Tom Barrett is facing further scrutiny for his key vote to rip away health care and raise costs for his constituents while giving tax breaks to billionaires.
The Gander highlighted how 135,100 residents of MI-07 depend on Medicaid and that “at least 14,000 Medicaid enrollees are at risk of losing coverage” thanks to Barrett’s vote.
What’s more, Barrett voted to raise Michiganders’ health care costs. At least 43,200 people across MI-07 who receive health care through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will “see their premiums increase by over $700 a year” on average due to Barrett’s vote to end ACA tax credits.
Read more about Barrett’s betrayal of his constituents:
The Gander: ‘Big beautiful bill’ will end Medicaid for people in Ingham, Shiawassee, and Livingston counties this year. Here’s how many will lose it—and who’s responsible
- The representative who voted to take away health care from nearly 14,000 Michiganders in his district has been dodging constituents’ questions and town halls since 2024.
- Local health officials warned that Medicaid cuts could overwhelm rural hospitals and disrupt care for seniors and low-income families. Despite these concerns, several Michigan Republicans—including Rep. Tom Barrett, who represents Clinton, Ingham, Livingston, Shiawassee, and parts of Eaton, Genesee, and Oakland counties—voted to support the tax bill.
- Barrett’s decision to support the bill, which he called a “pro-growth policy,” will result in thousands of his constituents losing access to health care through Medicaid, and soaring premiums, deductibles, and co-pays for other Michiganders who aren’t on Medicaid.
- In Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, which includes Clinton, Ingham, Livingston, Shiawassee, and portions of Eaton, Genesee, and Oakland counties, 135,100 residents are enrolled in Medicaid—around 17% of the district’s population. They’re from St. Johns, Lansing, Charlotte, Brighton and other nearby towns.
- Under Trump’s tax bill, which introduces strict work requirements and paperwork verification for Medicaid enrollees, many adults will be forced to prove they meet certain criteria every six months—particularly impacting low-income populations like the working class, seniors, people with disabilities, and those living in rural areas.
- They’ll also seriously affect older adults—who are less likely to be employed consistently and face more difficulties finding new work due to age discrimination—and family caregivers.
- Experts have found that many people who will lose Medicaid as a result of these latest cuts will do so because of administrative burdens—not ineligibility.
- In Rep. Barrett’s district, at least 14,000 Medicaid enrollees are at risk of losing coverage altogether, resulting in an estimated 44 extra deaths per year, according to the Center for American Progress.
- Additionally, the “big beautiful bill” formally ends a variety of federal subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). As a result, Michiganders who get their health care through the federal marketplace—like the 43,200 ACA adult residents in District 7—are set to see their premiums increase by over $700 a year, according to estimates released by state officials.
- Michiganders have tried to hold Rep. Barrett accountable for his decisions, but he has been dodging questions and town halls since his re-election in 2024. However, the Congressman—who plans to run again for his seat in 2026—will have to face his constituents sooner or later, especially with several potential candidates eyeing his position.
|
|
