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00000178-73c0-ddab-a97a-7bf830af0000From debate over childhood vaccinations to the changing business of hospital finance, IPR has the stories of hospitals and public health that affect northern Michigan.

GOP plan will hurt northern Michigan, say public health officials

Aaron Selbig

Public health officials in northern Michigan say they’re “troubled” by the Republican health care plan.

Congressional Republicans are debating the American Health Care Act, which would replace the Affordable Care Act – or Obamacare.

The Northern Michigan Public Health Alliance, a coalition of health departments in 25 northern counties, released a statement Tuesday saying the Act will drive up the number of uninsured people, and will jeopardize programs like immunizations.

“We have 40,000 more individuals here in the 25-county region who have access to health care via Medicaid, and we also have almost 30,000 more who are on the insurance marketplace through the Affordable Care Act,” says Mike Swain, spokesman for the alliance.

Swain says those people will be in jeopardy of losing their health insurance if the American Health Care Act becomes law. He spoke with “All Things Considered” host Aaron Selbig about how the act may affect northern Michigan.