On January 1, 2026, Michigan replaced the MI Health Link dual-eligible demonstration with a new program: MI Coordinated Health (MICH). MICH is a Highly Integrated Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plan (HIDE SNP) designed to combine Medicare, full Medicaid, and long-term services and supports into one plan, with one ID card, one care coordinator, and typically $0 premium and $0 copays.
If you're a Michigan senior with both Medicare and full Medicaid, MICH is often a better deal than keeping the two programs separate. This guide explains who qualifies, which counties are covered in 2026, which plans are contracted, and how to enroll.
The One-Sentence Summary
MICH integrates Medicare Parts A, B, and D, full Medicaid including long-term services, prescription drugs, dental, vision, hearing, transportation, and care coordination into a single plan operated by one of nine contracted health plans.
What Happened to MI Health Link
MI Health Link ended December 31, 2025. It was Michigan's CMS-approved Financial Alignment Initiative (FAI) demonstration from 2015 through 2025. Enrollees were automatically transitioned to MI Coordinated Health on January 1, 2026, or to another Medicare plan if they chose.
MICH is not just a rebrand. It's a structurally different program under the federal D-SNP framework rather than the FAI demonstration framework. What stays the same: integrated Medicare + Medicaid, $0 premium, dedicated care coordinators, and carve-outs for behavioral health (still at the PIHPs) and MI Choice Waiver services (still at the Waiver Agencies). What's different: seven-year contracts with three one-year optional extensions, new county coverage starting with 10 counties and the Upper Peninsula and expanding statewide in 2027, and a different set of plan options.
Who Qualifies
MICH serves full-benefit dual eligibles — people who have both:
- Medicare Parts A and B, and
- Full-benefit Michigan Medicaid (not just a Medicare Savings Program).
Additionally:
- Must live in a MICH-available county in 2026 (see below).
- Age 21 or older.
- Not simultaneously enrolled in hospice under Medicare (hospice interacts with MICH in limited ways).
MICH is voluntary. Eligible duals can choose MICH, a standard D-SNP, Medicare Advantage with separate Medicaid, or Original Medicare plus Medicaid. There's no requirement to join MICH.
Which Counties Are Covered in 2026
MICH launched in 2026 in a limited set of regions, with statewide expansion planned for 2027. For 2026, availability is:
Region 1 (Upper Peninsula): all 15 UP counties except Chippewa, Gogebic, and Menominee counties for Upper Peninsula Health Plan specifically. Other MICH plans may or may not serve those counties; check plan-by-plan.
Region 8 (Southwest Michigan):
- Barry
- Berrien
- Branch
- Calhoun
- Cass
- Kalamazoo
- St. Joseph
- Van Buren
Region 10 (Detroit metro east):
- Macomb County
- Wayne County
If you live outside those regions, MICH isn't available to you in 2026. You'll likely need to wait until the 2027 statewide rollout or enroll in a standard D-SNP until then.
The Nine Contracted Plans
MDHHS awarded 7-year MICH contracts (with three 1-year optional extensions) to nine health plans:
- Aetna Better Health of Michigan
- AmeriHealth Michigan
- HAP CareSource
- Humana Medical Plan of Michigan
- Meridian Health Plan of Michigan (Wellcare-Meridian)
- Molina Healthcare of Michigan
- Priority Health Choice
- UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Michigan
- Upper Peninsula Health Plan (UP only)
Not all plans serve every region:
- Upper Peninsula (Region 1): Upper Peninsula Health Plan is the primary MICH carrier.
- Southwest Region (Region 8): Aetna, Meridian, Molina, Priority, and UnitedHealthcare participate.
- Macomb and Wayne (Region 10): Aetna, AmeriHealth, HAP CareSource, Humana, Meridian, Molina, Priority, and UnitedHealthcare participate.
To check plan availability in your specific county, call MI ENROLLS at 1-888-367-6557.
What MICH Covers
MICH integrates benefits that traditionally sit in separate plans:
Medicare Benefits (Parts A, B, D)
- Hospital inpatient and outpatient
- Doctor visits and specialist care
- Lab and X-ray
- Skilled nursing facility (post-acute)
- Medicare home health
- Durable medical equipment
- All Part D prescription drugs
Medicaid Benefits
- Full Medicaid state-plan services
- Long-term services and supports (LTSS) including nursing facility care when needed
- Dental (including the 2023 adult dental expansion)
- Vision and hearing including hearing aids
- Non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT)
- Pharmacy coverage for Part D "excluded" drugs
Care Coordination
- A dedicated care coordinator assigned to every member
- Integrated care planning across Medicare, Medicaid, behavioral health, and LTSS
- 24/7 nurse line
- Transition coordination between settings (home, hospital, SNF)
Value-Added Benefits
Each MICH plan publishes its own value-added benefits (OTC allowances, rideshare for non-medical trips, fitness memberships, etc.). These vary meaningfully plan to plan.
What MICH Does NOT Cover (Carve-Outs)
Two things sit outside MICH:
- Behavioral health and substance use disorder. Still administered by Michigan's 10 regional Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans (PIHPs) through the county Community Mental Health Services Programs (CMHSPs). MICH plans coordinate with the PIHP, but the PIHP is the contractor.
- MI Choice Waiver services. If a MICH member is also enrolled in MI Choice, MI Choice services continue to be delivered through the regional Waiver Agency, not the MICH plan. The MICH care coordinator coordinates across both.
How Enrollment Works
MICH is voluntary opt-in. There's no limited enrollment period; eligible duals can join at any time. The process:
- Confirm your eligibility. You need Medicare A and B plus full-benefit Michigan Medicaid (not just a Medicare Savings Program).
