Tag: Community Mental Health Association of Michigan

Protect MI Care Coalition Partners Share Majority of Michiganders Oppose Medicaid Cuts

News Releases, Member News, Issues in Healthcare, Top Issues - Healthcare

The MHA joined other Protect MI Care Coalition partners in releasing public polling results that show 83% of Michiganders want to see Medicaid spending increased or kept the same as Congress considers cutting hundreds of billions of dollars from the Medicaid Program.

The MHA joined the Community Mental Health Association of Michigan, Michigan Association of Health Plans and Michigan Primary Care Association in commissioning the public polling from EPIC-MRA, which was shared through the new Protect MI Care coalition that was created to protect the federal Medicaid program from potential funding cuts.

Other results include:

  • 82% of Michigan residents oppose cutting Medicaid spending to pay for tax cuts.
  • 86% of Michigan residents feel Medicaid is important for people in their local community.
  • 76% express Medicaid is important for their family members and friends.

The results are featured in a stories published by Crain’s Detroit Business, WLNS 6 News and Gongwer.

Separate the from the public polling release, FOX 47 published a segment May 7 on Medicaid funding cuts with MHA Executive Vice President Laura Appel. This interview is part of a series of local TV news spots the MHA is recording to raise awareness of the funding threat.

The Protect MI Care coalition was launched April 17 and is made up of more than 140 organizations across a variety of sectors, including healthcare, education and community organizations. The MHA is one of eight groups serving on the coalition’s steering committee, providing direction and guidance to the coalition’s activities. Other steering committee members include the Michigan League for Public Policy and previously mentioned associations.

The coalition website includes advocacy tools, news updates and social media links to assist members of the public and participating groups in their advocacy efforts.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer also release a report May 8 from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services about the potential consequences of proposed Medicaid cuts. The report estimates limiting provider taxes would lead to a $2.3 billion decrease in payments to hospitals and imposing Medicaid work requirements would cost the state between $75 million to $155 million a year to implement a reporting program. In addition, converting to a block grant or a per-capita cap system would result in the loss of $4.1 billion to $13.4 billion for Michigan over the next decade.

MHA members are encouraged to continue to use the MHA’s action alert to contact their member of Congress and express the importance of protecting Medicaid from any funding cuts.

Members with any questions regarding media requests should contact John Karasinski at the MHA.

The Majority of Michiganders Oppose Medicaid Cuts, New Statewide Polling Shows

Issues in Healthcare, Top Issues - Healthcare, News Releases

New statewide polling shows 83% of Michiganders want to see Medicaid spending increased or kept about the same as Congress considers cutting hundreds of billions of dollars from the Medicaid program, which would terminate healthcare for thousands of Michigan residents. The local results mirror national polls from the Kaiser Family Foundation, Modern Medicaid Alliance, and others that consistently show a lack of support for Medicaid cuts.

EPIC·MRA, with support from the Community Mental Health Association of Michigan, Michigan Association of Health Plans, Michigan Health & Hospital Association, Michigan Primary Care Association, and Protect MI Care, conducted the new statewide poll to determine where Michiganders stand on proposed cuts to Medicaid.

Across political views and party affiliations, the percentage of Michiganders who want to see Medicaid spending decreased does not exceed 20% for any specific group, with only 19% of self-identifying Republicans seeking reduced Medicaid support.

Results reveal that 62% of Michigan residents believe the changes Congress is considering making to the Medicaid program are more about reducing federal spending than improving how the program works for people. Furthermore, 82% of Michigan residents oppose cutting Medicaid spending to pay for tax cuts, and 71% oppose cutting Medicaid in ways that would create a deficit in Michigan’s state budget.

Reflecting on the significance of Medicaid in Michigan, the poll found that 86% of Michigan residents feel Medicaid is important for people in their local community, and 76% express that Medicaid is important for their family members and friends. Michiganders’ feelings about the impact of Medicaid in their communities showed up statewide, with over 80% of people agreeing that Medicaid is important in their community across all regions of the state (From 86% in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties to 91% in West Michigan, 80% in Central Michigan, and 87% in Northern Michigan).

“This data sends a clear message: Michiganders from across the state and all walks of life see Medicaid as the important lifeline it is,” said MPCA CEO Phillip Bergquist. “Medicaid cuts under consideration in Congress threaten the health and financial stability of families across our state, and Michiganders don’t support them.”

2.6 million people get their health insurance through Medicaid in Michigan, representing approximately one in four Michiganders. Medicaid provides coverage for 38% of births in Michigan, 2 in 5 children, 3 in 5 nursing home residents, and 3 in 8 working-age adults with disabilities. And, Michigan’s Medicaid program is efficient, with per-enrollee costs among the ten lowest states in the country.

“These results show Michiganders understand that funding cuts to Medicaid are cuts to everyone,” said MHA CEO Brian Peters. “Medicaid allows healthcare providers to continue to offer access to care and healthcare services throughout the state and Michigan residents are clear in expressing the need to protect these services.”