First Michigan, then comparison states.

• Individual plan rate increases range from 11.1% for Priority Health up to a breath-stopping 25.5% for United Healthcare.
• Small group plans start at a 7% increase for Blue Cross, and top out at 14.8% for United Healthcare.

Rate increases take place with open enrollment on Nov. 1, 2026. Final numbers await DIFS approval.

This source does not reproduce well, but the PDF is easy access.

https://www.michigan.gov/difs/-/media/Project/Websites/difs/OIRF/EHB/PDFs/2027_Proposed_Rate_Changes.pdf

First, the upcoming agenda for House Appropriations Subcommittee on Medicaid and Behavioral Health.

September 22, 2026    |    10:30 AM

AGENDA

-Department presentation on the Rural Health Transformation Program

-Stakeholder comment on the Rural Health Transformation Program

OR ANY BUSINESS PROPERLY BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE

First, the White House fact sheet.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2026/09/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-announces-the-working-families-obamacare-refunds/

Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Announces the Working Families Obamacare Refunds

The White House    |    September 10, 2026

RETURNING BIDEN OVERCHARGES TO WORKING FAMILIES: Today, President Donald J. Trump announced that the federal government will return to the American people hundreds of millions in Obamacare overcharges, collected by the Biden Administration, by issuing refunds of $500 per person to nearly 1 million Americans in 30 states. Today’s actions directly refund the Americans most exposed to the higher costs imposed by the Biden Administration’s gross mismanagement of Obamacare.

The Biden Administration overcharged Americans through Obamacare plan exchange “user fees” that were passed on to consumers in the form of higher premiums, funding the operations of the federal Obamacare exchange far in excess of what was needed to run the exchange.
As a result, the Biden Administration accumulated a significant surplus of funds that were not used to benefit the Americans who paid these higher premiums.

President Trump is refunding these excess fees to Americans who do not receive premium assistance under the Unaffordable Care Act – and therefore paid the full cost of Biden’s premium tax – in the 30 states that use the federal exchange for the operations of their Obamacare markets.

These states include Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Thanks to President Trump’s actions, nearly 1 million Americans will receive a refund check of $500 per person. Checks will be sent to eligible Americans beginning in October 2026.

LOWERING HEALTHCARE COSTS AND GIVING MONEY TO THE PEOPLE, NOT INSURANCE COMPANIES: President Trump is delivering on promises to lower costs for American patients by putting them first and taking on big health insurance companies, drug manufacturers, and other corporate giants that have used the status quo in Washington to raise healthcare costs for Americans.

The Trump Administration is cracking down on fraud and corruption, lowering healthcare costs for Americans, and putting the American people over big health insurance companies after the Biden Administration’s mismanagement of Obamacare resulted in massive levels of fraud, higher costs for Americans, and profit windfalls for big health insurance companies.

The Trump Administration has taken the strongest actions ever to protect the integrity of the exchanges, including by issuing the Marketplace Integrity and Affordability Rule, ending loopholes used by brokers to fraudulently enroll individuals, and signing the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, which permanently instituted common-sense eligibility checks for anyone seeking a government-funded subsidy.
In February 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order to empower patients with clear, accurate, and actionable healthcare pricing information. Since then, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has ramped up enforcement against hospitals that are out of compliance with price transparency rules, finalized improvements to hospital price transparency rules, and proposed significant improvements to price transparency rules for insurance companies.

In May 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order to bring the prices Americans and taxpayers pay for prescription drugs in line with those paid by similar nations. As of August 31, 2026, the Trump Administration has reached 26 deals with pharmaceutical manufacturers, covering nearly 90% of the branded drug market.

In his historic Working Families Tax Cuts Act, President Trump expanded access to health savings accounts for up to ten million people on Obamacare and took the most significant actions to reduce healthcare fraud and abuse in history, enabling the largest ever investment in rural healthcare – $50 billion.

President Trump is calling on Congress to enact the Great Healthcare Plan to lower drug prices, lower insurance premiums, hold big insurance companies accountable, and maximize price transparency.
President Trump has been steadfast in putting the American people first over large insurance company profits by ensuring Obamacare funds, to the maximum extent possible, go to Americans: “The government is going to pay the money directly to you… the big insurance companies lose and the people of our country win.”

