LANSING, Mich. (April 23, 2026) — Driven by the belief that every Michigander deserves to see a doctor and fill their prescriptions without breaking the bank, Michigan Senate Democrats unveiled a bold agenda today to expand access to affordable health care.
Their Health Care You Can Afford agenda lowers health care costs for Michiganders by:
- Creating a state-based health care exchange, lowering premiums, and giving Michiganders more options and more control over their health insurance.
- Increasing options for small businesses to shop for better, more affordable health insurance for their employees through association health plans.
- Holding Big Pharma accountable by capping the price of essential drugs through a Prescription Drug Affordability Board and prohibiting drug manufacturers from denying access to low-cost medications.
- Capping interest and late fees on medical debt and banning it from appearing on credit reports.
- Tackling the crisis in rural health care head-on, ensuring hospital doors in rural communities stay open.
“I’m hearing the same message over and over again: families are feeling the strain of rising health care costs, and many are worried they may be forced to go without coverage. This is simply unacceptable,” said Sen. Kevin Hertel (D-St. Clair Shores), Chair of the Senate Health Policy Committee. “Here in Lansing, we have a responsibility to work together and build a system that is more affordable, more reliable, and more responsive to the people we serve. Michigan has a proud history of Democrats and Republicans coming together to expand access to care, and I’m ready to work with anyone who is serious about lowering costs, protecting coverage, and delivering real results for our communities.”
A key part of Senate Democrats’ agenda is the creation of a state-based health insurance exchange, which would transition Michigan away from the federally managed health insurance marketplace. The state-based exchange would include a state reinsurance pool to help address rising premiums and reduce overall costs for families and small businesses. A state-based exchange would give the state enhanced flexibility to be more creative, more inclusive, and ultimately more cost-effective in the types of insurance products available to Michiganders.
That flexibility is especially critical as the harmful impacts of the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” begin to take hold. The Michigan State Budget Office estimates that 200,000 Michiganders could lose health care coverage as a result of the federal legislation, while hospitals across the state are projected to lose an estimated $6.5 billion through 2032.
The legislative proposal outlined today would also establish new state enhancements for Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and create association health plans for small businesses. The new Michigan HSA would allow Michiganders to address healthcare needs tax-free, while incentivizing people to take care of their health, improving overall wellness and reducing the reliance on high-cost emergency care. Association health plans allow small businesses to band together, pool resources and put together insurance options that reduce costs for employers and their staff.
These proposals build on previous policies Michigan Senate Democrats have championed while in office:
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Passing some of the strongest medical debt protections in the country; and
Currently, these three proposals are sitting idle in the Republican-led House of Representatives.
While Washington Republicans continue to raise insurance costs and strip Americans of their coverage, and Michigan House Republicans refuse to pass bipartisan measures to provide relief, Senate Democrats’ proposal gives Michigan greater flexibility and independence from federal systems, so the state can better meet the health care needs of its residents.
“Although the Senate has passed spades of bipartisan legislation that would lower health care costs here in Michigan, those bills have sat untouched in the Republican-led House collecting dust since last year,” said Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids). “While Michigan families are struggling to make ends meet and forgoing essential medications just to get by, they are sitting on their hands. It’s well past time for House Republicans to put the politics aside and act now — because our communities are relying on us for relief, and we have the legislation to make it happen.”
To watch the full press conference, visit Michigan Senate Democrats on YouTube here.