May 22, 2009. Michigan lawmakers have introduced a bipartisan health reform package in the state Senate. The package, called MI Health, aims to expand health insurance coverage to Michigan’s 1.2 million uninsured residents by providing more affordable and accessible options.
- The proposed reform establishes two state health plans: MI Access would expand Michigan’s Medicaid program by widening the eligibility criteria to residents with incomes under 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL), and MI Coverage would provide subsidized coverage for low-income workers with incomes at 200% to 300% FPL.
- The reform package also proposes a state re-insurance fund financed through an assessment on insurance carriers. The "Michigan Claims Fund" would cover the costs of medical claims between $25,000 and $250,000 per year for individually-insured patients.
As part of her SHARE-funded research, Deborah Chollet, Ph.D., is currently evaluating a re-insurance program in New York. For details about Dr. Chollet’s project, click here.
- Finally, MI Health would prohibit insurers from denying coverage for individuals with chronic conditions or increasing premiums for those previously diagnosed with a chronic condition.
Click here to view Michigan Senate Bill (SB) 579, which details MI Access and MI Coverage.
Click here to view Michigan Senate Bill 580, Chapter 37A, which describes the Michigan Claims fund and coverage for the chronically ill.
Click here to view Cover Michigan, a report from the Center for Healthcare Research and Transformation detailing the state of health care coverage in Michigan. SHADAC compiled data tables for this report.