The Michigan Department of Community Health completed an initiative - Michigan's State Planning Project for the Uninsured.  This project was completed in August of 2006.  Links to the reports on the completed project are found below.

The goals of Michigan's Project were to develop a plan that put forth a set of realistic strategies and viable options that will lead to health insurance coverage for all Michigan residents, and to promote an understanding of uninsurance issues among key stakeholders and policy makers.

The consequences of being uninsured are well documented, and the costs associated with care for the uninsured along with rising health care costs are creating challenges throughout Michigan.

The governance structure

• The Advisory Council
• The three workgroups:
  • Community Interface
  • Data Synthesis
  • Models Development
• MDCH Staff

The Project's specific goals included:

1. Expand the current knowledge base regarding uninsurance issues by engaging in specific data collection activities. Data collection efforts will include:
   • A mail survey of Michigan employers.
   • Focus groups of small and mid-size employers, and insurance brokers.
   • Key informant interviews with policy makers
   • Town hall meetings
2. Using a consensus approach that will reflect the quantitative and qualitative data collected, develop a set of recommendations along with a plan to extend access to health insurance coverage to all Michigan citizens. The plan:
   • Offers a series of models that reflect the diversity of Michigan's population.
   • Includes recommendations to Federal and State policy makers.
   • Is comprehensive but flexible
   • Assesses existing state options, integrating these options and expanding upon them when feasible and economical.

Reports

Michigan State Planning Project for the Uninsured: Final Project Report, August 2006
Michigan Employer Health Insurance Survey Documents, August 2006
Michigan Focus Group Report, August 2006
Michigan Household Health Insurance Survey Documents, August 2006
Final Report on Town Hall Meetings, August 2006
Executive Highlights and Advisory Council Recommendations, March 2007

Calendar of Events

Contact Information - For additional information on the Michigan State Planning Project for the Uninsured, please e-mail hpac@michigan.gov.

For information on free or low cost health care, or obtaining health insurance, please visit www.michigan.gov/healthcarehelp.