MDHHS holding community meetings to inform public about upcoming work requirements for Healthy Michigan Plan
Michimich.com/10032434

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is taking additional steps in its efforts to preserve coverage for Healthy Michigan Plan beneficiaries by launching regional forums regarding the upcoming work requirements.

The meetings begin Oct. 21 and will be held at locations around the state. The goals of the regional forums are increasing awareness about new work requirements for the Healthy Michigan Plan and preparing beneficiaries to meet the new requirements.

MDHHS is implementing the new work requirements to comply with legislation approved in 2018. Beginning on Jan. 1, 2020, Healthy Michigan Plan beneficiaries will be required to report 80 hours of work or other activities, such as job searches, to MDHHS each month.

Healthy Michigan Plan beneficiaries can be excused from the requirements in some circumstances. Healthy Michigan Plan beneficiaries who are not excused from the requirements and fail to report may lose their health care coverage.

More than 640,000 Michiganders have coverage under the Healthy Michigan Plan, the state's expanded Medicaid program that began in 2014.

"While Gov. Whitmer has made it clear that this administration does not support the new law, MDHHS needs to do everything we can to make sure that beneficiaries are aware of these new requirements so they can maintain their health care coverage," said Kate Massey, senior deputy director for MDHHS's Medical Services Administration. "The Healthy Michigan Plan has been a great success – providing health care coverage to many more Michiganders, reducing enrollees' reliance on the emergency room by 58 percent, cutting uncompensated care by nearly 50 percent, and adding $2.3 billion to the state's economy."

MDHHS will conduct forums in the following locations and will provide additional updates on locations and times soon:

• Lansing: October 21, 10-11:30 a.m., Lansing Community College – West Campus, 5708 Cornerstone Drive.
• Marquette: Oct. 22, 10-11:30 a.m., Upper Peninsula Health Plan, 853 W. Washington St.
• St. Ignace: Oct. 22, 5-6:30 p.m., St. Ignace Public Library, 110 W. Spruce St.
• Roscommon: Oct. 23, 10-11:30 a.m., Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center, 104 Conservation Drive.
• Detroit Meeting No. 1: Oct. 30, 10-11:30 a.m., Cadillac Place, Conference Room L-150, 3044 W. Grand Blvd.
• Detroit Meeting No. 2: Oct. 30, 1-2:30 p. m. Cadillac Place, Conference Room L-150, 3044 W. Grand Blvd.
• Flint: Oct. 31, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m., Genesee County Community Action Resource Department (GCCARD), 601 N. Saginaw St.
• Saginaw: Details to be announced at a later date.
• Waterford: Nov. 4, 1:30-3 p.m., Oakland Schools Conference Center, 2111 Pontiac Lake Road.
• Jackson: Nov. 5, 10-11:30 a.m., Center for Family Health, 505 N. Jackson St.
• Kalamazoo: Nov. 5, 2-3:30 p.m., Family Health Center, 505 E. Alcott St.
• Grand Rapids: Nov. 6, 10-11:30 a.m., Eberhard Conference Center, Grand Valley State University, 301 W. Fulton St.
• Muskegon: Nov. 6, 2-3:30 p.m., Stevenson Room, Muskegon Community College, 211 Quarterline Road.
• Dearborn: Details to be announced at a later date.

MDHHS is encouraging attendees to register for the forums so the department can ensure that sufficient space and printed materials are available for participants. Register  and find more information about the Healthy Michigan Plan and work requirements by visiting HealthyMichiganPlan.org and clicking the Changes Coming in 2020 tab.

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In addition to informing beneficiaries, the forums will help MDHHS further collaborate with community partners and navigators to better coordinate efforts to preserve health care coverage for Healthy Michigan Plan enrollees.

The department has been conducting outreach to beneficiaries, providers, health plans, and other community organizations over the last year to inform stakeholders about the new requirements. MDHHS is expanding these efforts through the regional forums to prepare beneficiaries to meet the new requirements. Beneficiaries, health care providers, health plans, community organizations and the general public are invited to participate in these forums.

MDHHS also has issued proposed policy to implement the new work requirements for public comment. As part of this proposed policy, MDHHS is updating its policy and operational processes related to the Section 1115 Demonstration Waiver Amendment for Michigan that was approved by the federal government.

The public can submit comments on the proposed policy changes until Nov. 6.

To review the policy and for instructions on how to submit comments, visit the Proposed Medicaid Changes page on the MDHHS website and select the notice for Healthy Michigan Plan Updates 1926-HMP.

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