LANSING – Some two-thirds of National Federation of Independent Business-Michigan members do not want to see the state expand Medicaid eligibility, the group announced Thursday.
Small business owners feared the plan would end up costing the state in the end, NFIB State Director Charlie Owens said.
“The governor and his team deserve credit for trying to structure the expansion to anticipate and address future funding reductions by the federal government,” Owens said. “But our members are skeptical of budget assumptions that depend on the discipline of future lawmakers and governors to keep their hands off those funds when another budget shortfall looms or for some other politically popular purpose presents itself.”
The business owners also did not have confidence the federal government would keep up its end of the deal and fund the additional recipients.
“They also believe that, in the long run, expanding entitlement programs like Medicaid create more dependency and discourage people from seeking better jobs and opportunities,” he said.
The survey found that 67 percent of members opposed the plan to include those earning up to 133 percent of poverty as eligible for Medicaid, while 22 percent supported the move. Another 11 percent said they were not sure about the plan.
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