vote, the Detroit Free Press reported.  

The decision reached a dead end when Sen. Patrick Colbeck, R-Canton, decided not to vote the first time the bill came up leaving it one vote short of passing.

However, the Senate allowed a reconsideration of the vote. Several hours later, an amendment — that hospitals can’t charge Medicaid patients more than 115 percent of what they charge Medicare patients — was offered and Sen. Tom Casperson, R-Escanaba, switched his vote to a yes, the Detroit Free Press reported. The bill then had the 20 votes needed to pass.

“The expansion of Medicaid is a central tenet of Obamacare," Colbeck said on his Facebook page. "Not only does it expand expenditures on what is generally considered sub-par care for low income citizens, this expansion is funded by over $716 Billion in Medicare reductions that impact another segment of our society - seniors.

“I share the stated objectives of the Affordable Care Act to lower the cost of healthcare, expand access to care, improve quality, and protect consumer choice. The Obamacare 'train wreck' has failed on all counts," he continued. "There are better solutions out there. My Patient-Centered Care solution would achieve our common objectives using free market principles not more government bureaucracy.”

Gov. Rick Snyder has been traveling the state promoting Medicaid expansion as part of his "Healthy Michigan Now" campaign. Hevisited Novi last week to talk about what he said are the almost half a million people who don't currently qualify for Medicaid but also aren't able to afford health insurance. 

"If you had someone at your kitchen table who needed help, we'd figure out how to help them," he said. "We've got 470,000 other family members we can help."

Snyder told Fox Run residents in Novi that Michigan will save money despite eventually paying 10 percent of Medicaid costs.

"We're currently proving some services that will be covered by the federal government," he said. 

He said the state budget will be about $200 million better after the start of this program starting with the first year. Snyder said the state can set aside half of those savings each year for a health savings account, which will pay for Medicaid expansion past the year 2030.

Do you think Medicaid expansion is a good change for Michigan? Tell us in the comments.