Author: Dr. Jonathan Kenigson, FRSA

In contravention to the claims of President Trump and DOGE staffers, Medicare is generally more efficient than private health insurance. According to the Medicare Trustees, the administrative expenses for traditional Medicare totaled $10.8 billion in 2021, accounting for approximately 1.3% of total program spending [35]. This figure includes expenses for contractors that process claims submitted by beneficiaries and their providers; In stark contrast, private insurance companies operate with significantly higher administrative burdens. The business-related insurance (BIR) costs for private insurance hover around 17% [20]. Even when comparing higher-end estimates of Medicare administrative costs to low-end estimates for private insurance, the…

Nearly 3 million Michigan residents, including 961,000 children, rely on Medicaid services for their healthcare needs. The Michigan Medicaid expansion, particularly through the Healthy Michigan Plan, has successfully reduced uninsurance rates to as low as 6% in some areas by 2020. However, proposed changes to Medicaid funding threaten to create a $1.73 billion gap in the state’s healthcare system as soon as next year. The impact of these potential cuts would be particularly severe in rural communities, where approximately 37.3% of children depend on Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for healthcare coverage. As the single largest payer…