Monday August 18

LANSING, Mich. – Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently signed an executive directive asking the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) to support Michiganders’ access to affordable health insurance, addressing recent actions by Republicans in Washington, D.C. that are designed to make it harder for people to get and keep their health insurance. The Republicans’ changes will raise the cost of health care by thousands of dollars per year for working families who buy their health insurance through the federal Marketplace.  

Specifically, the directive asks DIFS to raise awareness and educate Michiganders on what they need to do to keep or get health insurance during this Open Enrollment period. The directive also requires DIFS to answer Michiganders’ insurance questions on their helpline as well as connect Michiganders with Health Insurance Navigators and other supports available to help them assess their options, sign up, and enroll.  

“The Republican budget bill will raise the price of health insurance, forcing American families to lose out on thousands of dollars every single year,” said Governor Whitmer. “While I can’t control healthcare policy at the national level, I’m doing what I can to ease the burden on Michigan families. That’s why I’ve asked DIFS to inform Michiganders of their options when enrolling in the Marketplace and answer any questions they may have. I’m grateful to DIFS for working with my administration to make sure Michiganders can keep or get insurance that won’t break the bank. I’ll keep working with anyone to protect access to quality, affordable health care for every Michigander." 

“The Republican budget bill will raise costs for families and cause hundreds of thousands of Michiganders to lose their health insurance,” said Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. “This isn’t abstract. Its impacts will show up in skipped prescriptions and tough conversations about how to afford a doctor visit. We must stand firm against any efforts to undermine Michiganders’ access to quality, affordable health care. Today, we’re asking DIFS to help Michiganders find health insurance and understand their options. Governor Whitmer and I will keep fighting hard and Standing Tall so every Michigander has a path to health, wealth, and prosperity.” 

“Access to affordable, quality health insurance is important for staying healthy and for peace of mind and financial security if someone in your family is sick or injured,” said DIFS Director Anita Fox. “We are proud that Michigan currently has the lowest uninsured rate in history, but new federal changes will raise out-of-pocket costs and make it more difficult to apply for and stay in enrolled in health insurance, jeopardizing Michiganders’ health. Michiganders who need help finding or maintaining health insurance or understanding their options can call DIFS at 877-999-6442, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or visit Michigan.gov/HealthInsurance.” 

“Munson Healthcare remains committed to providing the highest quality of care to more than 500,000 patients across our rural Northern Michigan area,” said Ed Ness, President and CEO of Munson Healthcare. “We support efforts to connect our patients to the tools they need to obtain health insurance coverage, because we know it is critically important to ensuring the best possible health outcomes.” 

“We know that when health insurance is unaffordable or it costs too much money to access care and prescriptions, it leads to delayed and missed healthcare,” said Phillip Bergquist, CEO of the Michigan Primary Care Association. “The burden of high health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs doesn’t just impact families financially- it often decreases preventive care, leads to less treatment for chronic conditions, and results in poorer health outcomes.” 

“Extending the Affordable Care Act premium credits should be the top priority of the federal government to maintain healthcare coverage for more than 500,000 Michiganders prior to the expiration deadline at the end of the year,” said Brian Peters, CEO of the Michigan Health and Hospital Association CEO “These credits are key to keeping affordable health insurance for many of our citizens and need to be acted upon. Health insurance coverage keeps Michiganders healthy and out of the hospital.” 

“We applaud the governor's focus on ensuring that Michiganders receive the support they need to navigate the health care access and affordability challenges that are anticipated in the wake of last month's passage of the federal Republican Megabill,” said Monique Stanton, President and CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy. “This support will be especially important for the more than half a million Michiganders who are at risk of losing their health care coverage as a result of the devastating cuts to Medicaid. We know that people across our state will soon be grappling with loss of coverage, major price surges and new requirements to keep their insurance, so the more that can be done to educate them and ensure they have the resources they need to navigate through these difficult times is critically important to the future health of our communities.” 

Republican Budget Bill and CMS Rule Impact on Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace Insurance 

Marketplace insurance and Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (EPTC) provide a lifeline to millions of working families across the country, saving them more than $700 on health insurance costs on average every year. This year, more than 500,000 Michiganders purchased their insurance through the Marketplace, ensuring they had more money in their pockets to spend on groceries, utilities, and other bills.  

