Congress is considering hundreds of billions of dollars in cuts to the Medicaid program which threatens the health coverage and care of millions of Americans, including many here in our community. As Chair of the Board of Directors and a patient at Family Medical Center of Michigan (FMC), I want to make clear: these cuts would harm our patients, our neighbors, and the very foundation of our health center.
FMC serves more than 18,400 patients each year, providing over 95,000 medical, dental, and behavioral health visits. Nearly one-third of our patients rely on Medicaid for their health insurance. Medicaid is not an abstract government program; it’s a lifeline for children, people with disabilities, working families, students, and those whose jobs don’t offer insurance. These are our friends, our relatives, and our neighbors — and they deserve access to quality care.
Our health center’s mission is to serve everyone, regardless of their insurance status. But our ability to do so depends on a careful balance: we rely on Medicaid funding to help sustain care for all, including those who are uninsured. If Congress enacts deep Medicaid cuts, thousands in our region could lose coverage, straining our resources and forcing us to make painful choices — possibly reducing services or staff, which would impact every patient, not just those on Medicaid.
The consequences would ripple beyond our clinics. Patients who lose coverage still need care, but without insurance, they may turn to emergency rooms for help. This is not only more expensive, but it also threatens the financial health of hospitals and the broader healthcare system. The Congressional Budget Office recently confirmed that major Medicaid cuts would lead to millions losing coverage and states being forced to limit benefits or eligibility. In Michigan, more than 2.6 million people depend on Medicaid — one in every four residents, according to the Michigan Hospital Association.
We don’t yet know the final details Congress will decide, but the bottom line is clear: slashing Medicaid funding will undermine the health and stability of our community. These cuts are bad for Michigan, bad for health centers like FMC, and — most importantly — bad for the patients we are committed to serving. I urge our leaders to reject any proposal that puts healthcare for our most vulnerable at risk.
David L. Brown is the board chair of the Family Medical Center of Michigan, which operates four clinics and three school-based health centers in Lenawee and Monroe counties.
