Genesee Indigent Health Plan On November 3rd Ballot

The Genesee County Board of Commissioners voted 7-2 to place a five-year, 0.8 mill property tax proposal on the November 3rd ballot.  64% of the revenue raised will be directed to the Genesee Health Plan.  Jail inmate health care and other initiatives will receive the other 36%:

https://www.mlive.com/news/flint/2026/06/genesee-county-indigent-health-millage-heads-to-november-ballot.html

Genesee County indigent health millage heads to November ballot
By Ron Fonger - June 29, 2026

GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- Members of the Genesee County Board of Commissioners will let voters decide the fate of an indigent health care millage in the November general election.

Commissioners debated the future of the property tax for months, with some contending it has failed to improve residents’ health outcomes, before settling on a five-year, 0.8 mill proposal.

The county has levied a health services millage since 2007, using the proceeds to fund the Genesee Health Plan, jail inmate health care and other initiatives.

GHP is expected to receive approximately $7.7 million of the roughly $12 million that the millage generates this fiscal year.

The nonprofit group provides basic health care coverage to residents who don’t qualify for Medicare and don’t have private insurance. It also pays for dental care for uninsured seniors and veterans.

GHP’s role has changed since the Affordable Care Act was signed into law, but it has continued to be used to fill gaps for those without insurance or full Medicare benefits.

Jim Milanowski, president and chief executive officer of GHP, has warned future changes in Medicaid coverage and the loss of subsidies for the ACA could leave many more residents in need of help.

Commissioners voted 7-2 at a special meeting Friday, June 29, to lower the request from 1 mill in its first year to 0.8 mills and add it to the ballot.

Commissioners Shaun Shumaker, R-Fenton Twp., and Brian Flewelling, R-Davison, voted against adding the request to the ballot.

Shumaker has said structural changes, including increased efforts to collect inmate health insurance for medical services they receive in jail, are needed to make millage proceeds go farther.

He said Friday’s special meeting was called to avoid a vote at a regular meeting next week, when several commissioners who support it are expected to be on vacation.

Commissioners had until Aug. 11 to add the millage to the general election ballot and had only one other regular meeting scheduled before that deadline.

Commissioners have heard multiple testimonials for GHP from both residents who’ve been helped by it and others who work in indigent health care.

Earlier this month, Dr. Brenda R. Fortunate, vice president of the Genesee County Free Medical Clinic, told commissioners that other organizations don’t have the capacity to backfill the potential loss of GHP.