House Democrats warn that Medicaid cuts from the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” will put health care for hundreds of thousands of Michiganders at risk

 

LANSING, Mich., July 30, 2025 — Today marks the 60th anniversary of Medicaid, a landmark program that has provided millions of Americans with access to affordable health care since its creation in 1965. Instead of celebrating, four Michigan lawmakers are raising alarms about the greatest funding threat to the program yet. State Reps. Julie Rogers (D-Kalamazoo), Carrie Rheingans (D-Ann Arbor), Jasper Martus (D-Flushing) and Kimberly Edwards (D-Eastpointe) say that drastic cuts passed by Congress as part of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA) will gut Medicaid, slashing over $1 trillion in funding nationally — and putting health care for hundreds of thousands of Michiganders at risk.

Today, Medicaid covers more than 2.6 million Michiganders, including 1 million children, 300,000 people with disabilities and 168,000 seniors. It also covers 3 in 5 nursing home residents and nearly half of all births in the state.

“For 60 years, Medicaid has helped millions of children, seniors, veterans and working families live healthier lives. We should be celebrating this legacy. In fact, last term, the Legislature took the proactive step of repealing Michigan’s burdensome Medicaid work requirements. Instead, we’re returning to failed policies that previously prevented people from receiving care. H.R. 1 includes the largest cut to Medicaid in the program’s history. If these cuts happen, hundreds of thousands of Michiganders could lose the coverage they rely on, and families would be forced to pay more for basic care. We can’t allow misguided plans from Washington to roll back 60 years of essential health care for millions of Americans and Michiganders,” Rogers said.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found the OBBBA would cut over $1 trillion from Medicaid over the next decade, stripping health coverage from more than 14 million Americans. Under the new law, up to 700,000 Michiganders could lose their health care — including children, seniors, veterans and families. Rural communities would be hit particularly hard. With nearly 37% of rural Michiganders depending on Medicaid, hospital closures and service reductions could devastate local health care access.

“Health care is a human right, and no one should have to fear losing coverage or going bankrupt when they get sick. As costs continue to rise, Michiganders are working harder than ever just to stay afloat. Instead of offering them some breathing room, extremists in Washington are making things worse by trying to rip away health care coverage. We must do everything in our power to protect Medicaid for the people who depend on it,” Rheingans said.

The massive loss of federal funding would also blow a hole in Michigan’s state budget, forcing painful choices like cutting other services or raising new revenue. These cuts arrive as Michigan lawmakers still haven’t finalized a state budget.

“We live in Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society. Sixty years ago, President Johnson signed into law the creation of Medicare and Medicaid. These programs have been a lifeline for hundreds of millions of Americans over the past more than half-century. As Republicans seek to cut and defund Medicare and Medicaid, we will continue to work to expand healthcare for all Americans,” said Martus.

Since its creation under the Medicare and Medicaid Act of 1965, Medicaid has expanded through bipartisan efforts, including the 2010 Affordable Care Act, which allowed states like Michigan to extend coverage to more working families. Today, Medicaid is a cornerstone of America’s health care system, providing health coverage to more than 70 million Americans. In Michigan, Medicaid has covered generations, from the 600,000 people who enrolled after the program launched in 1966, to the 2.6 million who rely on it today. The Health Michigan Plan alone added 700,000 adults since 2014. And it’s more efficient than private insurance, costing 30% less for adults and 10% less for children. 

“It’s outrageous that on the 60th anniversary of Medicaid, a program that’s helped generations of Michiganders, hundreds of thousands of people are instead living in fear of losing their health coverage. These cruel, politically motivated cuts aren’t about fiscal responsibility; they’re about prioritizing billionaires over working families. I won’t stand by while health care is ripped away from our neighbors. We’re going to fight like hell to protect our communities,” Edwards said.

As Medicaid turns 60 and beyond, Michigan House Democrats will keep fighting to put people over politics, protect Medicaid and ensure that no one in the state is left without the care they need.

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