State Rep. Mike McFall testifies in favor of HB 5695 in the House Committee on Local Government and Municipal Finance on November 13, 2024.
LANSING, Mich., Dec. 20, 2024 — State Rep. Mike McFall’s (D-Hazel Park) House Bill 5695 passed the House and Senate with bipartisan support in both chambers and is now awaiting the governor’s signature. This bill will require the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to apply for and administer the federal Ground Emergency Medical Transport reimbursement program. This federal program reimburses local units of government for Medicaid costs accrued through their public ambulance service.
“I am proud of this bipartisan legislation that will bring federal tax dollars back to local communities,” McFall said. “This is especially important since local government budgets are increasingly tight with reductions in state revenue sharing and property tax fatigue. Several communities have the potential to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars back in Medicaid reimbursements from the federal government without an increased tax burden. This is a huge win for local governments, first responders, and taxpayers.”
Michigan ranks eighth in Medicaid enrollees nationwide, accounting for about 2.7 million residents. Roughly 160 local-run ambulance services would see as much as $70 million in federal dollars through Medicaid reimbursement. Local governments will be able to voluntarily submit cost reporting reports to MDHHS for the department to apply to the federal program on behalf of the local unit of government.
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