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Issue record

Health care

In short

Lawrence's campaign backs Medicare for All to take the profit motive out of health insurance. Barrett's campaign says insurers raised premiums and denied more claims under the Affordable Care Act, and backs wider health savings accounts. Dedrick named Medicare for All a top issue at his party's convention. On the record, Barrett sponsored or cosponsored bills on insurer spending, savings accounts and drug prices, and none has left committee.

Campaign positions

What each campaign says.

William Lawrence

He supports Medicare for All, which he says would take the profit motive out of health insurance.

Tom Barrett

He says insurers have raised premiums and denied more claims under the Affordable Care Act, and calls for price transparency, wider health savings accounts and pressure on insurers.

Shane Dedrick

He named Medicare for All, with the Green New Deal, as among his most important issues at his party's April 25 convention.

Evidence timeline

What the record shows.

  1. official action

    Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

    He sponsored the 2026 Care Over Profits Act to raise insurers' required medical spending to 85% of premiums and cosponsored an HSA bill; neither has left committee.

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    His House office says health care costs are crushing mid-Michigan families and that insurers have raised premiums and denied more claims under the Affordable Care Act. It says he introduced the Care Over Profits Act and the HSAs for All Act. Congress.gov lists him as the sponsor of the Care Over Profits Act (H.R. 7861), introduced March 9, 2026. It would raise the share of premiums that insurers selling individual and small-group plans must spend on medical care from 80 to 85 percent. He is an original cosponsor of the HSA's For All Act (H.R. 7681), introduced by Rep. Aaron Bean on February 25, 2026, which would let anyone in an exchange or employer plan open a health savings account. On January 8, 2026 he voted Nay on H.R. 1834, which would extend the larger ACA premium tax credits through 2028. The House passed it 230 to 196 (Roll Call 11). Limit: Neither bill has left the committee it was sent to. The Senate has not voted on H.R. 1834.

  2. official action

    Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

    He joined Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna's Global Fairness in Drug Pricing Act as a cosponsor in February 2026; it would have HHS plan most-favored-nation price targets and is still in committee.

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    In the October 6 debate, Barrett said he supported most-favored-nation drug pricing and cosponsored a bill on it with a Democratic colleague, so Americans do not pay more for prescription drugs than people in other developed countries. In his closing he said he has introduced legislation to lower drug costs. Congress.gov lists him as a cosponsor of the Global Fairness in Drug Pricing Act (H.R. 3493), introduced by Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna on May 19, 2025; he joined on February 24, 2026. It would have the government plan rules setting most-favored-nation price targets, so U.S. patients pay about what patients in comparable rich countries pay. It sits in committee. Limit: He joined as a cosponsor nine months after it was introduced. The bill has not had a vote.

  3. official action

    Tom Barrett: Matches stated direction

    The 2025 law he voted for adds work requirements from 2027 and narrows which immigrants qualify, but people in the country illegally were already limited to emergency Medicaid before it.

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    In the October 6 debate, Barrett said the Medicaid changes he voted for stop covering people in the country illegally, stop covering people who were not eligible, and add modest work requirements for able-bodied working-age adults. He voted for H.R. 1, which became Public Law 119-21 in July 2025 (Roll Calls 145 and 190). From October 1, 2026, apart from emergency care and a few other exceptions, federal Medicaid pays only for citizens, green card holders, Cuban and Haitian entrants and people from the Compact of Free Association nations, and the federal share of emergency care for people without lawful status is capped. Starting in 2027, states must recheck expansion adults' eligibility every six months, and by then must require those aged 19 to 64 to work, volunteer or join a work program 80 hours a month, or attend school at least half time. States can ask for more time on the work rule, up to the end of 2028. Limit: Before this law, federal Medicaid already paid only for emergency care for people in the country illegally, and it still pays for that care. The six-month checks start in 2027; the work rule starts by 2027 unless a state gets more time.

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Sources14 source records

How we use sources

  1. Platformhttps://wewill2026.com/platform/

    Friends of William Lawrence · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Campaign-controlled source, in his own words: nineteen sections. Undated. Its lines about his opponent are out of scope here.

    candidate statement

    For: William Lawrence: campaign position

  2. Blueprint for a Better Americahttps://barrett.house.gov/reform

    Office of Congressman Tom Barrett · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    His House office's agenda page, in his own words, with six pillars and the bills under each. Undated; read October 1, 2026.

    candidate statement

    For: Tom Barrett: campaign position; Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

  3. How an unknown candidate secured the Green Party nod in Michigan with minimal vettinghttps://www.wlns.com/your-local-election-hq/dedrick-michigan-congressional-race-controversy/

