LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has announced newly-scheduled regional forums regarding work requirements for Healthy Michigan Plan beneficiaries.
The department has announced three additional forums, with one in Dearborn and one in Saginaw. MDHHS is also partnering with local health departments to host a “virtual” forum in the Thumb region.
According to an official press release, the goal is of the meetings are to increase awareness about new work requirements for the Healthy Michigan Plan that will be effective Jan. 1, 2020, and preparing beneficiaries to meet the new requirements.
Beneficiaries, health care providers, health plans, community organizations and the general public are invited to participate in these forums.
“At MDHHS, we want to do all we can to preserve health care coverage for Healthy Michigan Plan beneficiaries,” MDHHS Director Robert Gordon said in the press release. “That’s why we are joining community partners throughout the state to hold these forums, and directly helping beneficiaries understand the steps necessary to maintain their coverage.”
Healthy Michigan Plan beneficiaries will be required to report 80 hours of work or other activities, such as job searches, to MDHHS each month.
Healthy Michigan Plan beneficiaries can be excused from the requirements in some circumstances. Beneficiaries who are not excused from the requirements and fail to report may lose their health care coverage.
During the virtual forum, multiple sites will participate in the same forum using videoconferencing technology. Stakeholders can participate in the virtual forum at any of the three sites.
As far as the Western Michigan region goes, eemaining forums, including the additional meetings, will be held at the following locations:
- Jackson: Nov. 5, 10-11:30 a.m., Center for Family Health, 505 N. Jackson St.
- Kalamazoo: Nov. 5, 2-3:30 p.m., Family Health Center, 505 E. Alcott St.
- Grand Rapids: (Nov. 6, 10-11:30 a.m., Eberhard Conference Center, Grand Valley State University, 301 W. Fulton St.
Participants are encouraged to pre-register online in order to make sure adequate space is provided for each event.
More information, including how to pre-register, can be found online by visiting HealthyMichiganPlan.org and clicking the Changes Coming in 2020 tab.
