Guest commentary: Michigan should opt into Medicaid expansion

Excerpt from: Detroit Free Press (click for full article)

 

All Michiganders want to live long, healthy and prosperous lives, and health care coverage contributes to making that a reality. However, an estimated 1.2 million residents in Michigan are uninsured -- and the rest of us are a pink slip away from losing our coverage.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was enacted to address this need, mainly through expansion of the Medicaid program. At least 400,000 uninsured Michigan residents could receive health care by enrolling in Medicaid -- that is, if Gov. Rick Snyder opts into the program.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Medicaid expansion is optional, state by state. A number of states have said they will join, including Minnesota, Illinois, Massachusetts and California. Several Republican governors have opted out.