The Michigan Health Council, founded 1944, delivers healthcare workforce research and deep analysis to academic institutions, healthcare organizations, government agencies, and policymakers. The MHC Index is funded by the Michigan Health Endowment Fund.

Trigger warning: MHC utilizes racist themes such as DEI and SDOH in this Index and its work elsewhere.

The benefit of this index is that it goes beyond federal HPSA data. However, AI-skewed job postings, if used to calculate shortages, may produce seriously flawed results. MHC details methodology on pg 5. Another source posted in the comment below may provide contrast. 

The summary as copied below omits insightful graphs that should be viewed in the original.

https://www.mhc.org/index

Michigan Healthcare Workforce Index

The Michigan Healthcare Workforce Index is a comprehensive index that assesses the “health” of 36 healthcare occupations and occupational categories in Michigan. Combining data from Lightcast, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), MHC Insight was able to systematically rank healthcare occupations on four inputs - growth, wage, shortage, and turnover - to determine how each occupation is faring in our economy. ​

​The Index is designed to help Michigan stakeholders move from reviewing workforce data to developing an effective workforce strategy.

2026 Index Key Findings

All 36 occupations show lower projected growth compared to the 2025 Index. Lower growth threatens access to care.

Nearly all occupations show significantly higher turnover, reinforcing the need for continued retention strategies and careful interpretation of this year’s turnover data.

Nearly all occupations are projected to face a workforce shortage by 2035. Eight Index occupations are projected to experience a surplus, although statewide surpluses may still mask regional distribution challenges.

An aging workforce and aging population have significant impacts on projected shortages, especially in occupations that care for older adults.

Increasing compensation is an important strategy in growing the overall healthcare workforce, but lowering educational costs may have a greater impact.

The Behavioral Health workforce needs to be strengthened to meet population health needs.

Career pathway expansion for high-growth, low-wage occupations can bolster the overall healthcare workforce.

Occupational Ranking Highlights

The Dentist Group ranks first overall in the 2026 Index.
Pharmacy Technicians rank last overall.
Some Advanced Practitioner occupations now rank in the bottom third, including Optometrists and Pharmacists.
Shifts in job responsibilities (actual or expected) among provider groups are impacting the growth of occupations, especially Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, and Pharmacy Technicians.

How to Use the Index

The Index is designed to help Michigan stakeholders move from reviewing workforce data to developing an effective workforce strategy. Employers can use it to compare retention, demand, and wage pressure across roles to refine staffing strategies and recruitment efforts. Educators can align programs and pathways with projected shortages, helping students prepare for success and meet employer and population health needs. Policymakers and funders can identify where investment may address some of the deficiencies in our healthcare system and offer the greatest opportunity to improve community health. Workforce development organizations can connect regional priorities to statewide trends and identify further opportunities. Professional associations can use the findings to support advocacy, recruitment, and retention strategies.

These are all examples of possible uses of the Index, and the additional benefit of being a data resource to support prioritization decisions and applications for funding, as well as giving recognition to workforce conditions for various occupations, is part of the MHC mission to ensure the future of the healthcare workforce.

Impact of an Aging Workforce

Some of the Index occupations with the highest projected growth, including PTs, PTAs, OTs, OTAs, and HHAs, indicate an increasing need for these professionals as the population ages. According to BLS data, these occupations are all significantly employed by nursing care facilities, continuing care retirement communities/assisted living facilities for the elderly, or home health care services. These occupations, while growing, are also projected to face shortages. HHAs rank last in Shortage on the Index. CNAs rank second-to-last in Shortage and are primarily employed by skilled nursing facilities. These settings all primarily provide healthcare to aging adults, signaling an urgent need for retention and professional development efforts to bolster occupations that are particularly critical for sustaining long-term care.

Further straining the healthcare workforce—beyond the aging population that needs care—are retirements and reduced hours among the aging workforce providing care. Nearly a quarter (23 percent) of healthcare workers in Michigan are 55 and older. The Dentist Group, the Physician Group, HHAs, the Psychologist Group, and Nurse Anesthetists are the “oldest” occupations, with 34.7, 29.9, 28.0, 28.0, and 26.0 percent aged 55 and older, respectively (see below). In the 2025 Michigan Survey of Nurses, 36.6 percent of RNs and 36.3 percent of LPNs reported planning to leave nursing within ten years, citing retirement as their main reason. There is also some evidence that certain healthcare workers, including Physicians, are retiring earlier. This may particularly impact rural areas, where Physicians already tend to be older.

