The Red Alert: Save Our Hospitals Tour heads to Michigan's Upper Peninsula this month.
Nurses with National Nurses United said the campaign, which is visiting 30 cities across the country, will stop in Ironwood July 18 to raise awareness about federal Medicaid changes, including new work requirements for some adults and more frequent eligibility reviews.
Cindy Evans, a registered nurse in the behavioral health annex at Beacon Hospital in Kalamazoo, said she is especially concerned about what the changes could mean for patients in a mental health crisis.
"Our patients, the psychiatric patients, would have to be put into the main ER, which then causes a backup where we could put patients that are having potentially a stroke or a heart attack," Evans explained.
More than 2.5 million Michiganders rely on Medicaid for their health coverage. Federal officials said the changes are intended to strengthen Medicaid, encourage work and community engagement among eligible adults and preserve the program for the people who need it most.
Nationwide, more than 70 million Americans receive health coverage through Medicaid, making it the nation’s largest public health insurance program. Evans pointed out the reach is the driving force behind the tour.
"Our main goal is just to make our community aware of the cuts that are already happening and educating people," Evans added.
Organizers said the tour is designed to educate the public ahead of Medicaid changes scheduled to begin in 2027. Along with information about the proposed changes, the family-friendly event features free wellness checks through mobile health clinics, plus live music, children's story hours, and free food.