The Republican budget bill has made it more difficult to sign up and keep their health insurance, even when they are eligible. Under the changes, most Michiganders will have more income verification requirements when they sign up or renew their insurance, adding extra barriers for Michigan families. The greatest impact will be on the nearly 200,000 families who use the Health Insurance Marketplace and have incomes at or below 150% of the federal poverty level. Additionally, starting in 2026, Michiganders will have a shorter timeline to enroll, moving the deadline up by one month. 

Republican Budget Bill Impact on Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (EPTC) 

The Republican budget bill did not address EPTCs, a cost-saving tool for individuals shopping for coverage in the Marketplace created by the ACA. According to a Peterson-KFF report, if the tax credits are not extended, out-of-pocket premiums could rise by more than 75%. According to the Urban Institute, without an EPTC extension, than 4 million people would be left uninsured by 2034. With rising inflation and other costs created by the Republican budget bill, many families will be unable to bear this burden and will be left without insurance. 

Protecting Affordable Health Insurance for Michiganders 

Governor Whitmer remains committed to protecting affordable, high-quality health care for Michiganders across the state. As such, she has responded to the Republican budget bill by signing an executive directive ordering DIFS to support Michiganders as they navigate the changes to Marketplace insurance. By raising awareness about the changes and ensuring Michiganders can get their questions answered, by DIFS or Health Insurance Navigators, more families will be able to maintain coverage without breaking the bank.  

-courtesy story

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The addition of girls field hockey as a sponsored postseason championship sport and a revised schedule for Lower Peninsula Boys Tennis Finals are the most significant changes to fall sports as practices are set to begin Monday, Aug. 11, for an anticipated 100,000 high school athletes at Michigan High School Athletic Association member schools.

The fall season includes the most played sports for both boys and girls; 36,210 football players and 19,679 girls volleyball players competed during the Fall 2024 season. Teams in those sports will be joined by competitors in girls and boys cross country, field hockey, Lower Peninsula girls golf, boys soccer, Lower Peninsula girls swimming & diving, Upper Peninsula girls tennis and Lower Peninsula boys tennis in beginning practice next week. Competition begins Aug. 15 for cross country, field hockey, golf, soccer and tennis, Aug. 20 for swimming & diving and volleyball, and Aug. 28 for varsity football. 

Field hockey is one of two sports set to make its debut with MHSAA sponsorship during the 2025-26 school year; boys volleyball will play its first season with MHSAA sponsorship in the spring.

There are 37 varsity teams expected to play during the inaugural field hockey season. There will be one playoff division, with the first MHSAA Regionals in this sport beginning Oct. 8 and the first championship awarded Oct. 25.

To conclude their season, Lower Peninsula boys tennis teams will begin a pilot program showcasing Finals for all four divisions at the same location – Midland Tennis Center – over a two-week period. Division 4 will begin play with its two-day event Oct. 15-16, followed by Division 1 on Oct. 17-18, Division 2 on Oct. 22-23 and Division 3 played Oct. 24-25.

Also in Lower Peninsula boys tennis, and girls in the spring, a Finals qualification change will allow for teams that finish third at their Regionals to advance to the season-ending tournament as well, but only in postseason divisions where there are six Regionals – which will be all four boys divisions this fall.

The 11-Player Football Finals at Ford Field will be played this fall over a three-day period, with Division 8, 4, 6 and 2 games on Friday, Nov. 28, and Division 7, 3, 5 and 1 games played Sunday, Nov. 30, to accommodate Michigan State’s game against Maryland on Nov. 29 at Ford Field.

Two more changes affecting football playoffs will be noticeable this fall. For the first time, 8-Player Semifinals will be played at neutral sites; previously the team with the highest playoff-point average continued to host during that round. Also, teams that forfeit games will no longer receive playoff-point average strength-of-schedule bonus points from those opponents to which they forfeited.

A pair of changes in boys soccer this fall will address sportsmanship. The first allows game officials to take action against a team’s head coach in addition to any cautions or ejections issues to players and personnel in that team’s bench area – making the head coach more accountable for behavior on the sideline. The second change allows for only the team captain to speak with an official during the breaks between periods (halftime and during overtime), unless another coach, player, etc., is summoned by the official – with the penalty a yellow card to the offending individual.

