LANSING – State Representative Phil Phelps (D-Flushing) today reacted to a report in Mlive that quoted individuals from the Michigan Department of Community Health (DCH), which said that Healthy Michigan would likely not begin on April 1, as had previously been promised by the department. Healthy Michigan, the Medicaid expansion plan that is part of the Affordable Care Act, is expected to cover more than 400,000 low-income working Michigan residents.
Phelps, who is a member of the Health Policy Committee in the House of Representatives, blasted this latest delay in the following statement:
“We had the opportunity to get individuals covered by Jan. 1, but Senate Republicans refused to pass Medicaid Expansion with immediate effect simply so that they could score political points. This action meant that health care was needlessly and callously delayed for our citizens until April 1. Now we hear that not only will the program not begin coverage on that date, but individuals still cannot enroll as previously promised. Republicans love to attack President Obama on the Affordable Care Act, but it is their party that is at fault for delaying medical care for our residents. This continued delay will end up costing taxpayers more money and harm our loved ones who are without medical care. I urge the governor and department officials to do whatever needs to be done to make sure coverage for this program begins April 1, as promised.”