Updates About Governor

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has made several appointments to state boards and commissions. Here are the highlights on our new and returning appointees:

• Health Information Technology Commission:
  • Jeffrey Chin (reappointed to represent hospitals)
• Early Childhood Investment Corporation Executive Committee:
  • Dr. Steve Tunnicliff (reappointed)
  • Laurie Linscott (reappointed)
  • Anissa Eddie (succeeds Luanne Ewald)
• Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council:
  • Jeremy Murphy (reappointed as a parent or guardian of a child with developmental disabilities)
  • Rodney Craig (appointed as a member representing a state agency that administers funds under the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973)
  • Sarah Winslow (reappointed as a parent or guardian of a child with developmental disabilities)
• Commission on Community Action and Economic Opportunity:
  • Katie Anderson (reappointed as a member representing low-income individuals)
  • Dwan Dandridge (reappointed to represent the private sector)
• Michigan Opioids Task Force:
  • Caitlin Koucky (appointed as a member representing PIHP Region 2)
• School Safety and Mental Health Commission: (submitted by the Senate Majority Leader)
  • Chelsea Kittridge-Farrell (appointed as a member who is a behavioral health professional or behavioral psychologist)
  • Andrea Tobis (appointed as a member who is a teacher)
  • Nicholas Symonette (appointed as a member who is affiliated with a community-based organization working with youths)
• Michigan Board of Nursing:
  • Dr. Larissa Miller (appointed as a registered nurse with a baccalaureate degree engaged in nursing practice or nursing administration)
  • Elizabeth Fluty (reappointed as a registered professional nurse with a master’s degree in a licensed practical nurse program

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has signed an executive directive instructing the Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) to assist Michiganders with navigating upcoming changes to the federal Health Insurance Marketplace. This directive comes in response to a recently passed federal budget bill, which state officials worry could raise premium costs by thousands annually and create new barriers for families trying to maintain their coverage. In Michigan alone, more than 500,000 residents currently rely on Marketplace insurance.

The changes are expected to increase verification requirements for many applicants, particularly for families with incomes at or below 150% of the federal poverty level. Beginning in 2026, the open enrollment period will also be shortened by one month, giving residents less time to secure coverage. Marketplace insurance and Enhanced Premium Tax Credits have historically helped lower costs for working families, providing an average savings of about $700 annually.

Under the directive, DIFS will expand outreach during open enrollment, provide direct assistance through its consumer helpline, and connect residents with Health Insurance Navigators to discuss their options. We’ll continue to monitor how these changes may affect Michiganders. In the meantime, you may read the governor’s full executive directive for more information.

As Medicare and Medicaid reach their 60th anniversary, Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist are celebrating the sweeping impact the programs have had on Michiganders while also raising alarm over recent federal threats to their future. These landmark health care programs now cover more than one in four state residents, providing essential care for children, seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families. Whitmer credited Medicaid and Medicare with reducing poverty, supporting rural hospitals, and keeping costs down for working families.

At the same time, Whitmer and Gilchrist sharply criticized recently passed federal legislation that cuts nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid funding, which would eliminate health care for many here in Michigan. With nearly 2.6 million Michiganders relying on these programs, including 1 million children and three in five nursing home residents, Whitmer and Gilchrist have pledged to keep fighting for access to affordable care, even as Congress moves in the opposite direction.