When Nancy Herta wears her white coat, she's traveling to rural hospitals across Michigan that need a doctor. She works in the Lansing area and throughout the state, providing critical healthcare services to underserved communities.
- Rural OB-GYN doctors worry new Medicaid changes could reduce access to care for vulnerable patients.
- Starting October 2028, some Medicaid recipients will pay up to $35 per doctor visit.
- Michigan hospitals could lose more than $6 billion in Medicaid funding over the next decade.
WATCH: Michigan rural healthcare providers fear impact of Medicaid changes
"I just felt like I was serving an important need," Herta said.
But Herta believes that work could be at risk with Medicaid changes in the "One Big Beautiful Bill," which was signed into law earlier this month.
When I asked how these changes would impact her patients, Herta was direct.
"First of all—if they lose health insurance, they're not going to seek health care," Herta said.
As an OB-GYN serving rural communities, Herta fears pregnant patients on Medicaid will not receive the care they need. She believes that with the changes, some hospitals in rural communities will close.
"It affects the whole community because everybody in that community will lose healthcare and not only that, a lot of these small towns, a hospital is a primary employer," Herta said.
Starting October 1, 2028, Medicaid recipients who have incomes at or above 100% of the federal poverty level will owe up to $35 per doctor visit, capped at 5% of family income.
Currently, the federal poverty level for a family of four in the United States is an income below about $32,000, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Herta fears extra costs for patients could lead to fewer visits.
"They're not going to come in for an annual and get their birth control renewed, or pap smears done," Herta said.
According to the Michigan Health and Hospital Association, the law will cost Michigan hospitals more than $6 billion in total Medicaid funding over the next 10 years.
Lauren Appel, Executive Vice President, Government Relations and Public Policy for MHA, explained the difficult decisions hospitals may face.
"Can they keep labor and delivery services? Can they keep providing in-patient psychiatric care? Those are two things that are quite expensive," Appel said.
Apple says hospitals, especially rural ones, are considering reducing services to stay open.
Congressman Tom Barrett voted in favor of the "One Big Beautiful Bill." In a statement, he said: "The One Big Beautiful Bill makes a historic $50 billion investment in rural health care across America while strengthening Medicaid for people with disabilities, seniors, children, pregnant moms, and others who need help. This investment will provide rural hospitals and clinics with the resources they need to provide quality care in Michigan communities while the addition of modest work requirements and minimal, case-by-case cost-sharing for able-bodied Medicaid recipients will promote the dignity of work and safeguard Medicaid for patients in both urban and rural communities."
The MHA is asking residents who need care to head to their local care provider and not wait.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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