LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is set to deliver her seventh State of the State address tonight and one major topic from her speech will be to call on the state to cover the medical debt of many people in Michigan.
In a preview of her address sent to FOX 17, Whitmer says nearly 700,000 Michiganders have debt from medical services. She cites a $4.5 million fund in the 2024 Fiscal Year that the Michigan Democratic Party claims wiped out $450 million in medical debt payments for 118,000 people.
Governor Whitmer says rising costs due to inflation and potential tariffs are putting more financial pressure on people across the state.
Michigan is one of only a handful of states that have no consumer protections for medical debt, according to the governor. She will call on lawmakers from both parties to pass legislation to provide that protection and fund coverage of medical debt.
You can watch the 2025 State of the State address live at 7 p.m. on our website and Facebook.
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