Hundreds of thousands of Michiganders could soon lose their Medicaid coverage under new federal rules set to take effect in 2027.

And it’s not necessarily because they no longer qualify. It’s because new reporting requirements could make an already complicated system even harder to navigate.

Even if you don’t have Medicaid, you need to be paying attention because this will affect everyone in the state.

The ’Gander’s Kyle Kaminski explains below.

Plus: New state legislation introduced would wipe out co-pays, deductibles, and co-insurance for three crucial medications.

MI Senate passes Voting Rights Act (Michigan Advance): Michigan Senate Democrats approved a state-level Voting Rights Act aimed at protecting voters from discrimination after recent federal court rulings weakened parts of the national law. The legislation now heads to the Republican-controlled House.

Bills expanding access to retirement accounts for Michigan workers advances in Legislature (WNEM): The Michigan Senate passed legislation that would automatically enroll workers without employer-sponsored retirement plans into a state-run retirement savings program, while allowing them to opt out. The bills now go to the House.

Lawmakers grill Michigan Treasury on tax errors (The Detroit News): Michigan lawmakers pressed the state Treasury Department this week over a software glitch that wrongly sent tax notices to about 27,000 filers, with some taxpayers being told they owed money they had already paid. Treasury officials said the errors stemmed from the rollout of a new tax system and have been corrected.

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Hospital administrators in Michigan are staring down a crisis that they didn’t create, all because Congress buried a ticking clock inside last year’s federal budget, and it’s about to go off.

That’s because starting next year, more than 200,000 Michiganders will be at risk of losing their health insurance—not because they stopped qualifying, but because the federal rules have changed, and the paperwork alone could end up costing people the coverage they deserve.

Here’s the deal: President Donald Trump’s One Big, Beautiful Bill made two big changes to Medicaid that far too many Michiganders still don’t know about. Starting in 2027, most able-bodied adults on Medicaid will have to prove they’re working, in school, or doing job training for at least 80 hours every month, or they’ll lose coverage. Plus, they’ll have to re-prove their eligibility every 6 months instead of every year. That’s twice the paperwork, twice the deadlines, and twice the chance of something going wrong. About 700,000 people in this state will be subject to these new rules. And recent projections show that up to 355,000 Michiganders could lose coverage even if they still qualify.

Hospitals in this state are already doing the math, and it doesn’t add up. The Michigan Health and Hospital Association says these cuts will end up costing Michigan hospitals more than $6 billion over the next 10 years. And when hospitals lose that kind of money, they cut services and close facilities.

So what? Well, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has been scrambling, setting aside billions of dollars in the state budget to help cushion the blow when proposing new revenue to help fill the gap. But she’s term-limited and will be gone in January. And whoever wins the governor’s race this November will be the one in charge when these new work requirements kick in. That makes this fall’s election a direct referendum on who controls the damage. Voters should be asking every candidate right now, “What’s your plan? How do you keep 200,000 people from losing their coverage in your first week on the job?” Because the clock is ticking.

Watch the full details in this edition of so what? Michigan.

(Courtesy Photo/State Sen. Darrin Camilleri)

By Kyle Kaminski

State Sen. Darrin Camilleri (D-Trenton) has a simple goal: He wants Michiganders to stop paying at the pharmacy counter for the medications they need to stay alive.

A three-bill package introduced this week by Camilleri and state Sen. Chedrick Greene (D-Saginaw) would eliminate all out-of-pocket costs—including co-pays, deductibles, and co-insurance—for epinephrine auto-injectors (or EpiPens), insulin and diabetes supplies, and prescription inhalers that are offered under private health insurance plans in Michigan.

Camilleri said it’s a different approach than most states, which have typically capped monthly co-pays at $25 or $35. These bills wouldn’t cap the costs; they’d eliminate them altogether.

“Michigan is drawing a clear line in the sand: if you pay for insurance, you should never be forced to ration your medication just to breathe, manage diabetes, or survive a severe allergic reaction,” Camilleri said in a statement. “These life-saving medications need to be covered.”

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By Abby Deatrick

This weekend, Michiganders are coming together to honor and celebrate Juneteenth, marking the day when the last enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, were finally informed of their freedom.

Find a Juneteenth event near you:

Detroit: Juneteenth 2026 at the Wright

Friday, June 19: Juneteenth at the Wright Museum offers an immersive experience through live performances, storytelling, film, music, and community dialogue.

Detroit: Juneteenth Parade & Celebration

Friday, June 19: Detroit’s original Juneteenth Parade & Celebration is now in its fourth year. The parade will start at the Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church and end at the Joseph Walker Williams Community Center. 

Grand Rapids: Juneteenth 2026 Solidarity Parade and Celebration

Friday, June 19: The festivities will begin with a parade starting at the 1200 Block of Eastern Avenue SE at 12 p.m. in Grand Rapids, followed by the opening ceremony and community celebration with food vendors and live music.

Lansing: Juneteenth Flag Raising and Freedom Festival

Friday, June 19: The Juneteenth Flag Raising will take place at the Lansing City Hall Plaza at 11 a.m. 

Saturday, June 20: Freedom Festival will take place Saturday at St. Joseph Park with vendors, food, live music, a car show, a DJ, dancing, games, and children’s activities. The 2026 African American Parade will kick off at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 20, at J.W. Sexton High School.

📣 Have an event to add? Email Abigail Deatrick, The ’Gander’s state organizing coordinator, with details. Please send submissions at least one week before the event.

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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Karel Vega with stories from Kyle Kaminski and Abby Deatrick. It was edited by Crystal Niforos.

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