Updates About Health Insurance

In February, over 140,000 Michigan residents saw their Medicaid coverage renewed, bringing the total renewed coverage under Medicaid and the Healthy Michigan Plan to over 1.4 million individuals, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). However, an additional 14,688 individuals were removed from the rolls due to eligibility or procedural issues, resulting in a total of 701,589 residents who have lost their Medicaid health coverage since June 2023.

The post-pandemic purge has exceeded earlier predictions, with more than triple the predicted 200,000 cuts forecasted by the Michigan House Fiscal Agency last year. Despite these challenges, efforts are underway to maintain health care coverage for eligible residents, with the department extending renewals and providing additional support to ensure continued access to care.

With ongoing renewal efforts and extensions, Medicaid recipients are encouraged to submit their paperwork and utilize available resources to maintain their coverage.

Beginning January 1st, 2024, MDHHS will be implementing changes to the Healthy Michigan Plan (HMP) that affect cost-sharing and healthy behaviors for beneficiaries.

Enrolled individuals will not face care disruptions or benefit reductions due to these updates. Alterations to the plan include revised copayment obligations for beneficiaries aged 21 and older, where copayments may now be required at the point of service instead of through the MI Health Account. Exceptions for copayments related to chronic conditions and exemptions for medically frail individuals will be discontinued.

While encouraging healthy behaviors remains a focus, requirements for annual Health Risk Assessments and specific activities via the MI Health Account will no longer be mandatory or incentivized. MDHHS plans to collaborate with Medicaid Health Plans to introduce financial incentives for enrollees displaying improved health outcomes, adopting healthy behaviors, or completing screenings or procedures that contribute to better health.

After a 15-year battle to lower the cost of orally administered chemotherapy medication, House Bill 4071 was signed into law by the Governor on October 24, 2023. The bill addresses disparities between the level of health insurance coverage for various types of chemotherapy and establishes a cap on related co-pays. Michiganders can now expect coverage for oral chemotherapy that mirrors that of other chemotherapy treatments.

Thanks to the persistence of Representative Samantha Steckloff (D-Farmington Hills) and the numerous advocacy groups supporting this cause, Michigan patients can focus on choosing the cancer treatment that fits their lifestyle instead of settling for the one that fits their budget.

See: Governor Signs Oral Chemotherapy Legislation into Law!