*October 16, 2024*



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Dear Friend,

Over the last few years, we have been working hard to protect reproductive freedom in Michigan and make our state the best place to start, raise, and grow your family.

That includes ensuring every family can choose to expand their family, when, how, or if they want to.

Last year, we worked with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) to launch Plan First!, a program providing free family planning service and expanding access to important health care,  making sure Michiganders have the resources they need to decide when and if they want to start a family.

I am proud to share that, after launching just over a year ago, the MDHHS’s Plan First! program has provided 20,000 Michigan residents [ [link removed] ] with free family planning services.

With Plan First!, we are protecting and expanding access to reproductive freedom, including access to birth control, helping to close healthcare gaps and create better outcomes for every Michigander. We’re also making sure people have access to important health care services including pregnancy testing and counseling, cancer screenings, vaccines, and testing and treatment for STIs.

Plan First! is making a big difference to help keep Michiganders healthy, make the right decisions for their family, and support families expand when and how they want to.

In Michigan, we will keep fighting to protect reproductive freedom, including your families’ freedom to choose when, how, or if you want to expand on your own terms.

See how to apply for Plan First! coverage below.

Sincerely,

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Gretchen Whitmer

Governor






Plan First!

Plan First! is a limited Medicaid benefit covering family planning services for those who do not qualify for traditional Medicaid. Eligible Michiganders can take advantage of in-office visits with providers, access birth control and other contraceptive products, and receive testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, and other services.

To apply for Plan First! coverage, an individual needs to complete a Medicaid application, which is available on the MI Bridges portal [ [link removed] ] or via a paper form [ [link removed] ]. Plan First! family planning coverage is available to individuals who:


* Are of any age or gender. 

* Are not pregnant at the time of application. 

* Are a U.S. citizen or a qualified immigrant. 

* Are a Michigan resident. 

* Are not covered under another Medicaid benefit. 

* Meet income eligibility requirements (income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level). 

All Plan First! enrollees have free choice of family planning providers and may obtain covered family planning services from any qualified Medicaid-enrolled provider, including Title X family planning clinics, local health departments, Federally Qualified Health Centers, Tribal Health Centers, and primary care or obstetrical providers. Individuals who qualify for Plan First! can also enroll in coverage on the Health Care Marketplace.

Learn more about Plan First! benefits and services at Michigan.gov/PlanFirst [ [link removed] ].






*Our Progress to Protect Reproductive Freedom*

Over the last few years, we’ve made a lot of progress to protect every Michigander’s fundamental right to make their own decisions about their own bodies and your ability to decide when, how, or if you want to start a family in Michigan.

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* In 2022, Michiganders voted overwhelmingly to enshrine abortion rights and IVF protections in our state constitution with Proposal 3.
* Last April, with our new majority in the Michigan Legislature, we repealed an extreme 1931 law that banned abortions without exceptions for rape or incest and criminalized doctors and nurses for doing their jobs.
* Last November, I signed the Reproductive Health Act, repealing TRAP laws and enacting commonsense changes to protect reproductive health and freedom.
* This April, I signed the Michigan Family Protection Act, a package of commonsense, long-overdue changes to repeal Michigan’s ban on surrogacy, protect families formed by IVF, and ensure LGBTQ+ parents are treated equally under the law.

We got this done thanks to our strong legislative leadership and the support of a majority of Michiganders across our state.

Meanwhile, extreme politicians in other states are putting government between private decisions that should be left to your family and your doctor, and in the years since the overturn of Roe V. Wade, they’ve gotten bolder.

So far, 14 states have passed total abortion bans. In Texas, lawmakers banned abortions with zero exceptions for rape or incest. In Florida, a ban is now in effect for abortion after 6 weeks, before most people even know they are pregnant. In Georgia, a similar ban is forcing women to continue high-risk and nonviable pregnancies and has resulted in tragic outcomes.

In Michigan, we cannot let politicians get between you and your doctor when it comes to making the right decisions for your family, your health, and your body.

I will keep fighting like hell to protect reproductive freedom in Michigan and make our state the best place to start, raise, and grow your family.








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