Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to call on Democrats to codify ‘Obamacare’ into state law

By JOEY CAPPELLETTI
Associated Press

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will call on lawmakers to pass legislation proactively protecting key provisions in the Affordable Care Act during a speech Wednesday where she’ll outline her legislative priorities for the second half of the year. Whitmer is directing that the plan include measures that prohibit insurer’s from denying or limiting coverage based on preexisting conditions and would further protect a range of no-cost preventive services. Whitmer also wants legislation that requires all insurers to cover a set of “essential” services, including ambulance services, birth control, maternity care and mental health. It comes as one of the Affordable Care Act’s most popular provisions that requires insurers to cover preventive services faces a threat in federal court.