Leaders of Michigan’s largest health systems said this week that the state’s health care model is under unsustainable pressure and warned that looming federal subsidy cuts could worsen costs and outcomes.
Speaking at a Detroit Economic Club forum on Tuesday, executives from Corewell Health, Henry Ford Health, Trinity Health and others said proposals to reduce Medicaid funding and Affordable Care Act subsidies would force hospitals to absorb more uncompensated care, driving up costs and straining emergency departments.
Bob Riney, CEO of Henry Ford Health, said eliminating Medicaid coverage doesn’t reduce demand for care. “We have to care for everyone, no matter what,” he said, adding that uninsured patients inevitably turn to the ER.
Tina Freese Decker, president and CEO of Corewell Health, said the industry cannot continue to rely on temporary fixes. “We can’t be comfortable with incrementalism,” she said. “All the patches used to keep health care together are being removed. That means less money for preventive care and more pressure on emergency rooms. We need hard, bold decisions to transform health care.”
The executives said policymakers must move beyond partisanship and work with providers on systemic changes that improve efficiency, integrate care, and emphasize prevention. Without structural reform, they warned, costs will keep rising while health outcomes lag.
The panel was part of a Detroit Economic Club program titled “Healthcare Reimagined: CEO Insights on Healthcare & Medical Innovation.”
