Policy & Politics

GOAL:  Enact Reforms Resulting in Affordable Health Insurance Options

CHAMBER MEMBERS ADVOCATE:

• Supporting state and federal efforts that enable employers to provide cost-effective health care benefits and expand flexibility, competition and choice in the health insurance marketplace.
• Opposing health care mandates, including federal ‘play-or-pay’ mandates on employers and state and federal health insurance mandates and policy changes that ignore the important role of the free market, especially in the area of benefit plan design.
• Supporting Medicaid reform including the reduction in the cost-shift by Medicaid and Medicare to the private sector by ensuring appropriate payment by government entities and programs in a manner that promotes quality and efficiency, and opposing any expansion of Medicaid eligibility.

WHY?

Rising health care costs have become a significant financial threat to Michigan’s businesses. Rather than penalizing employers who are unable to offer health insurance to their employees through ‘play-or-pay’ mandates or legislating coverage requirements, policymakers should work to repeal these mandates and instead focus on implementing market-friendly, consumer-driven reforms that will enable employers and individuals to purchase affordable coverage in the private health insurance marketplace. 

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