More than 2,500 Hillsdale County residents will receive healthcare coverage under the Healthy Michigan Plan, Michigan’s Medicaid expansion program.
“According to projections released by Michigan League for Public Policy, we expect that 2,707 of the county’s uninsured population will be eligible for health insurance through Medicaid expansion,” said Theresa Christner, Health Promotion and Education Director of the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency. “This represents 45 percent of the county’s uninsured.”
By April 15, 59,280 Michigan residents had enrolled in HMP, according to The Michigan Department of Community Health.
Although separate from insurance offered through Michigan’s Healthcare Exchange, HMP provides the same federal and state-mandated essential health benefits for those at or below 133 percent of the federal poverty level.
The Michigan Legislature passed Medicaid expansion in December, but coverage didn’t begin immediately due to a lack of votes.
In addition, Michigan legislators put restrictions on the Medicaid expansion which required the approval of a federal waiver.
“Michigan put a twist on the normal expansion and called it the ‘Healthy Michigan Plan,’” said Steve Todd, health officer at the community health agency. “People can only be on it for four years, and there’s a larger co-pay for certain people.”
Before the HMP, about 180 of Hillsdale’s low-income residents received healthcare through the Hillsdale-Branch-St. Joseph Health Plan, Plan B.
This healthcare coverage provided by the health agency ended on March 31 and many were left uninsured because HMP didn’t begin when expected.
“We had hoped to keep this plan running until expanded Medicaid began under the HMP,” Todd said. “Now, the 417 people, who have some type of primary healthcare coverage which would qualify for the HMP will be in limbo and doing without.”
Todd suggested the problems plaguing Michigan’s rollout of the Affordable Care Act were partially to blame for HMP’s delayed start.
“I don’t know what’s holding it up,” Todd said. “But it’s probably funding issues that are tied into problems with the ACA getting geared up.”
Despite the rough start, Tuesday’s announcement is a start in accomplishing Michigan’s goal of covering 320,000 residents in its first year.
“There were a few bumps in the road, but it should be a smooth transition,” said Mary Boyer, HMP certified navigator and health department proctor.
“A large number of people are now able to get healthcare, and a lot of people are satisfied with what they’re getting.”
