Safety Net
Report: Trump poverty formula could cut number of welfare recipients
President Donald Trump’s administration is considering changing how the federal government calculates poverty. But the proposed adjustment could lead to fewer people being eligible for public assistance programs, according to a new report from the Washington D.C.-based Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The liberal-leaning think tank argued that gradually lowering the official poverty line […]
Castro releases lead proposal following trip to Flint
After his weekend trip to Flint, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro has released a plan to “eliminate lead poisoning as a major public health threat.” Castro’s plan would encourage Congress to appropriate $5 billion per year over a 10-year period for lead mitigation efforts, enact a tax credit to remove […]
Julián Castro 1st of 2020 Dems to visit Flint
Julián Castro made himself the 14th Democratic presidential candidate to campaign in Michigan — but he was the first to visit Flint, which remains a major political flashpoint as the troubled city continues to recover from its water crisis. Castro, the former mayor of San Antonio and secretary of U.S. Housing and Urban Development under […]
Rick Haglund: Below the surface, Michigan’s economy has serious flaws
Let’s start with some good news: Michigan has the 13th best economy in the country, far surpassing the performance of surrounding Great Lakes states, according to a new report. The study released Monday by online financial service WalletHub found Michigan leads Wisconsin (23rd), Indiana (28th), Illinois (33rd) and Ohio (36th), based on 28 key indicators. […]
Julián Castro to campaign in Flint Saturday
Julián Castro will be the 14th Democratic presidential candidate to visit Michigan and the first to stump in Flint. His campaign announced he’ll do three events on Saturday. Castro was former President Barack Obama’s Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the former mayor of San Antonio, Texas. Flint played a central role in […]
Experts: Medicaid work requirement tweaks unlikely to stop many from losing coverage
Bipartisan legislation introduced this week would tweak the reporting requirements for Michigan’s controversial Medicaid work requirements law. Senate Bill 362 is sponsored by state Sen. Curtis Hertel (D-East Lansing), while Senate Bill 363 is sponsored by state Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey (R-Clarklake). Taken together, the bills aim to grant Medicaid recipients more flexibility in […]
U.S. House panel hears bill to stop deep cuts to Michigan hospital payments
A U.S. House subcommittee met Tuesday to discuss a bill that could prevent massive cuts to a crucial Medicaid program in Michigan. House Resolution 3022, the Patient Access Protection Act, would delay cuts to Medicaid’s Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, which allocates extra money to hospitals that serve a larger than normal share of Medicaid-dependent […]
Gaba: More unknowns than knowns as Michigan enters brave new world of auto insurance reform
Charles Gaba knows his way around an insurance market. A metro Detroit web developer who made a national name for himself in the early days of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) rollout by painstakingly tracking its enrollment numbers, Gaba has tracked health care market developments across the country since then on his website ACASignups.net. So […]
Medical care, cost shift concerns loom as gov. expected to sign insurance reform bill
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is expected to take the opportunity at this week’s Mackinac Policy Conference to sign Michigan’s long-awaited no-fault reform bill as a big bipartisan victory on Thursday morning. But critics are making a last-minute plea that it ultimately will result in less medical coverage for the state’s neediest residents. And policy analysts say […]
Gordon deploys Obama admin. experience in tackling PFAS, Medicaid work requirements
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Director Robert Gordon has stepped into his role at a time when the department faces crucial issues that affect Michigan’s rural and urban areas alike. That includes addressing everything from lead and PFAS contamination in drinking water and implementing new work requirements for Healthy Michigan recipients. In […]
Julie Cassidy: Too many Detroiters still struggle, despite city’s progress
Ten years after the official end of the Great Recession, many Michigan families are still struggling as rising housing prices outpace post-recession income growth. For people of color, however, the housing crisis isn’t just a recent problem. The newest issue of the Michigan League for Public Policy’s Home, Health, Hope series examines Detroit as an […]
Gov. declares Wayne County state of emergency amid flooding
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has declared a state of emergency in Wayne County as responders wade through the heavy rainfall that has pummeled much of Wayne County. Whitmer’s office announced the declaration in a press release late Thursday night, following an emergency declaration from Wayne County earlier Thursday evening. It authorizes the Michigan State Police, Emergency […]