Demographics

While the Michigan labor force is evenly split by sex, females comprise a significantly higher percentage of healthcare occupations, representing 81.4 percent of the industry. Some healthcare occupations with higher earnings, like Optometrists and Pharmacists, are split relatively evenly by sex, while males make up a larger percentage of some of those occupations, including some Physician specialties and dentistry. In Michigan, 41 percent of active Physicians are female. Conversely, in medical schools, female students constitute a larger proportion of total enrollment than males. In the 2024-2025 academic year, active medical residents were split 50-50 between males and females, the first time males were not a larger proportion of residents. The majority of lower-earning occupations have a significantly higher percentage of females.

Racial and ethnic breakdowns between all Michigan occupations and Michigan healthcare occupations are relatively similar, with healthcare occupations having a slightly more diverse workforce. The racial and ethnic diversity of the healthcare workforce overall is similar to Michigan’s racial and ethnic diversity across the state; however, lower-earning occupations are also more racially and ethnically diverse.

Conclusion

Overall, the 2026 Index shows a healthcare workforce under sustained pressure. The healthcare workforce in Michigan is experiencing some improvements, such as continued wage growth, job growth across many occupations, and reduced shortages in some occupations. However, challenges persist. Increased wages can still be relatively low when compared to occupations with similar training; job growth may not align with positions that are needed most to impact care quality and access; projected shortages persist across much of the workforce; and high turnover rates highlight the continued need for retention efforts. With an aging population and an aging healthcare workforce, it is essential for Michigan to continue developing strategies to strengthen healthcare occupation pipelines, recruit new providers to practice in Michigan, and retain existing employees. For additional insight on data-driven solutions to our state's healthcare workforce challenges, see MHC’s Michigan Healthcare Workforce Plan.

​Additional Data & Research

A full data appendix for the 2026 Michigan Healthcare Workforce Index is available upon request, which details the data used to rank each occupation.

The Index presents statewide findings, but workforce conditions can vary considerably across Michigan. Organizations interested in understanding these differences may engage MHC Insight to conduct a customized regional analysis. Depending on your needs, this work can examine specific geographic areas, occupations, or workforce questions to support local planning, investment, and collaboration. Contact MHC to discuss data needs and project scope.

Every.

Single.

Bill.

Billers from solo doctors to mega-hospital systems must use current billing codes, or be denied payment. And the AMA meets quarterly to approve new codes. 

This Patients Rights Advocate v. AMA lawsuit has been a long time coming.

https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/legal-regulatory-issues/ama-sued-over-cpt-billing-code-copyright-8-things-to-know/

AMA sued over CPT billing code copyright: 8 things to know

Paige Twenter    |    August 13, 2026

PatientRightsAdvocate.org sued the American Medical Association on Aug. 13, seeking to void the AMA’s copyright over the CPT code set so the patient advocacy group can republish the codes online for free, according to court documents reviewed by Becker’s.

The Current Procedural Terminology codes dictate how much Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers pay physicians for their services. The lawsuit adds to mounting scrutiny of the AMA’s control over them.

Eight things to know:

1. PatientRightsAdvocate.org filed a declaratory judgment action, asking the court to confirm it can scan and post a purchased 2026 print edition of CPT on its website without infringing the AMA’s copyright. The nonprofit patient advocacy group said it has bought the codebook but has not copied or published it while it awaits a ruling.

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division.

2. CPT is a set of five-digit codes that classify medical procedures and services. Federal law requires their use in nearly every EHR transaction, and the codes underpin how Medicare, Medicaid and at least 45 states set physician reimbursement. Medicare and Medicaid alone cover more than 144 million people and spend over $2 trillion a year.

3. The AMA, the nation’s largest physician association and lobbying group, charges for CPT access — $137.89 for a print edition, plus annual licensing fees for electronic use. It reported $296.4 million in revenue from “Books and Digital Content” in 2025, netting $267.5 million, according to the lawsuit.

The AMA’s annual CPT code royalties generate more than $300 million a year, according to recent data cited by The Washington Post.

