Michigan’s Family Physicians Applaud 2024 State Budget Investments in Increasing Access to Healthcare, Recruiting and Retaining Primary Care Physicians

This statement is attributed to Michigan Academy of Family Physicians President Glenn Dregansky, DO, FAAFP.

Michigan Academy of Family Physicians applauds Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Legislature for passing a balanced, bi-partisan budget that invests in the state’s healthcare infrastructure, attesting its commitment to the health of Michiganders and the state-as-a-whole.

We are especially pleased that funding is included for initiatives aimed at increasing access to primary care and addressing the primary care physician shortage, namely the MIDOCs residency program and Michigan State Loan Repayment Program. Both are vital to recruiting and retaining healthcare professionals practicing urgent-need specialties, such as family medicine, in underserved communities of our state. We need to keep the best and the brightest here in Michigan, to ensure we have the healthcare workforce necessary to meet the growing demand for care.

Michigan Academy of Family Physicians is equally pleased the budget includes funding for maintaining a Medicaid physician payment increase, first put into place through last year’s state budget. More closely aligning Medicaid and Medicare payment rates helps physicians care for Medicaid beneficiaries and keep their doors open.

Our state’s family physicians look forward to continuing to work with the Governor and Legislature on further increasing access to care for all Michiganders and addressing the primary care physician shortage.

Michigan Academy of Family Physicians is the state’s largest medical specialty association, representing more than 4,300 family physicians, family medicine resident physicians, and medical students. The organization’s top priorities are preserving physician-led team-based care and increasing the state’s primary care workforce. Both are critical for Michigan residents to be able to access healthcare services when and where they need them.

Learn more about the MIDOCs program at michigandocs.org. Click here for the MIDOCs 2023 report to the Michigan Senate and House Appropriations Subcommittees, Senate and House Fiscal Agencies, Senate and House policy offices, and state budget office, as required by Public Act 166 of 2022.

Learn more about the Michigan State Loan Repayment Program at michigan.gov/mdhhs/doing-business/providers/slrp.