A report released today by CHRT shows that the alternative approach to passing and implementing Medicaid expansion in Michigan—a state led by a Republican governor—can be a model for other states with bipartisan or Republican-led governments seeking Medicaid expansion. “The number of Republican governorships retained—and gained—during the midterm elections makes Michigan’s experience in securing Medicaid expansion through the Healthy Michigan Plan particularly important,” says Marianne Udow-Phillips, founding executive director of CHRT, one of the organizations that prepared the report.

As of November 1, 2014, nearly 450,000 people had enrolled in the Healthy Michigan Plan—Michigan’s expanded Medicaid program—and another 272,000 selected coverage through the federally-facilitated Health Insurance Marketplace. The coverage expansions in Michigan have exceeded all projections at the state and federal levels.