Fix Healthcare
Get involved now to enact critical health care cost changes
MEA members, leaders and staff have pushed for months to get a solution to the health care cost crisis. Our hard work resulted in HB 6058 being passed by the state House and Senate in December.
But new House leadership under Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.) has yet to present the bill to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for her review. The State Constitution clearly states that, “Every bill passed by the Legislature shall be presented to the governor.”
Meanwhile, MEA has learned that special interest groups are urging Whitmer to veto HB 6058 when it eventually does reach her desk. Please follow this link to contact the governor’s office and urge her to sign this critical legislation once it’s presented to her because it will lower costs for school employees and keep great educators working in our children’s schools.
HB 6058 News
MEA praises MI Senate’s legal action to rein in rising health care costs for educators and other public employees
UPDATE 4/2: In response to the Senate's legal action, the Court of Claims judge said that she would not issue a ruling but instead urged the Supreme Court to accept the bypass application to issue a final ruling in the matter. The Supreme Court denied the bypass application but has ordered the Court of Appeals to expedite their consideration of…
Sign petition calling for held bills to be presented by House
On March 12, House Republicans passed a resolution stating they would not present Gov. Whitmer with nine bills being held from December’s “lame duck” session – including HB 6058, which would lower skyrocketing out-of-pocket costs for public employee health insurance. At the same time, under the leadership of Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp), the House GOP caucus appealed a judge’s…
Victory in Senate lawsuit vs. House on hold-up of HB 6058
On Thursday, the state Senate was victorious in their lawsuit against the House to compel the presentation of bills being held back from the governor – including HB 6058, which works to reduce skyrocketing out-of-pocket health insurance costs for educators and other public employees. Court of Appeals Judge Sima Patel ruled in favor of Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks and the Michigan…
Labor files support of lawsuit after lawmakers update Winter Conference on health care legislation
Rep. Mai Xiong (D-Warren) and Bob Callender, president of the Warren Education Association, at the MEA Winter Conference. Xiong sponsored HB 6058 after learning of the impending crisis from MEA staff and leaders, including Callender. By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor In a passionate address before a capacity crowd at the MEA Winter Conference last week, Rep. Mai Xiong (D-Warren) recalled…
Michigan Senate sues House for withholding bills
The Democratic-led state Senate filed a lawsuit on Monday to compel Republican House Speaker Matt Hall to transmit House Bill 6058 and eight other bills to Gov. Whitmer for a signature as the state constitution requires for all measures passed by both chambers of the Legislature. Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) held a press conference to announce the…
MEA members join plea to House Speaker: Stop playing politics with people’s lives
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor UPDATE FEB. 3: Today the Democratic-led state Senate filed a lawsuit to compel Republican House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.) to follow the state constitution and transmit House Bill 6058 and eight other bills held in limbo to Gov. Whitmer for a signature. Read more. MEA member Kim Sandefur normally teaches math to fourth and fifth…
Press conference, Senate lawsuit push for health cost bill to be presented, signed
UPDATE JAN. 22: The state Senate adopted a resolution today authorizing Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) to bring a lawsuit against House Speaker Matt Hall to compel him to send HB 6058 to the governor for her review. Read more about this developing story. State Rep. Mai Xiong speaks at Tuesday's press conference about the importance of HB…
Urge Speaker Hall to present health insurance bill to governor
The new House leadership under Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.) has yet to present House Bill 6058 to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for her review. This critical legislation, passed by the Legislature last month, would rein in skyrocketing health care costs for teachers, school support staff and other public employees. The State Constitution clearly states that, “Every bill passed by the…
Reforming health insurance law will keep great educators in our kids’ schools
By Chandra Madafferi, Michigan Education Association President and CEO UPDATE (Jan. 13, 2025) — The new House leadership has yet to present House Bill 6058 to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for her review. This critical legislation, passed by the Legislature last month, would rein in skyrocketing health care costs for teachers, school support staff and other public employees. Learn more about this delay…
MEA statement on Senate’s passage of educator retention bill lowering health care costs
The following statement can be attributed to Michigan Education Association President and CEO Chandra Madafferi, a teacher from Oakland County, in response to the Michigan Senate’s passage of House Bill 6058: “The Michigan Education Association applauds the Senate for passing House Bill 6058, which will help keep the best and brightest educators working in our students’ classrooms and helping them…