{"id":3729,"date":"2026-04-24T09:18:29","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T13:18:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/senatedems.com\/hertel\/?p=3729"},"modified":"2026-04-24T09:18:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T13:18:31","slug":"lower-health-care-costs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/senatedems.com\/hertel\/2026\/04\/24\/lower-health-care-costs\/","title":{"rendered":"Senate Democrats Unveil Agenda to Lower Health Care Costs"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Legislation will alleviate financial stress caused by\u00a0skyrocketing medical costs, unchecked pharma CEOs, and\u00a0harmful federal policies\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\n
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LANSING, Mich. (April\u00a023,\u00a02026) \u2014\u00a0Driven by the belief that every\u00a0Michigander deserves\u00a0to see a doctor\u00a0and\u00a0fill their prescriptions\u00a0without breaking the bank,\u00a0Michigan\u00a0Senate Democrats unveiled a bold\u00a0agenda\u00a0today\u00a0to\u00a0expand\u00a0access to affordable health care.<\/p>\n

Their\u00a0<\/span>Health Care You Can Afford<\/i>\u00a0agenda\u00a0lowers health care costs for Michiganders by:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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  1. Creating a state-based health care exchange, lowering\u00a0premiums,\u00a0and giving Michiganders more options and more control over their health insurance.<\/li>\n
  2. Increasing options for small businesses to shop for better, more affordable health insurance for their employees through association health plans.<\/li>\n
  3. Holding Big Pharma accountable by\u00a0<\/span>capping the price of essential drugs through a Prescription Drug Affordability Board<\/u><\/a><\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>prohibiting drug manufacturers from denying access to low-cost medications.<\/u><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Capping\u00a0interest and late fees on medical debt and banning it from appearing on credit reports<\/u><\/a><\/span>.<\/li>\n
  5. Tackling\u00a0the crisis in rural health care head-on, ensuring hospital doors in rural communities stay open.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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    \u201cI\u2019m\u00a0hearing the same message\u00a0over 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,\u201d said Sen.\u00a0<\/span>Kevin Hertel<\/b>\u00a0(D-St. Clair Shores), Chair of the Senate Health Policy Committee. \u201cHere 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.\u00a0Michigan has a proud history of Democrats and Republicans coming together to expand access to care, and\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0ready to work with anyone who is serious about lowering costs, protecting coverage, and delivering\u00a0real results\u00a0for our communities.\u201d<\/p>\n

    A key part of Senate Democrats\u2019 agenda is the\u00a0<\/span>creation of a state-based health insurance exchange<\/u><\/a><\/span>, which would transition Michigan away from the federally managed health insurance marketplace. The state-based exchange would include a state reinsurance pool\u00a0to\u00a0help address rising premiums and reduce overall costs for families and small businesses.\u00a0A state-based exchange\u00a0would give the state enhanced flexibility to be more creative, more inclusive, and\u00a0ultimately more\u00a0cost-effective in the types of insurance products available to Michiganders.<\/p>\n

    That flexibility is especially critical as the\u00a0<\/span>harmful impacts of the so-called \u201cOne Big Beautiful Bill\u201d<\/u><\/a><\/span>\u00a0begin to take hold. The Michigan State Budget Office estimates that 200,000 Michiganders could lose health care coverage\u00a0as a result of\u00a0the federal legislation, while hospitals across the state are projected to lose an estimated\u00a0$6.5 billion\u00a0through 2032.<\/p>\n

    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.<\/p>\n

    These proposals build on\u00a0previous\u00a0policies Michigan Senate Democrats have championed while in office:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n