Governor Whitmer: Trump Administration's Refusal to Expand Health Coverage During COVID-19 has Cost American Lives

Press Release

Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer released the following statement after Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma denied her and 11 other governors' request for the Trump Administration to allow for a special enrollment period of at least 30 days on the federal health care exchange:

"The Trump Administration's cruel and inexplicable refusal to expand health coverage during the worst public health crisis in modern history has devastated families across the country and hurt our economy. Throughout this crisis, the president has failed to develop a real national strategy to protect our families, our frontline workers, and our small businesses from this virus. We are now approaching 200,000 American deaths from COVID-19 -- deaths that could have been prevented had the president put partisan games aside, done the right thing, and worked to save lives. In Michigan, we're continuing to work around the clock to slow the spread of this virus and keep people healthy. It's time for the Trump Administration to do the same."

On April 13, Governor Whitmer and a coalition of governors from Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar and CMS Administrator Seema Verma to ask that the Administration reconsider its decision and take swift action to allow for a special enrollment period.

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