Plan helps residents access needed care while saving taxpayer dollars

State Rep. Graham Filler this week led the Michigan House in a vote to help more residents access affordable health care.

Filler, R-Clinton County, said his plan will cut down on burdensome requirements that prevent lower-income individuals from seeking care.

“These mandates are the biggest barrier preventing people from obtaining health insurance and accessing the care they need,” Filler said. “We’re improving access to health care for lower-income families and folks in rural communities, getting more people insured, and saving taxpayers money – this is a common-sense solution we can all get behind.”

House Bills 4495-96 eliminate a mandate that lower-income Healthy Michigan Plan enrollees pay a percentage of their annual income toward cost-sharing and co-pays – a requirement that is costing the state more money to administer than it is bringing in. The bills also make several other common-sense improvements and modernizations that will strengthen the Healthy Michigan program and encourage enrollees to take steps to improve their health.

Both measures received overwhelming bipartisan support in the House. They now advance to the Senate for further consideration.

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