Michigan employers and working families are suffering at the hands of expensive and unsupportable healthcare. Now is the time for Michigan Legislators and Congress to act and implement policy changes that will have a real, and measurable impact for Michiganders.

Historically, the State of Michigan ranks lower than most of the country for hospital care costs. However, even Michigan isn’t immune to the constant rising costs of hospital services. In Michigan, hospital costs are climbing at an unsustainable rate. Between 2010 and 2020, payers in Michigan experienced a 40 percent increase in costs for hospital services.

With private health insurance, this includes employer-sponsored health benefits, contributing the most to the nation’s health care spend and hospital care taking the biggest slice of the health expenditure pie, it is vital that policy-makers dedicate actions to slow the increase in hospital costs and create a fair price atmosphere. Otherwise, employers will continue to struggle with providing health benefits to workers. Resulting in a decrease in job production and higher wages, and an increase on government spending for unemployment and government provided healthcare.

A whopping 91 percent of Americans worry about increases in the amount they may have to pay for healthcare. With 100 million working families already drowning in medical debt, most need to make sacrifices. One of the top reasons for personal bankruptcy in the United States is medical debt. Compared to the rest of the country, Michigan is on the higher end for share of adults with medical debt.

This petition will urge Michigan politicians to create policies that will help stop the rising costs of hospital services.