Michigan Medicaid Expansion Linked To Long-Term Reductions In Medical Debt & Subprime Credit Scores

Michigan residents enrolled through the state’s Medicaid expansion program experienced substantial long-term reductions in medical debt and improved credit outcomes for as long as seven years after enrollment, according to a recent study. Researchers analyzed outcomes for 575,283 Michigan residents who enrolled for the first time in the Healthy Michigan Plan (HMP) between April 1, 2014, and December 31, 2017. The Healthy Michigan Plan covers low-income adults eligible through Michigan’s Medicaid expansion program.

The researchers linked Medicaid enrollment records with longitudinal credit report data from a national credit agency between 2013 and 2021. The study . . .