Administrative Office
461 West Huron, Suite 103 • Pontiac, MI 48341
www.honorcommunityhealth.org
Phone: 248.724.7600
Fax: 248.724.7500
For Immediate Release
Medicaid Funding Termination Would Devastate Oakland County’s Most Vulnerable Residents
PONTIAC, Mich.—(May 16, 2025)—Leaders from Honor Community Health, Oakland County’s largest Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), today reiterated their deep concern about congressional plans to terminate Medicaid funding, which would devastate Honor’s ability to serve Oakland County’s most vulnerable residents.
“Medicaid supports working parents managing chronic conditions, seniors taking medications, pregnant women, individuals with disabilities, and families in need of primary care services. About 92% of adult Medicaid enrollees work, many in essential jobs driving our local economy,” said Honor Chief Executive Officer Debra Brinson. “This isn’t just about budget numbers — it’s about real people.”
Of the 117,344 patients Honor Community Health has cared for since its inception, Medicaid covers about 53%, serving as the financial backbone of the FQHC’s mission to deliver primary care, dental services, behavioral health support, and preventive screenings to those who need it most.
Across Michigan, Medicaid covers about 2.3 million people, or roughly one in four residents. That number includes about:
● 1 million children
● 300,000 people with disabilities
● 168,000 seniors
Michigan’s $27.8 billion Medicaid budget relies on $19 billion in federal support. The termination could lead to a $1.1 billion annual shortfall for the state. For Honor Community Health, the proposed termination means that $4.3 million in revenue is at risk.
Honor Chief Medical Officer Dr. Nikhil Hemady said that cutting Medicaid would force patients to seek more expensive emergency care, increasing costs throughout the health care system while reducing workforce productivity.
“Cutting Medicaid funding to FQHCs like Honor Community Health would be a devastating mistake with far-reaching consequences,” Hemady said. “It would abandon our most vulnerable neighbors, create new barriers to health care access, and drive up costs across the entire system. The damage would extend well beyond immediate health care outcomes, affecting our schools, workplaces, and community stability.”
A recent statewide poll found that 83% of residents support maintaining or increasing Medicaid funding. Dr. Michael Yocum, Board President of Honor Community Health, called on the community to join our organization to speak out against the proposed funding termination. “This isn’t a partisan issue — it’s about ensuring our neighbors, coworkers, and family members have access to essential health care services,” Yocum said. “Terminating Medicaid funding would undermine years of progress in building healthier communities and ultimately increase costs across our entire health care system. We stand committed to advocating for the preservation of this critical program that enables Honor to fulfill its mission of providing comprehensive care to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay.”
About Honor Community Health:
Honor Community Health is a nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center providing comprehensive, integrated primary care, behavioral health, and dental services across 20 locations in Oakland County, Michigan. Honor Community Health offers these services to all patients regardless of their ability to pay. To help remove barriers to care, Honor also offers enabling services such as transportation, language translation, insurance enrollment assistance, and connections to community resources.