A few more game-action rules changes will be quickly noticeable to participants and spectators.  

- In volleyball, multiple contacts by one player attempting to play the ball will now be allowed on second contact if the next contact is by a teammate on the same side of the net. 

- In swimming & diving, backstroke ledges will be permitted in pools that maintain a 6-foot water depth. If used in competition, identical ledges must be provided by the host team for all lanes, although individual swimmers are not required to use them. 

- In swimming & diving – during relay exchanges – second, third and fourth swimmers must have one foot stationary at the front edge of the deck. The remainder of their bodies may be in motion prior to the finish of the incoming swimmer.

- In football, when a forward fumble goes out of bounds, the ball will now be spotted where the fumble occurred instead of where the ball crossed the sideline.

The 2025 Fall campaign culminates with postseason tournaments beginning with the Upper Peninsula Girls Tennis Finals during the week of Sept. 29 and wrapping up with the 11-Player Football Finals on Nov. 28 and 30. Here is a complete list of fall tournament dates: 

Cross Country 

U.P. Finals – Oct. 18 

L.P. Regionals – Oct. 24 or 25 

L.P. Finals – Nov. 1 

Field Hockey

Regionals – Oct. 8-21

Semifinals – Oct. 22 or 23

Final – Oct. 25

11-Player Football 

Selection Sunday – Oct. 26 

District Semifinals – Oct. 31 or Nov. 1 

District Finals – Nov. 7 or 8 

Regional Finals – Nov. 14 or 15 

Semifinals – Nov. 22

Finals – Nov. 28 and 30 

8-Player Football 

Selection Sunday – Oct. 26 

Regional Semifinals – Oct. 31 or Nov. 1 

Regional Finals – Nov. 7 or 8 

Semifinals – Nov. 15  

Finals – Nov. 22

L.P. Girls Golf 

Regionals – Oct. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or 11 

Finals – Oct. 17-18 

Boys Soccer 

Districts – Oct. 8-18 

Regionals – Oct. 21-25 

Semifinals – Oct. 29 

Finals – Nov. 1 

L.P. Girls Swimming & Diving 

Diving Regionals – Nov. 13

Swimming/Diving Finals – Nov. 21-22 

Tennis 

U.P. Girls Finals – Oct. 1, 2, 3, or 4 

L.P. Boys Regionals – Oct. 8, 9, 10, or 11 

L.P. Boys Finals – Oct. 15-16 (Division 4), Oct. 17-18 (Division 1), Oct 22-23 (Division 2), and Oct. 24-25 (Division 3) 

Girls Volleyball 

Districts – Nov. 3-8 

Regionals – Nov. 11 & 13 

Quarterfinals – Nov. 18 

Semifinals – Nov. 20-21 

Finals – Nov. 22

-courtesy story

MIDLAND, Mich. – The Great Lakes Loons (24-16, 58-47) took advantage of five errors in a 6-1 win over the Lansing Lugnuts (17-24, 53-54) on Saturday night at Dow Diamond.

A Darlyn Montero double and C.J. Pittaro RBI single gave the Nuts an early 1-0 lead – but Lansing managed only two further hits against Great Lakes starter Maddux Bruns and relievers Nicolas Cruz and Evan Shaw, while the Loons took control of the game. A pair of walks, a wild pitch, and a fielder’s choice in the fourth gave Great Lakes a 2-1 lead against Corey Avant, who finished with four innings of four-hit, two-walk, five-strikeout ball.

Carlos Rojas welcomed back Wei-En Lin from the Injured List with a home run opening the fifth inning, and a Jordan Thompson sac fly off of Lin in the sixth increased the lead to 4-1. After a scoreless seventh from Blaze Pontes, the Loons closed out the night with two unearned runs against Henry Gómez.

Great Lakes has won three of five games in the series entering the Sunday 1:05 p.m. finale, featuring a matchup of Lansing right-hander Steven Echavarria and Great Lakes lefty Adam Serwinowski. After the series concludes, the Lugnuts return home to welcome in Dayton from August 12-17. Tickets are available for purchase at the stadium box office, (517) 485-4500 or by clicking here.

-courtesy story