The Michigan Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion plan was proposed in the early 2010s. The objective of the ACA Medicaid expansion is to help keep more Americans healthy by giving them access to affordable health coverage. However, the Obamacare Medicaid expansion details can seem complicated and many Americans find themselves asking, “What is the expansion of Medicaid?” and “Will my state adopt the expansion?” The largest aspect of the health care program that changes when the expansion is enacted is the Medicaid enrollment criteria. The Affordable Care Act Medicaid eligibility requirements call for income to be the only factor to consider, which increases the population of eligible applicants. Due to these less restrictive requirements, officials need to deliberate on the ACA Medicaid expansion cost to states before agreeing, as states are not required to institute the Obamacare Medicaid expansion. To learn more about how the ACA expansion affected Michigan and how to get a MI Affordable Care Act Medicaid application, continue reading below.

Learn About the ACA Medicaid Expansion in Michigan

What is the Obamacare Medicaid expansion and did Michigan implement it? The ACA Medicaid expansion comes with additional federal funding but the states that choose the expansion will still have to pay a portion of the operational expenses for the program. The ACA Medicaid expansion cost to states can be quite large with some states paying billions of dollars of state funds to keep the program functioning. However, Michigan lawmakers have found that the cost of the ACA expansion would not hurt the Michigan state budget, which prompted the officials to move ahead with the expansion. In 2014, Michigan’s Medicaid expansion took effect and became one of the 31 states and D.C. to choose the expansion plan.

Learn more about the requirements for Medicaid in our free guide.

What does choosing the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion mean for Michigan?

The Michigan ACA Medicaid expansion plan will add to the number of people who can receive Medicaid benefits. This is made possible by the new Medicaid expansion eligibility requirements. Since income will now be the only factor needed to be eligible for Medicaid benefits, more people will have the opportunity to enroll in the program. Before the expansion, Medicaid benefits were not available to adults who did not have children or a disability. The Michigan Medicaid expansion allows applicants who make less than a certain percentage of the poverty level to qualify for coverage under the state program. The new enrollment requirements allow more childless adults between 19 and 64 years of age to receive Medicaid assistance. This change also helps some low-income families receive medical benefits as well.

The details of the Obamacare expansion enable those who were in the foster care system to remain in the Medicaid program until they are 26 years of age. The expansion also increases funding for tobacco cessation and family planning programs.

The benefits of the Medicaid expansion program are already noticeable for the state of Michigan. The uninsured rate has already decreased by more than half, from 11.8% before the expansion to 5.0% as of the end of 2022. Almost half a million Michigan residents will be eligible for Medicaid enrollment by the start the next decade due to the expansion. It is also predicted that the state of Michigan will save hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid medical bills because of the expansion by 2023.

Will the ACA Medicaid expansion allow me to enroll in Medicaid?

The MI ACA Medicaid application is available to all who live in the state. The Affordable Care Act Medicaid eligibility requirements have made it possible for more Michigan residents to enroll in the health care program successfully. However, not everyone who applies will be qualified, so be sure to read all of the eligibility requirement details before submitting the Medicaid application form. While the expansion largely helps adults, Medicaid benefits are still available to different demographics.

Note: If you are denied Medicaid coverage, there are still other options for you. There are other medical benefits programs that are not a part of the Medicaid system.

To find out more about what to do if denied Medicaid coverage, download our complimentary guide.