Governor Whitmer Header




Dear Michiganders: 

We all agree we must do more to help older Michiganders retire with dignity. Right now, stressors are forcing them to make impossible choices between medication, food, rent, and other bills.  

That’s why when I took office, I set a goal to become the first “age-friendly state” in the Midwest. I’m proud that we’ve achieved that goal [ [link removed] ] by proposing bold initiatives to lower costs for seniors including a roll back of the retirement tax, expanding access to healthcare, lowering the cost of prescription drugs including insulin, and more.  

Today, I’m excited to share with you a few changes from the federal government that will build on our work to put more money back in Michigan seniors’ pockets. If you’re a senior in Michigan, know that there are resources available to help you save money, and my administration is ready to assist you if you need it. 

I will work with anyone to continue our work supporting Michigan seniors. 

Governor Whitmer

Gretchen Whitmer
Governor

NEW! Bigger Social Security checks coming in 2023 

Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits [ [link removed] ] for approximately 70 million Americans will increase 8.7 percent in 2023, the Social Security Administration announced. On average, Social Security benefits will increase by more than $140 per month starting in January.  

Here in Michigan, I've proposed [ [link removed] ] an elimination of the retirement tax [ [link removed] ] to save half a million households an average of $1,000 a year.  I stand ready to sign a bill from the legislature and help Michigan seniors keep more of their hard-earned money for retirement.  

NEW! Lower Medicare Part B premiums coming in 2023

The monthly premium for Medicare Part B [ [link removed] ] (medical insurance) will also fall next year to $164.90 for most beneficiaries. That’s a decrease of $5.20 per month compared to the premium in 2022. 

In Michigan, we're expanding access to affordable health care, with nearly 900,000 people now covered by Healthy Michigan. [ [link removed] ] My administration expanded dental care [ [link removed] ] for Michiganders covered by Medicaid or Healthy Michigan plans, expanded access to telemedicine, and signed bipartisan legislation requiring all insurers to cover telehealth [ [link removed] ].  

Governor Whitmer speaks at bill signing event to lower cost of prescription drugs.

"Governor Whitmer speaks at bipartisan bill signing to lower cost of prescription drugs for Michiganders."

STARTING TODAY! More affordable hearing aids available over-the-counter

Hearings aids are now on store shelves across the country—for thousands of dollars less than they previously cost. In August, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) [ [link removed] ] approved the sale of over-the-counter hearing aids for adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss, which goes into effect today. That means residents can access more affordable options for hearing aids over the counter, saving Michiganders up to $3,000 per pair.  

According to the White House, retailers across the country are now selling over-the-counter hearing aids. Options available today or coming soon include:  


* Starting today, *Walgreens *is selling hearings aids at stores nationwide and online for $799 per pair. According to Walgreens, comparable models sold by specialists range from $2,000 to $8,000 a pair. 
* Starting today, *CVS* will start selling over-the-counter hearing aids on CVS.com, with varying options on model and price point. CVS will also offer hearing aids in select CVS Pharmacy locations beginning in November. 
* Starting today,* Walmart* will offer an assortment of over-the-counter hearing aids on Walmart.com, SamsClub.com, and in over 1,000 Vision Centers in Walmart stores across multiple states including Michigan, as well as 474 Sam’s Club Hearing Aid Center locations. Available products will range in price from $199 to $999 per pair, while according to Walmart, comparable prescription hearing aids are priced at $4,400 to $5,500 per pair. 
* Starting this week*, Best Buy *will offer nearly 20 different hearing devices online. By the end of October, it will offer hearing aids in nearly 300 stores across the country. Devices will range in price between $200 and $3,000. 
Lieutenant Governor speaks at event highlighting how Inflation Reduction Act will lower healthcare costs for Michiganders.

"Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II highlights how the recent Inflation Reduction Act will lower health care costs for Michiganders."

Reminder: Lower insulin costs coming in 2023

The recently signed Inflation Reduction Act will lower the cost of energy, health care, and prescription drugs for Michiganders. Specifically, the law includes a $35 a month cap on insulin for Medicare recipients starting on January 1, 2023. According to the most recent data, 122,000 Michiganders [ [link removed] ] on Medicare use insulin, and the Inflation Reduction Act caps their insulin costs at $35 a month.  

As you may have read in my recent updates, I signed an executive directive [ [link removed] ] to determine how the State of Michigan can lower the cost of insulin for Michiganders with other types of health insurance too, including by developing its own manufacturing capabilities. I also signed bipartisan legislation to protect Michiganders against surprise medical billing, [ [link removed] ] to lower the cost of prescription drugs [ [link removed] ] and increase pharmacy oversight based on recommendations from the Prescription Drug Task Force [ [link removed] ].  








STAY CONNECTED: Visit us on Facebook [ [link removed] ] Visit us on Twitter [ [link removed] ] [ [link removed] ]Sign up for email updates [ [link removed] ] [ [link removed] ]  

Subscriber Services::
Manage Preferences [ [link removed] ]  |  Unsubscribe [ [link removed] ]  |  Help [ [link removed] ]

                              Bookmark and Share [ [link removed] ] 



________________________________________________________________________

This email was sent to [email protected] using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Michigan Executive Office of the Governor · 111 S. Capitol Ave · Lansing, Michigan 48901 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]