August 19, 2013
LANSING, Mich. – Gov. Rick Snyder will make the case for the Healthy Michigan plan, which would provide health care coverage to nearly half-a-million Michigan residents, during town hall meetings in Novi and Grand Rapids this week.
The governor at 7 p.m. Wednesday will take questions from residents of Fox Run, a Novi senior living community, to explain how the plan would help Michigan residents.
Heading to Grand Rapids on Thursday, Snyder will participate in a televised town hall meeting in the WOOD-TV studio, also starting at 7 p.m. He is expected to discuss health care as well as reinventing Detroit and education reforms. WOOD Radio, of Grand Rapids, and WEYI-TV, of Flint, also will carry the town hall meeting.
The events are part of a series of meetings the governor has conducted across the state to build public support for the Healthy Michigan plan and to gain legislative passage of the initiative.
The legislation, House Bill 4714, recently was approved by a Senate committee with bipartisan support. The state House approved its version of the plan in June.
Healthy Michigan will require those covered to share in the costs through premiums and provide incentives for them to take responsibility for their lifestyle choices and to maintain or improve their health.
“The Healthy Michigan plan would provide health care coverage to about 470,000 people, most working but earning less than $15,000 a year. It would allow these hard-working people to have regular medical care rather than suffering with an illness and then going to an emergency room,” Snyder said. “Along with improving their quality of life, Healthy Michigan will save money for the state’s taxpayers and job providers, help control medical costs, improve the state’s business climate, and boost our economy.”
The state is projected to save $206 million in the 2014 fiscal year by providing Healthy Michigan plan benefits to those now receiving services paid for with general fund dollars.
Healthy Michigan would alleviate most of the $880 million a year in uncompensated costs that are borne by hospitals and passed along to individuals and businesses through higher health care premiums.
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