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News Bits from MichUHCAN July 1999 Newsletter

Studies show that an unintended result of welfare reform is that hundreds of thousands of poor people lost health insurance. Under the 1996 law, people who move from welfare to work remained eligible for Medicaid. But they often don't know, and aren't told, they can still get coverage.


Detroit's Henry Ford Health System has sued a major Medicaid HMO, Great Lakes Health Plan. For-profit Great Lakes owes Ford more than $1 million for care rendered, and Ford says they will accept no more of the insurer's patients except for emergency care.


Meanwhile, the Michigan Health & Hospital Association, the state's hospital organization, is lobbying for more state funds into Medicaid.