A Bipartisan Win for Health Care

Health care isn’t abstract for Michigan families — it’s personal. Whether it’s finding a doctor, keeping a rural hospital open, or ensuring National Guard members have the coverage they deserve, access to care shapes daily life across the state. This year, Michigan’s state budget placed health care at the forefront, and House Speaker Matt Hall says that was no accident — it was his mission.

Hall outlined a straightforward goal: prioritize reliable, accessible care for every Michigander. The result, he says, is a bipartisan budget that shores up Medicaid, strengthens small-town hospitals, and ensures those who wear the uniform are fully supported.

Restoring Stability to Medicaid

Early in the budget discussions, Hall made one move he considered essential — restoring full funding to Medicaid after it had been shorted by $500 million in the previous cycle. That shortfall, left uncorrected, would have jeopardized care for the state’s most vulnerable populations: low-income families, seniors, people with disabilities, and others who depend on Medicaid as their primary coverage.

Hall pushed to reverse the underfunding entirely, ensuring that the program remained secure and stable.

“Every Michigander deserves peace of mind when it comes to their health care,” he emphasized. Fully funding Medicaid, he argued, is foundational to that peace of mind — a commitment he believes should never fluctuate year to year.

Major Investments in Rural Hospitals

Michigan’s rural communities face a familiar challenge: hospitals struggling to stay open. Nationally, dozens of rural hospitals have closed in recent years, and many more are on the brink. Hall said protecting rural health care wasn’t just a priority — it was essential for the fabric of Michigan’s small towns.

The budget includes $250 million in grants for rural hospitals, targeted to keep facilities open, maintain critical services, and retain medical professionals who are increasingly difficult to recruit to remote areas.

For rural families, this investment can be the difference between having a local emergency room and driving an hour or more for urgent care. For local economies, it can mean keeping one of the community’s largest employers intact. And for seniors and those with chronic conditions, it helps ensure that regular, dependable care remains close to home.

Fully Funding TRICARE for Michigan’s National Guard

Hall also underscored a provision he considers both practical and deeply personal: full funding for TRICARE coverage for the state’s National Guard members.

Guard members often juggle civilian careers while standing ready to respond to floods, ice storms, wildfires, or security needs. When they’re called into action, he said, their health care coverage should never be in question.

“When our soldiers respond to emergencies or natural disasters, they will have the health care coverage they deserve,” Hall said. The budget ensures Guard families are supported as well — a recognition of the service and sacrifice required of military households.

A Bipartisan Path Forward

Hall emphasized that these health care gains weren’t achieved by one party or one chamber. The final product, he said, reflects bipartisan work and shared priorities.

“This progress was achieved with bipartisan support,” he noted. “By working together, we delivered a responsible budget that puts Michigan families first.”

For Hall, the end result is a health care-focused budget built around long-term stability — strengthening safety nets, investing in community hospitals, and honoring public service.

“It’s the kind of balanced, thoughtful budgeting that Michigan families can count on,” he said.