MHA Executive Vice President Laura Appel joined U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin and other healthcare advocates March 23 as part of a virtual press conference organized by Protect Our Care to celebrate the 13th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Appel emphasized the MHA’s long-standing support of the ACA and Michigan’s Medicaid expansion through the Healthy Michigan Plan, which provided millions of Americans with health insurance, provided access to care for millions of residents with preexisting conditions and saved billions of healthcare dollars. More than one million Healthy Michigan Plan beneficiaries are currently covered by Michigan’s Medicaid expansion program allowed by the ACA and more than 320,000 Michiganders receive coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace created by the ACA. Appel also referenced the $10 billion reduction in Medicare payments that Michigan hospitals committed to experience in order to ensure state residents have access to expanded health insurance coverage under the ACA.
Additional speakers during the press conference included Laura Bonnell, CEO of the Bonnell Foundation, and Sarah Stark, a Type 1 diabetic who benefitted from the original ACA expansion.
Media representatives from The Detroit News, WWJ Newsradio 950, WOOD TV8 and WLNS-TV joined the press conference.
A press release was published following the conclusion of the press conference by Protect Our Care and a recording of the press conference is available on the Protect Our Care Michigan Facebook page.