4. PatientRightsAdvocate.org argues the AMA has no enforceable copyright on three grounds: that CPT cannot be copyrighted because it has been incorporated into federal and state law, that republishing it is fair use, and that the AMA has engaged in copyright misuse.

The complaint leans on the Supreme Court’s 2020 finding that “no one can own the law.”

“What we are seeking to do is allow them to be freely available, publishable and usable across the healthcare system,” PatientRightsAdvocate.org founder Cynthia Fisher told the Post. She said the AMA’s licensing fees “are adding to the costs of care and coverage.”

5. The lawsuit lands amid growing pressure on the AMA.

In a July 16 proposed rule for 2027 physician payments, CMS sought public comment on the “harms or challenges associated with AMA’s monopoly over CPT-4 licenses for healthcare entities.” The proposal is part of a broader Trump administration effort, outlined in July, to overhaul how Medicare pays physicians.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, MD, R.-La., has accused the AMA of abusing a “government-backed monopoly,” charging “exorbitant fees to anyone using the CPT code set.”

7. The patient advocacy group is not the first challenge to the AMA’s copyright. In 1997, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found the AMA had misused its CPT copyright by licensing the codes to the government only if it agreed not to use a competing coding system.

PatientRightsAdvocate.org is also fighting a related copyright case brought against it by the American Hospital Association over a separate billing manual, the UB-04, which is pending in the same court.

8. In response to questions about the lawsuit and its claims, an AMA spokesperson told Becker’s: “CPT serves as the uniform language of medicine, updated continuously through an open, transparent process that reflects evolving clinical care. The AMA brings expertise and scale to this work, convening collaboration across medicine, government and industry. We will vigorously defend the AMA’s intellectual property rights to ensure the continued access physicians and patients rely on.”

A spokesperson for PatientRightsAdvocate.org said its lawsuit supports efforts made by lawmakers and public officials who have questioned AMA’s control over billing standards.

“Americans should not have to pay a private trade association for permission to see how their medical care is billed and priced,” Ms. Fisher said. “The government made CPT codes part of the operating law of our healthcare system, but the AMA keeps it behind a paywall and charges patients, doctors, hospitals, health plans, employers and tech firms for the privilege of understanding it. These egregious charges ultimately are increasing the costs of healthcare for American patients and employers, unnecessarily. We are asking the court to affirm a basic principle: No one can charge the public to access standards that are incorporated into state and federal law.”

At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.

Busy place. The governor is replacing a failed task force, too.

https://www.dailysignal.com/2026/09/11/three-people-convicted-of-11m-medicaid-fraud-in-virginia/

3 People Convicted of $11M Medicaid Fraud in Virginia

Rich Tucker    |    September 11, 2026

A federal jury in Richmond convicted three people this week on charges that they defrauded Medicaid out of more than $11 million. The charges relate to billing by their company, Divine Youth Counseling LLC.

The three people, 31-year-old twin sisters E’mon and Armone’ Ambers, as well as 32-year-old Traquan Brown, billed Medicaid for a service known as Crisis Stabilization and Mobile Crisis.

“The defendants falsely claimed that two mental health professionals simultaneously provided services to Medicaid recipients, when in truth, at most a single mental health professional was present for the service,” the Justice Department wrote. “The false claims that two professionals provided ‘Team Treatment’ services caused millions of dollars of loss to Medicaid.”

In addition to the billing fraud, the three were also convicted on charges that they illegally provided hotel rooms for Medicaid recipients to encourage them to obtain Medicaid services from Divine Youth.

E’mon Ambers could be sentenced to up to 92 years in prison, while Armone’ Ambers could be sentenced to 42 years in prison. Traquan Brown could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.

On Dec. 14, the court will hold a hearing to consider whether to claw back some of the money that the trio misappropriated. “The assets subject to forfeiture include $5,937,156.30 in funds seized pursuant to a federal seizure warrant,” the Justice Department noted.

Elsewhere in Richmond, Gov. Abigail Spanberger launched an effort this week to improve state services and reduce the size and scope of bad state contracts. The Democrat named Andrea Fletcher to be the first director of the Virginia Digital Service. Fletcher previously worked as the first chief digital strategy officer at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Spanberger had called for the creation of the team earlier this year as part of the compromise that allowed lawmakers to pass a budget in June. “Virginia Digital Service will bring together expert technical talent to modernize state systems, improve government websites, and speed up the delivery of the services that families rely on every day,” the governor said.

