National Nurses United

Michigan RNs push real Medicaid expansion for low-income patients MICHIGAN n tuesday, june 11, Michigan Nurses Association members, representatives from other unions, and community members gathered in downtown Lansing in front of the Anderson House Building, where most of Michigan's state representatives keep their offices. The nurses were standing in support of Michigan accepting the Medicaid expansion program being offered as part of the Affordable Health Care Act, but without the waivers being added by legislators that would still add extra costs for low-income patients. "Do you know what the definition of misery is?" said Julia Morrissey, a registered nurse from the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor, Mich., to the O JUNE 2013 supporters and media in attendance. "It's when you can't afford to get your child the care they need and you know it. That's like a kick in the teeth to most parents." Carrying signs that read "STOP Putting Michigan Families at Risk" and "Taking a Stand for Our Patients," the nurses urged the legislators to accept the Medicaid expansion plan without putting an extra burden on those who are already struggling to make ends meet. Upstairs in the Anderson Building, the Michigan Competitiveness Committee was hearing testimony and deciding whether to add premiums and co-pays to the program by requiring able-bodied, low-income adults to pay 5 percent of the premium or purchase coverage from a health insurance exchange after four years. Bette O'Connor-Rogers, a registered nurse from Grand Rapids, testified in front of the committee. "We are in complete W W W. N AT I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G agreement with Rep. Jim Townsend," she said. "'If you're as low income as the people we're talking about, there really isn't a lot of margin for them to work with.' We thoroughly agree. The patients we see that are in need of health insurance already can't afford it. Forcing higher deductibles and extra expenses on them doesn't solve anything. It's like dangling the possibility of being able to take care of their families in front of them and then yanking it away at the last minute." The waivers were left in the bill as it passed the committee and the House, without word from the Department of Health and Human Services as to whether the changes to the Medicaid expansion program would be acceptable. "Forcing these waivers into the Medicaid expansion program is short sighted," said Jeff Breslin, RN and MNA president. "It makes the bean counters feel better because there will be money coming in—supposedly–but it's being taken from the backs of the people Medicaid is supposed to help. Some of our patients are barely making ends meet now and they can't afford health insurance. How are they going to pay for these premiums? And did we just lose out on being able to have Medicaid expansion in Michigan because we're now charging people with no money for their health insurance?" The Medicaid expansion program is expected to be a hard sell in the Senate, which has a two-thirds Republican majority. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is pushing to have the Medicaid expansion approved before the Legislature dismisses for the summer break. "It's been apparent from day one of this process that politics and purse strings are guiding Medicaid expansion in Michigan," said John Karebian, MNA executive director. "All around us, the talk was about responsibility and making sure 'those people' are paying part of their share. Our patients—veterans, the disabled, children, and low-income working families—were not the priority. While we are glad that more of Michigan citizens will be covered by the Medicaid expansion, this shouldn't have been politics as usual." —Ann Sincox N AT I O N A L N U R S E 5

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