- Choose a plan. Call MI ENROLLS at 1-888-367-6557 for free counseling on which plans are available in your county, which of your doctors are in network, and what value-added benefits each plan offers. MI ENROLLS is neutral and does not sell plans.
- Alternatively, work with MMAP. The Michigan Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program (1-800-803-7174) is the SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) for Michigan, operated through the AAA network. MMAP counseling is also free and neutral.
- Enroll directly with the plan. Once you've chosen, you can enroll by phone, online, or by mail. Coverage typically starts the first of the following month.
- Disenroll if it doesn't work. You can leave MICH and return to your prior coverage at any time without cause.
Costs
For most members, MICH is genuinely $0 out of pocket:
- $0 monthly premium.
- $0 copays for most covered services.
- $0 deductibles for most services.
- Part D prescription drug costs follow Extra Help / LIS rules, which most full-benefit duals qualify for at the lowest level.
- No MMNA or patient-pay amount shifts in most cases; MICH is designed around integrating existing dual benefits.
If a MICH member enters a nursing facility on Medicaid, a standard patient-pay-amount calculation applies (the member contributes income above PNA and allowable deductions), but premium and copay structure remains $0.
Eligible for MICH and trying to pick a plan? Chat with Brevy and we'll walk you through the comparison: which plans are available in your county, which of your doctors are in-network, and which value-added benefits matter most for your situation.
MICH vs. Standard D-SNPs
Medicare Advantage Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) are the more common pathway for duals nationally. MICH is a specific HIDE SNP — a higher-integration variety of D-SNP that also takes on Medicaid LTSS. Practical differences:
| Feature | MICH (HIDE SNP) | Standard D-SNP |
|---|---|---|
| Medicare benefits | Full | Full |
| Medicaid LTSS | Integrated | Often carved out, requires separate pathway |
| Care coordinator | One across both programs | Separate for Medicare vs. Medicaid |
| One ID card? | Yes | Often two (one for plan, one for Medicaid) |
| Behavioral health | Carved out to PIHP | Carved out to PIHP |
| Premium | $0 | $0 |
For most duals in MICH-available counties, MICH is the preferred option because integration reduces administrative friction.
Common Misconceptions
"I have to enroll in MICH because my MI Health Link is ending." Not exactly. MI Health Link members were auto-transitioned to MICH if they didn't opt out, but you have the right to choose another plan, including a standard D-SNP, Medicare Advantage with separate Medicaid, or Original Medicare plus Medicaid.
"MICH covers my behavioral health." It doesn't. Behavioral health services are carved out to the regional PIHP, not MICH. MICH coordinates with the PIHP but doesn't contract for those services directly.
"MI Choice and MICH are the same." They're not. MI Choice is a 1915(c) HCBS waiver serving adults who meet nursing-facility level of care. MICH is a D-SNP integrating Medicare and Medicaid. A person can be on both: MICH for their acute Medicare/Medicaid care, MI Choice for their HCBS long-term services.
"MICH is only for seniors." It's for age 21+ full-benefit duals. Many MICH members are under 65, especially people with disabilities who are dual-eligible.
"I have to switch doctors if I enroll in MICH." Only if your current doctors aren't in the MICH plan's network. Before enrolling, check with each plan's provider directory. MI ENROLLS or MMAP can help you compare networks across plans.
Frequently Asked Questions
MICH serves full-benefit dual eligibles: people with both Medicare Parts A and B plus full-benefit Michigan Medicaid (not just a Medicare Savings Program), age 21 or older, living in a MICH-available county, and not enrolled in Medicare hospice. Enrollment is voluntary.
MICH is available in most of the Upper Peninsula, in Southwest Michigan (Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, Van Buren), and in Macomb and Wayne counties in Region 10. Statewide expansion is planned for 2027. Call MI ENROLLS at 1-888-367-6557 to confirm plan availability in your specific county.
MI Health Link ended December 31, 2025. Enrollees were automatically transitioned to MI Coordinated Health on January 1, 2026, or to another Medicare plan if they chose. MICH is structurally different — a D-SNP (HIDE SNP) rather than an FAI demonstration — but keeps the integration, $0 premium, and dedicated care coordinators that MI Health Link members relied on.
For most members, MICH is genuinely $0 out of pocket: $0 monthly premium, $0 copays for most covered services, and $0 deductibles. Part D prescription drug costs follow Extra Help / LIS rules that most full-benefit duals qualify for at the lowest level. If a MICH member enters a nursing facility on Medicaid, a standard patient-pay-amount calculation applies but premium and copays remain $0.
Yes. MICH and MI Choice serve different purposes and coordinate with each other. MICH covers your integrated Medicare/Medicaid acute care; MI Choice delivers HCBS long-term services through your regional Waiver Agency. The MICH care coordinator coordinates across both programs. MI Choice services remain carved out of the MICH plan.
Related Terms
- Managed Care Organization (MCO): MICH plans are a specialized form of MCO.
- HCBS waiver: MI Choice is an HCBS waiver that coordinates alongside MICH.
- Nursing Facility Level of Care (NFLOC): Required for LTSS, including MI Choice.
Learn More
- Michigan Medicaid Programs for Seniors (Hub)
- MI Choice Waiver Program
- Michigan Medicaid Health Plans (Non-Dual)
- Michigan Medicare Plans and Coverage (2026)
- How to Apply for Michigan Medicaid
Find personalized help navigating MI Coordinated Health at brevy.com.
The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. MICH availability, plan rosters, and benefit structures change. Always verify with MI ENROLLS, MMAP, or your specific MICH plan's member services line. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.