The creation of the team follows last month’s revelation that a previous reform effort launched by then-Gov. Glenn Youngkin had fallen short. “We uncovered a $52 million loss at the Department of Social Services on a failed effort to replace the commonwealth’s antiquated child support enforcement system,” Spanberger said. “Virginia paid serious money, and all we got were tools that barely worked.”

Spanberger also tapped Daniel Young to be the state’s next inspector general. Young has spent years working for the federal government, including stints at the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and as an assistant United States attorney.

“I have worked to combat fraud and corruption throughout my career in public service, and I look forward to fighting fraud, waste, and abuse in this new role,” Young said last week. “The dedicated public servants who work in the Office of the State Inspector General are committed to making government more transparent and more accountable for all Virginians, and it is a privilege to support their efforts.”

If his nomination is approved by the General Assembly, Young would serve a four-year term investigating allegations of waste, fraud, and abuse in Virginia’s state government.

The Federal Records Act, enacted in 1950, governs the collection, retention, and preservation of federal agency records. Congress deemed federal records worthy of preservation for the information they provide on the transaction of public business and also because they document the “organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, and essential transactions” of the government (44 U.S.C. §3301).

The FRA also governs how federal records are to be destroyed or provided to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for “permanent” archiving within the National Archives of the United States.
https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/IF/PDF/IF11119/IF11119.1.pdf

In an effort to stem the tide, today's FTC presser provides guideposts to changes in health data regulation.

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/09/ftc-withdraws-obsolete-policy-statement

FTC Withdraws Obsolete Policy Statement
Commission takes action to rescind unnecessary 2021 guidance document

September 9, 2026

The Federal Trade Commission rescinded the 2021 Policy Statement on Breaches by Health Apps and Other Connected Devices.

This controversial policy statement purported to apply the FTC’s Health Breach Notification Rule to health apps and connected devices that collect consumer health information. In 2024, however, the Commission updated the Health Breach Notification Rule to cover health apps and connected devices like fitness trackers, rendering the policy statement unnecessary.

In an executive order, President Donald J. Trump directed agencies to eliminate not just unnecessary rules, but also obsolete guidance documents and policy statements because they contribute to the “ever-expanding morass of complicated Federal regulation” without providing any benefit to American consumers.

The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and protect and educate consumers. The FTC will never demand money, make threats, tell you to transfer money, or promise you a prize. Learn more about consumer topics at consumer.ftc.gov, or report fraud, scams, and bad business practices at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Follow the FTC on social media, read consumer alerts and the business blog, and sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts.

Contact Information
Media Contact
Office of Public Affairs
Office of Public Affairs
202-326-2180

Overview courtesy Concerned Citizens for Health Freedom email.

Do you want informed consent and individual autonomy included in federal vaccine policy? The deadline to tell HHS is Sunday, September 20 at 5:00 pm EDT.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is specifically asking if you want individual autonomy, informed consent, parental permission, and religious freedom.

Say yes! Your comments today can stop another future mandate, like the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Your comment can be just a sentence or two explaining, in your own words, why informed consent and freedom matter.

Public comments close September 20.

https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/HHS-OS-2026-0332-0001

From tiny Grand Rapids beginnings to 1891, the hospital now offers more than 110 specialized medical and sports rehabilitation programs. These programs cater to wide-ranging needs, including brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and amputations. It covers nearly 40 sites reaching all over Michigan and into three other states. 

https://www.woodtv.com/news/grand-rapids/new-parking-ramp-more-beds-mary-free-bed-expansion-prompted-by-unbelievable-demand-cfo-says/

New parking ramp, more beds: Mary Free Bed expansion prompted by ‘unbelievable demand,’ CFO says

Katie Rosendale    |    Sep 3, 2026

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation is in the midst of a multimillion-dollar expansion that includes more beds at its main hospital and a new parking ramp.

It was prompted by “unbelievable demand,” according to Ryan Podvin, chief financial officer for Mary Free Bed.

“There’s a lot of people out there that need rehabilitation,” he told News 8. “And we’re serving everybody from our youngest little kiddos up to some of our oldest patients every single day.”

