Jocelyn Benson Vows to Fight for Seniors Hurt by John James Healthcare Cuts

Yesterday, Secretary of State and Democratic nominee for Governor Jocelyn Benson held a roundtable with Lansing seniors to discuss the rising healthcare costs and growing facility closures in the wake of the James-backed Medicaid cuts. 

Jocelyn has made healthcare the “defining issue” of this race and is the only candidate with a comprehensive plan to tackle rising prescription costs and medical bills, expand access to quality, affordable care, take on insurers and address the existing physician shortages and healthcare deserts. Meanwhile, John James has voted at least three times to raise healthcare costs on Michiganders — including voting for the largest cut to Medicaid in American history — leaving 500,000 Michiganders, including children and seniors in nursing homes, at risk of losing access to lifesaving care. Yesterday Jocelyn heard directly from some of the seniors suffering the consequences of James’ votes in Congress.

In case you missed it…

On the airwaves: 

WLAJ-TV — Lansing, MI: Secretary of State and Democratic nominee for Governor Jocelyn Benson hosted a roundtable in south Lansing today to discuss her plans on healthcare if she were to win the governor race. Benson's discussion focused on healthcare affordability and access. Describing healthcare as the defining issue of her campaign, arguing that rising costs, provider shortages, and government inefficiencies are making care unaffordable for many Michiganders: “But yet it's because of people like my opponent who went to Washington, charged to serve the people, and instead he voted along with the President and so many others to increase the cost of health care. And he seems to be proud of that in a way that really strikes at the heart of, I think, the key contrast in this race. Which is: who is the next governor going to work for?” Benson continued to say that Michigan must use every available tool to protect access to healthcare, improve the efficiency of state agencies, and help eligible residents maintain coverage.

In print: 

Gongwer: Benson hosts health care roundtable, takes shots at James for supporting Trump policies

[Liz Nass, 9/8/26] 

Benson opened the roundtable by saying the healthcare system is “broken” and proclaiming that healthcare is the defining issue of her campaign. She rolled out her plan, which includes creating an independent prescription drug affordability board, passing a $5,000 caregiver tax credit as well as transparency laws on hospitals to show patients costs upfront and investing in mobile health centers.

She said she was the only candidate in the race with an actual plan, calling out James.

“My opponent has already showed us who he’ll work for,” Benson said. “He’s voted not once, not twice, but three times to increase that cost of healthcare on all of us, and I believe Michiganders deserve better.”

She asked what keeps James up at night: how to satisfy Trump or how to make sure the people of Michigan have health care. She also called him out for taking money from pharmaceutical companies and then “making these cuts to help them increase their profits.”

[...]

Benson said the [rising] costs on fixed incomes is one of the biggest stresses, with stagnant earnings being hit by “chaotic, cruel policies at the federal level.”

[...] 

Linda Vail, former health officer in Ingham County, said at the roundtable that the coverage is not the same through Medicaid anymore. Everything is more expensive, and managing health care is more confusing.

Benson said the government needs to be “a helping hand and not an obstacle course” to figure out all the work requirements necessary for receiving Medicaid, adding that part of her plan includes streamlining government administrative roles to bring costs down.

Elissa George, a local activist who attended the roundtable, said she would like to see the problem fixed beyond “Band-aids” and “not just throwing some money at it” because the problem will not go away.

Benson said she believes what has caused the problems is “Lansing being beholden to the highest bidder,” and some corruption has led to higher costs.

MIRS: Benson Sharpens Healthcare Contrast With James

[9/8/26] 

“I think this really underscores why healthcare is the defining issue of this election cycle and of this campaign,” Benson said following the Lansing roundtable moderated by Sen. Sarah ANTHONY (D-Lansing).

Benson framed healthcare affordability issues as partly stemming from James' own votes in Congress. In other words, she said it's because of "people like my opponent who went to Washington, charged to serve the people," and instead "voted along with the president and so many others to increase the cost of healthcare," something she said James is proud of.

Roundtable participants shared stories of rising premiums, high deductibles and difficulty navigating the healthcare system. One attendee described a friend with severe pre-existing conditions whose monthly Affordable Care Act premium is jumping from $325 to $843, along with a $5,500 deductible.

Another, who relies on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, said she worries an error in her Medicaid paperwork could jeopardize her coverage and described increasingly dipping into savings just to make it through the month. Others raised the cost of medications and specialty care, including one participant who said an osteoporosis infusion she once received cost about $10,000 per treatment.

[...]

One area where Benson said a governor could make a difference is helping Michiganders maintain Medicaid coverage as new federal requirements take effect.

Benson said she wants the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to use information the state already has to proactively determine whether residents remain eligible, rather than repeatedly requiring them to submit the same information.

Where information is missing, she said the state could hold clinics in communities to help residents complete the requirements before they lose coverage.

She also reiterated several pieces of the healthcare plan she rolled out earlier in the campaign, including creating an independent prescription drug affordability board, requiring hospitals to tell patients expected costs upfront and investing in mobile health centers in areas affected by hospital closures.

She also wants to offer scholarships and other incentives aimed at recruiting and retaining doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals in underserved areas.

Benson was also asked about gaps in women’s healthcare across Michigan. She pointed to Planned Parenthood clinic closures, rural hospital closures, OB-GYN shortages and disparities in Black maternal healthcare.

She also spoke about experiencing a miscarriage and said it reinforced for her the importance of having access to qualified reproductive healthcare providers when that care is needed.

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