WEST BRANCH, Mich. (WOWO) — Michigan’s free and charitable health clinics are seeing more patients as the cost of health coverage rises, while clinic leaders are preparing for potentially greater demand when new Medicaid requirements take effect next year. At Ogemaw Hills Free Clinic in West Bra nch, the number of patients during the first eight months of 2026 increased to 229, up from 149 during the same period two years earlier, according to Bridge Michigan. The clinic is part of a statewide network of free clinics that served more than 33,000 Michiganders last year. Unlike federally qualified health centers, which generally charge patients based on their ability to pay, the free clinics described in the report provide care at no charge and rely heavily on volunteers, donations and community support. The increase comes as some Michigan residents report difficulty affording private insurance and as the state prepares for federally required changes to Medicaid beginning in 2027. Christine Cunningham, 58, told Bridge Michigan that she and her husband dropped their insurance after his premiums rose above $600 a month. She said the cost amounted to roughly half of his paycheck. Cunningham now receives care at Ogemaw Hills Free Clinic. She also told Bridge Michigan that she recently declined additional testing at a hospital after experiencing chest pressure, dizziness and headaches because she was worried about the cost. Clinic officials say they are seeing more patients who have jobs but still cannot afford conventional health coverage. At FernCare Free Clinic, executive director Dan Martin told Bridge Michigan that more than 80% of the clinic’s patients have jobs, with some holding two jobs. Clinic leaders describe that population as working people whose incomes can be too high for Medicaid while still leaving private insurance unaffordable. Michigan’s Healthy Michigan Plan currently covers adults ages 19 through 64 who meet the program’s eligibility requirements. Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, some Healthy Michigan Plan recipients will face new work or activity requirements, while eligibility reviews for the program will also occur every six months rather than annually. Under the new rules, eligible activities can include employment, job training, education, volunteering and community service. Some people will qualify for exemptions based on circumstances including disability, pregnancy or caregiving responsibilities. The state says the new work requirements will apply to some Healthy Michigan Plan adults ages 19 through 64. Michigan officials have estimated that roughly 650,000 to 700,000 current Healthy Michigan Plan recipients could be subject to the requirements. The changes also include more frequent eligibility checks. Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, Healthy Michigan Plan members will generally have their eligibility reviewed every six months instead of annually. Michigan also will reduce the amount of medical care that can be covered retroactively before a Medicaid application. Those changes are prompting free-clinic leaders to prepare for patients who could lose coverage or have difficulty maintaining it. Laura Schorn, office manager at Ogemaw Hills Free Clinic, told Bridge Michigan that the clinic is already receiving calls from people who have lost Medicaid coverage after their income increased. She expects more people to seek help when additional Medicaid and insurance changes take effect. The clinics operate with significantly fewer resources than conventional medical facilities. Doctors, nurses and pharmacists volunteer their time, while pharmaceutical companies donate medications and local hospitals may provide laboratory testing as charity care. That creates limits on the hours clinics can operate and the specialists they can offer, but clinic leaders say the services can help patients manage conditions before they become emergencies. At St. Peter’s Free Clinic in Hillsdale, leaders told Bridge Michigan that the clinic once saw lines of patients stretching dozens deep before Michigan expanded Medicaid eligibility for working-age adults in 2014. Patient numbers subsequently fell to roughly a half-dozen a week. Clinic officials now expect that number could increase as insurance coverage changes. Lynn Burkett, executive director of St. Peter’s Free Clinic, also told Bridge Michigan that her own insurance costs more than $700 a month and comes with a high deductible. The Gary Burnstein Community Health Clinic in Pontiac is already experiencing increased demand. CEO Mary Lewis said the clinic recorded 9,518 patient visits last year and is on pace for 12,849 visits this year — an increase of about 34%. Lewis said free clinics can provide less expensive care for people who otherwise might delay treatment or turn to emergency departments. She said stabilizing patients’ health can also help them remain employed and eventually obtain more sustainable insurance coverage. Ann Heler, a former longtime director of Free Clinics of Michigan who now serves on the organization’s board, said fundraising and volunteer recruitment remain critical as clinics prepare for additional demand. “You’re just on the hustle all the time,” Heler told Bridge Michigan. For clinics across Michigan, the challenge is balancing limited resources with the possibility of more patients seeking care as insurance becomes harder for some residents to maintain. “We’re ready,” Heler said. “We will be here.” The post Michigan Free Clinics See More Patients as Health Insurance Costs Rise appeared first on WOWO News/Talk 92.3 FM and 1190 AM. ...read more read less