LANSING, Mich. -- Some state leaders held a roundtable discussion in Grand Rapids on Tuesday to advocate for funding to help residents meet new federal work requirements.
Participating were community stakeholders and some members of the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity, including its director, Susan Corbin. She told WOOD Radio News that Governor Whitmer's proposed executive budget for fiscal year 2027 includes $30 million in funding new Medicaid work requirements that take effect January 1st next year.
"We already have some new workforce requirements who are SNAP recipients - people who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance," Corbin said. "And so, we are already seeing increased workloads in our Michigan Works offices across the state, as a result of those work requirements."
Corbin said by January, 2027, 650,000 to 700,000 additional people in Michigan will need to meet Medicaid workforce requirements.
Corbin added that more than one-million children in Michigan are covered by Medicaid.
"And we want to make sure that people don't lose their health services as a result of these new requirements," she said.
Corbin said community stakeholders made clear at the Grand Rapids discussion that the new federal work requirements will impact "everybody."
"And so, it's critically important that we talk about this, that we educate people about what's going to be happening across the country. And that our legislators, frankly, understand the critical importance of this funding," Corbin said.
The Michigan House released its proposed budget Tuesday for the Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity. The Governor has proposed $30 million to fund Medicaid but the House is proposing $15 million. The Governor's funding includes a proposed $5 million to help fund apprenticeship programs in the state, but it is not included in the House budget, according to Corbin.
She acknowledged that the budget process is in the beginning stages right now, and state leaders will continue to have dialogue about it with members of the state House and Senate. They hope to finalize a new budget sometime this summer.
Some members of the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services and the State Budget Office also participated in yesterday's roundtable discussion.
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