Health Insurance in Michigan

Medicaid in Michigan: The Healthy Michigan Plan

Michigan expanded Medicaid in April 2014. The program, called the Healthy Michigan Plan, covers adults ages 19 through 64 with household incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level (about $21,600 per year for a single person). Unlike Indiana's HIP 2.0, the Healthy Michigan Plan does not require contributions to a personal account to maintain full benefits.

Healthy Michigan Plan members choose from several managed care plans depending on their county, including Blue Cross Complete, Meridian Health Plan, Priority Health, Aetna Better Health, and others. The program covers comprehensive benefits including dental, vision, prescription drugs, and mental health care.

If your income is near the 138% FPL cutoff and you apply through HealthCare.gov, the system will check your Medicaid eligibility automatically and route you to the right program.

What plans cost in 2026

Michigan marketplace premiums increased by an average of 20.2% for 2026 before subsidies, according to the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS). The state pushed back on initial insurer requests and negotiated final rates that came in about $250 million below what carriers originally proposed.

The number of plans available fell from 162 in 2025 to 116 in 2026. Fewer plans means fewer ultra-low-cost options in some areas. With the enhanced premium tax credits expired, the Urban Institute estimates that 108,000 fewer Michiganders will have marketplace coverage in 2026 compared to 2025, with about 64,000 of those expected to go uninsured.

Michigan had a record 530,000 marketplace enrollees during 2025. The drop-off for 2026 will be significant but the state still has a large marketplace population by national standards.

Carriers in Michigan (2026)

Seven insurers offer individual marketplace plans in Michigan for 2026, down from ten in 2025. Molina, HAP CareSource, and UM Health Plan (formerly Physicians Health Plan) all exited at the end of 2025:

• Ambetter from Meridian has the largest marketplace enrollment in Michigan with about 156,000 members. Meridian offers competitive premiums across most of the state. Networks are narrower than Blue Cross but cover the major hospital systems in metro areas.
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan / Blue Care Network together cover about 153,000 marketplace members. BCBSM PPO plans have the broadest networks in the state. Blue Care Network HMO plans are more affordable but restrict you to BCN providers. Rates went up 23-24% for 2026, among the higher increases in the market.
• Priority Health covers about 122,000 marketplace members, concentrated in western Michigan around Grand Rapids. Priority Health is part of the Spectrum Health (now Corewell Health) system. Their 19.2% rate increase for 2026 was the lowest among the larger carriers.
• McLaren Health Plan Community is tied to the McLaren Health Care hospital system, which operates 13 hospitals across Michigan. A solid option if your care is within the McLaren system.
• Oscar Health entered the Michigan marketplace and offers plans in select markets, appealing to enrollees who want a technology-focused insurance experience.
• UnitedHealthcare offers plans in certain Michigan counties. As a national carrier, UHC can be a good fit if you travel frequently and want a broader out-of-state network.

Key regions

Detroit metro (Wayne, Oakland, Macomb)

The state's largest market with the most carrier competition. All seven marketplace insurers are available in most metro Detroit counties. Major health systems include Henry Ford Health, Beaumont (now Corewell Health East), Ascension Michigan, and the Detroit Medical Center (DMC). Check which systems are in-network, because the Detroit area has enough separate hospital systems that no single carrier covers all of them.

Grand Rapids and western Michigan

Priority Health is dominant here, with its roots in the Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health) system. Blue Cross and Ambetter also compete in the region. Corewell Health's Butterworth Hospital and Helen DeVos Children's Hospital are the major facilities.

Lansing and mid-Michigan

McLaren Greater Lansing and Sparrow Hospital (now part of University of Michigan Health) serve this area. Carrier options are good but not as deep as Detroit. If you are affiliated with Michigan State University, check whether your preferred MSU Health Care providers are in-network.

Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula

Fewer carriers and higher premiums. Munson Healthcare is the main hospital system in the Traverse City area. The Upper Peninsula has limited options, often just Blue Cross and one or two others. Travel distances to specialists can be significant, and telehealth coverage matters more in these areas.

Estimate your subsidy

Michigan-specific things to know

Over 200,000 people needed new plans for 2026. With three carriers exiting, a large number of Michigan enrollees were automatically assigned to new plans but may not have actively chosen the best option for their needs. If you were auto-enrolled and haven't reviewed your 2026 plan, check your provider network and drug formulary now. A Special Enrollment Period may be available if your previous carrier left the market.

The Healthy Michigan Plan has work-related reporting. Michigan previously attempted to add work requirements to its Medicaid expansion, though federal courts blocked those efforts. Current rules do not require work activity for eligibility, but the state does collect information about healthy behaviors. Keep your contact information updated with your managed care plan to avoid losing coverage during annual redetermination.

Auto insurance interacts with health coverage. Michigan reformed its no-fault auto insurance law in 2019, allowing drivers to choose lower Personal Injury Protection (PIP) levels if they have qualifying health insurance. If you have an ACA marketplace plan, you may be able to select a lower PIP option on your auto policy, which can save several hundred dollars per year on car insurance.

Resources

• HealthCare.gov for marketplace enrollment (Michigan uses the federal marketplace)
• Healthy Michigan Plan for Medicaid eligibility and enrollment
• Michigan DIFS for insurance consumer resources and complaint filing