Some rural healthcare leaders say the first round of funds allocated from the Rural Health Transformation Program don’t go far enough to stabilize their industry amid federal cuts.
Michigan Health Watch
In-depth reporting on the intersection between public policy and important health topics ‒ such as insurance coverage, hospital admissions, opioid abuse, access to care, medical research and the business of health care ‒ that impact nearly every Michigan resident.
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Who will be exempt from Medicaid work rules in Michigan? What to know
The US Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services issued guidance this month to define which Medicaid recipients are too frail to meet new work requirements that start after Jan. 1.
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How many kindergarteners in your Michigan school are vaccinated? Find out here
Statewide, nearly 8% of Michigan kindergarten students received vaccine waivers in 2025, up from less than 7% a year earlier.
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Vaccination rates drop to 10-year low for Michigan’s school–age children
Michigan students receiving exemption waivers for vaccines jumped to 7.1% in 2025, marking a five-year streak of worsening vaccine participation in the state.
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As health costs climb, some care shifts to Michigan’s charity clinics
A network of free clinics operates on shoestring budgets, volunteers, donated supplies and hope. Some predict they’ll need more of that if more Michiganders lose health coverage.
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Michigan school districts offer insurance-free care to beat rising health costs
Direct primary care typically works outside insurance. But what if it were instead added to existing coverage? Three Michigan school districts are giving it a try.
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Blood test can find cancers, save Michigan lives. Is that worth $100B?
The Galleri blood test and others like it could revolutionize cancer care but add billions in costs each year to the US health system.
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Online pharmacies aid rural health care but threaten Michigan drugstores
While mail-in prescription orders have been an answer for growing pharmacy deserts, officials say the companies behind those services help cause closures.
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As Michigan ages, are we overlooking a critical type of caregiver – the friend?
Friends may not see themselves as caregivers, yet when they help with activities of daily living, they are crucial to a person’s independence and longevity. That, in turn, can save tax dollars by curbing the odds at nursing home care.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Michigan reports first 2 US deaths related to diarrhea-causing parasite
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said both had underlying health conditions that may have been impacted by the intestinal illness and dehydration.