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MLIVE: Whitmer, Dingell Sound Alarm About Potential Medicaid Cuts, What it Means for Michigan

Potential cuts to Medicaid could have devastating impacts on Michiganders.

That was the message at a roundtable discussion Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell hosted with pediatric health leaders and health care providers at the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor on Wednesday, March 19.

“Too many people do not understand what the impact will be on our children, our senors, our people with disabilities if they cut Medicaid,” said Dingell, D-Ann Arbor.

“Let’s be really clear: If Republicans force tens of millions of Americans off Medicaid, people will die,” she said. “They will die because they will not get the care that they need and many families are going to be left bankrupt.”

Whitmer said 2.8 million people in Michigan get their health insurance through Medicaid, including about 300,000 people with disabilities, 168,000 seniors and 820,000 low-income people in the Healthy Michigan Plan.

A Republican budget resolution in Congress could result in the largest Medicaid cuts in history, forcing providers to close their doors, reduce quality of services and strip coverage from millions of the most vulnerable Americans, including children and pregnant and postpartum women, roundtable participants said.

“We’re talking about people who are fighting cancer, our veterans,” Whitmer said.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at a roundtable discussion on the potential negative impacts of Republican-proposed budget cuts to Medicaid at the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor on March 19, 2025. 

In Michigan, Medicaid covers more than one third of mothers giving birth and their newborns, more than half the working-age adults with disabilities and nearly two thirds of the people living in nursing homes, Dingell said.

President Donald Trump has said Republicans won’t touch Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid funding in the budget, but they are going to look for fraud by people who shouldn’t be receiving benefits, including immigrants in the country illegally.

Dingell responded to the president’s assurances with doubt, noting many Social Security offices across the country are being closed under Trump and thousands of Social Security workers are losing their jobs, and now Medicaid is under threat.

U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, hosts a roundtable discussion with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and pediatric health leaders and children’s health care providers at the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor, discussing the potential negative impacts of Republican-proposed budget cuts to Medicaid on March 19, 2025. 

“They will say that they’re not going to touch Medicaid, but it’s not true,” she said. “I sit on the Energy and Commerce Committee and the budget that we passed says that they have to take $880 billion out of that committee.”

There is no way to do that without drastic cuts to Medicaid, Dingell said.

Medicaid is already a lean program, she said.

“With few options for how to fill the budget hole left by cuts to Medicaid funding, states will be forced to consider cuts to coverage and benefits, leaving more people uninsured and underinsured,” she said, expressing hopes her Republican colleagues realize that is unpopular and dangerous.

Whitmer said she wishes they were talking about great things on the horizon, rather than bracing for “what is coming our way.” Medicaid cuts in the House GOP’s budget could terminate health care for 15 million people, she said.

“People will get hurt because these cuts simply go too far, too fast,” she said, arguing the government can root out fraud and abuse without stripping health care from millions of people.

U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer host a roundtable discussion with pediatric health leaders and children’s health care providers at the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor, discussing the potential negative impacts of Republican-proposed budget cuts to Medicaid on March 19, 2025. 

Michigan has made great progress with one of the lowest uninsured rates in the nation — 4% in the state versus an 8% national average, Whitmer said, giving some credit to former Republican Gov. Rick Snyder for a Medicaid expansion.

“Michigan’s infant mortality rate has now reached the lowest rate ever recently, and 37% of births in our state are covered by Medicaid,” she said.

But that progress is now at risk if Medicaid is cut, she said.

“Fighting for health care is also just good economics,” she said. “When people are healthy, they can live their lives, they can go to work, they can take care of their kids.”

Medicaid enrollment for kids has been shown to lead to better health outcomes, more education and higher income later in life, Whitmer said.

“It is all related,” she said.

She expressed concerns thousands of jobs could be lost at rural hospitals, forcing people to drive hours to have a baby.

Dr. David Miller, the University of Michigan’s incoming executive vice president for medical affairs and CEO of Michigan Medicine, speaks during a roundtable discussion on the potential negative impacts of Republican-proposed budget cuts to Medicaid at the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor on March 19, 2025.

Dr. David Miller, the University of Michigan’s incoming executive vice president for medical affairs and CEO of Michigan Medicine, said the ability to ensure access to care for people across the state is fundamental and Medicaid is essential for that.

“Everywhere, Medicaid plays a critical role in ensuring not only pediatric care, but care for adults and individuals with chronic conditions across Michigan,” he said.

Archie Drake, Children’s Hospital of Michigan CEO, agreed with others the potential Medicaid cuts could be devastating.

“We all thought the pandemic was terrible — if we’re not careful, we’re going to create our own pandemic,” he said.