Senator Elissa Slotkin sounded the alarm this week on the far-reaching consequences of President Trump’s newly signed “Big Beautiful Bill,” warning that the law could severely undermine Michigan’s healthcare system and spike costs for families across the state.
Speaking from Corwell Health in Grand Rapids, Slotkin emphasized the practical effects of the legislation, which she said would cut $6 billion from Michigan’s hospital systems over the next decade. “There’s no way around it,” she told reporters, citing estimates from the Michigan Hospital Association. “What that really means is tough decisions—whether we keep labor and delivery services open, whether people in rural communities have to drive hours to give birth.”
Slotkin, a moderate Democrat known for her national security background, has made health care access a central focus of her work in the Senate. She described the legislation as a direct threat to essential services—from pediatric cancer care to emergency rooms in underserved areas.
“We talked with doctors about a new drug that’s made childhood leukemia 90% survivable,” Slotkin said. “That drug came from scientific research, and this bill guts that research by 60%. What do you say to those families?”
Signed into law on July 4, the “Big Beautiful Bill” includes deep cuts to Medicaid and ends subsidies under the Affordable Care Act that help middle-income families afford health insurance. Slotkin warned that, beginning November 1, many Michigan residents will face massive spikes in insurance premiums.
“A family of four in Grand Rapids making $124,000 and enrolled in the ACA is about to see their premiums go up by $5,500 next year,” she said. “Two 60-year-olds earning $82,000 could face a $13,000 increase. That’s the choice we’re giving people—pay up or drop your coverage and hope for the best until you hit Medicare age.”
Slotkin also voiced concern that hospitals, no longer fully reimbursed for Medicaid patients, would shift costs to those with private insurance—leading to even higher premiums for employer-sponsored plans. “Everyone is going to pay,” she said. “Either you lose your care, or you pay more for the coverage you already have.”
With a looming government funding deadline on September 30, Slotkin called for bipartisan negotiations to restore ACA subsidies, reverse Medicaid cuts, and reinvest in health research. She said that she’s all ears when it comes to fixing the bill, especially if it can be done as a bipartisan manuever.
Slotkin criticized Republican lawmakers who supported the bill and have since suggested changes. “I’m sorry you voted for it without reading it,” she said. “But if you want to fix it now, I’m ready to work.”
For Michigan, Slotkin warned, the damage could be felt across hospitals, homes, and communities—beginning as early as this fall.
