GOP HEALTH CARE CRISIS: FEWER MICHIGANDERS ARE ENROLLING IN AFFORDABLE CARE ACT HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS THIS YEAR

The following information was released by the Michigan Democratic Party:

GOP candidates and Duggan have stood by Trump's price-hiking agenda

LANSING After John James and Michigan Republicans failed to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits, hundreds of thousands of Michiganders are now facing skyrocketing health care costsand Michigan Public reports that more than 25,000 fewer Michiganders signed up for ACA health insurance plans this year.

With costs skyrocketing and fewer Michiganders receiving health care coverage, each of the Republican candidates for governor and MAGA-funded Mike Duggan have stood by Trump's disastrous agenda as the GOP's health care crisis has unfolded:

Mike Duggan was caught behind closed doors defending Trump's cuts to Medicaid and said they "aren't as bad as they look," and Duggan's campaign refused to answer questions when asked about his thoughts on Trump's price-hiking "One Big Beautiful Bill"which failed to extend ACA credits and is now causing health care prices to skyrocket.

Aric Nesbitt called Trump's price-hiking tax law a "win" and voted against a state Senate resolution condemning the bill that is raising prices on Michiganders, and now he's struggled to defend the Medicaid cuts and refused to say that he is concerned about people falling through the cracks.

Read more on the GOP health care crisis and how it's impacting Michigan:

Michigan Public: Fewer Michiganders are enrolling in Affordable Care Act health insurance plans this year

About 25,000 fewer Michiganders signed up for Affordable Care Act health coverage plans during this year's open enrollment period compared to the same time last year.

Republican leaders in Congress refused to allow a vote on extending Affordable Care Act tax credits, so they expired at the end of 2025. The tax credits were meant to help pay for insurance premiums, and their expiration has caused significant premium hikes for millions buying health insurance.

Dianne Byrum is the director for Protect Our Care Michigan, an advocacy group focused on affordable and equitable healthcare. She said the increase in health insurance costs is a crisis nationwide, and for some people, the cost of insurance has increased by thousands of dollars a year.

January 3 data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services shows that 491,565 Michigan residents have signed up for healthcare plans for 2026's latest enrollment period. By this time last year, 516,093 Michiganders had signed up.