The expansion has several facets. The “largest” can be found at Mary Free Bed’s main hospital at 235 Wealthy St. SE, Podvin said. In multiple phases over the past few years, Mary Free Bed has added 48 beds on the hospital’s sixth floor. It’s also planning a roof replacement for the hospital.

“As we’ve grown and we’ve built new, we don’t want to forget to maintain our existing assets,” Podvin said.

Nearby, construction is well underway on a new 350-space parking ramp at 220 Wealthy St. SE.

“As we expand inpatient and outpatient capacity, as well as bring the kids’ hospital online, we knew parking would be at a premium,” Podvin explained.

On top of providing “badly needed” parking spots on Mary Free Bed’s campus, the ramp will also include “uplifting” murals, he continued.

“It’s going to be the most beautiful parking ramp you’ve ever seen,” he said.

It’s expected to open by the end of the year.

As its administrative staff grows, Mary Free Bed is also renovating the office building at 350 Lafayette Ave. SE. That work is expected to take around 18 months, according to Podvin.

Finally, Mary Free Bed earlier this year opened a new location at 4020 E. Beltline Ave. NE, where it provides a range of services like physical therapy, occupational therapy and orthotics and prosthetics.

To finance all of this work, Mary Free Bed is issuing bonds through the Kent Hospital Finance Authority.

“As we make these long-term infrastructure investments, we’re financing them with tax-exempt bonds, which are long term,” Podvin said.

The Kent County Board of Commissioners in August approved issuing up to $60 million in bonds for the work, though it’s not necessarily expected to cost that much, according to Podvin. That’s because Mary Free Bed still has to finalize details for the future projects. As it does so, the approval of up to $60 million offers some flexibility.

The bonds will not be a debt of the state or county, according to county documents, and taxpayers won’t be responsible for them. Rather, Mary Free Bed is responsible for them.

“Kent County does not take on any obligation,” County Administrator Al Vanderberg said during an Aug. 27 meeting. “It doesn’t count against our debt capacity or anything like that.”

Meanwhile, Mary Free Bed is gearing up to open the Joan Secchia Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital at the end of the year.

Kentucky law, and now its lawsuit, say otherwise. Definitely a case to watch.

https://www.dailysignal.com/2026/09/04/after-state-fair-flyover-kentucky-files-lawsuit-against-abortion-pill-advocacy-group/

After State Fair Flyover, Kentucky Files Lawsuit Against Abortion Pill Advocacy Group

Fred Lucas    |    September 4, 2026

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman sued an organization that promotes mail-order abortion-inducing drugs to women in states where it’s restricted.

Coleman announced the litigation Thursday against Mayday Health, a New York-based activist organization, stating the organization broke state law by advertising illegal mail-order abortion pills.

Last weekend, Mayday Health chartered an airplane that flew over the Kentucky State Fair in Louisville with a banner saying, “Abortion Pills By Mail,” and posted ads at gas stations in Western Kentucky that said, “Pregnant? Don’t want to be? Learn more at Mayday Health.”

“These out of state activists are not only breaking Kentucky law, they seem to delight in rubbing our faces in it,” Coleman, a Republican, said in a public statement. “The State Fair is a beloved Kentucky tradition for families and children to celebrate our Commonwealth. We refuse to allow Mayday to taint our values and put our people at risk.”

In 2022, the Kentucky state Legislature prohibited the mailing or delivery of abortion-inducing drugs in Kentucky.

Further, the Kentucky Consumer Protection Act prohibits deceptive or misleading communications with Kentuckians.

“We look forward to defending our First Amendment-protected work in court and winning, like we have against similar efforts to suppress our speech,” Mayday co-founder Leo Raisner told The Daily Wire. “Abortion pills are safe, effective, and FDA-approved, and everyone deserves access to that information.”

Raisner formerly worked as a content director for President Joe Biden’s Office of Digital Strategy.

Mayday Health directs women to outside providers of the pills through telehealth appointments and mail-forwarding services, but doesn’t distribute the pills itself.

The state’s lawsuit was filed in Logan Circuit Court and details Mayday Health’s violations of Kentucky’s Consumer Protection Act.

The complaint asks the court to order Mayday Health to permanently stop its illegal advertisements and to pay penalties.

Coleman announced a civil investigation into Mayday Health’s advertisements at Western Kentucky gas stations in several counties, including Logan County, where the lawsuit was filed.