CHRT executive director, Joshua Traylor, speaks at Protect MI Care press conference
On April 28, our executive director, Joshua Traylor, spoke at a Protect MI Care press conference. The press conference at Care Free Medical called on the Michigan Legislature to fully fund Medicaid in the state budget and protect the program from federal cuts.
The event brought together health care providers, policy researchers, workforce development leaders, and state officials to make the case that Medicaid is essential infrastructure, not a line item to be cut.
CHRT’s research demonstrated Medicaid’s role in driving historic gains in health coverage across Michigan. According to a CHRT analysis of 16 years of data, Michigan’s uninsured rate fell from nearly 12% in 2008 to a record low of 5% in 2024, with Medicaid expansion as a primary driver. Among adults aged 19–64, the uninsured rate dropped from nearly 17% to 7.5% over the same period.
“The value of Medicaid in Michigan is measurable,” said Joshua Traylor, executive director of CHRT. “It has been a driving force behind the historic progress we’ve made in lowering our uninsured rate. With the implementation of H.R. 1, we are likely to see a dramatic increase in the number of people without health coverage in Michigan over the coming year.”