    WLNS 6 News (Brad LaPlante) · Published Aug 18, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 2, 2026

    Quotes Dedrick's answers to delegates at the party's April 25 convention, which match the party's recording. Its reporting on his past donations and work is not used.

    original reporting

    For: Shane Dedrick: campaign position

  4. Nominating convention 2026 part 2https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6MEM0sz0zY

    Green Party of Michigan · Reviewed Oct 2, 2026

    The party's recording of its online nominating convention. The automatic captions have no speaker names, so quotes come from WLNS's report of the same remarks.

    endorsement

    For: Shane Dedrick: campaign position

  5. H.R. 7861, Care Over Profits Act of 2026https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7861

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Sponsored by Barrett, introduced March 9, 2026, with Rep. Josh Riley as the only cosponsor. Section 2 raises the medical loss ratio for individual and small-group coverage from 80 to 85 percent. Referred to Energy and Commerce; no action since.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

  6. H.R. 7681, HSA's For All Acthttps://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7681

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Sponsored by Rep. Aaron Bean, introduced February 25, 2026; Barrett is an original cosponsor. Replaces the high-deductible plan requirement for HSAs with any exchange plan or group health plan. Referred to Ways and Means; no action since.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

  7. H.R. 1834, Breaking the Gridlock Act (enhanced premium tax credit extension)https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1834

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    The House-passed text has one section, extending the enhanced ACA premium tax credit through 2028. Passed the House January 8, 2026, 230 to 196; placed on the Senate calendar February 10, 2026.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

  8. Roll Call 11, H.R. 1834, on passagehttps://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202611

    Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Recorded vote of January 8, 2026. Passed 230 to 196; Republicans 17 yes, 196 no. Barrett's vote read from the Clerk's roll-call XML by his member ID, B001321.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

  9. WKAR MI-07 debate, October 6: Barrett on drug pricing, 11:28https://www.pbs.org/video/decision-2026-michigans-7th-congressional-district-debate-paftzd/

    WKAR Public Media · Published Oct 6, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    11:28-11:42, and his closing at 57:05-57:11 in WKAR's PBS video. From WKAR's own English caption file for its PBS video. It is the only English transcript read, so the card describes and does not quote.

    candidate statement

    Decision 2026: Michigan's 7th Congressional District Debate

    WKAR Public Media · Published Oct 6, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    WKAR's video of the October 6 debate, made with WILX News 10 and FOX 47. Its English caption file is the transcript used for every statement and time from this debate. Only one English transcript was read, so statements are described, not quoted.

    candidate statement

    WKAR MI-07 debate, October 6: Barrett on the Medicaid changes, 12:27

    WKAR Public Media · Published Oct 6, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    12:27-12:46 in WKAR's PBS video. From WKAR's own English caption file for its PBS video. It is the only English transcript read, so the card describes and does not quote.

    candidate statement

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim; Tom Barrett: Matches stated direction

  10. H.R. 3493, Global Fairness in Drug Pricing Acthttps://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3493

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    Sponsor Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), introduced May 19, 2025; referred to Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means and Judiciary, its latest action. Barrett joined as a cosponsor February 24, 2026.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

  11. Roll Call 145, H.R. 1, on passagehttps://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025145

    Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    Recorded vote of May 22, 2025, House passage of H.R. 1. Barrett voted Yea.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated direction

  12. Roll Call 190, H.R. 1, on motion to concur in the Senate amendmenthttps://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025190

    Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    Recorded vote of July 3, 2025, the final House vote on H.R. 1. Barrett voted Aye.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated direction

  13. Public Law 119-21 (H.R. 1)https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-119publ21/html/PLAW-119publ21.htm

    U.S. Government Publishing Office · Published Jul 4, 2025 · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    The enacted text, read in full. Sections 70201 and 70202 create the tip and overtime deductions, which end after 2028; a temporary $6,000 deduction applies for people 65 and older. Section 70301 makes full expensing permanent. The Medicaid title limits federal payment by immigration status from October 1, 2026, caps the federal share of emergency care for people without lawful status (section 71110), requires six-month eligibility checks for expansion adults (section 71107) and sets a monthly rule of 80 hours of work, service or a work program, or half-time school. The words "data center" appear nowhere in it.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated direction

  14. 42 U.S.C. 1396b(v), 2024 edition of the U.S. Codehttps://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title42/html/USCODE-2024-title42-chap7-subchapXIX-sec1396b.htm

    U.S. Government Publishing Office · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    The law before the 2025 changes: federal Medicaid pays for immigrants who are not lawful permanent residents or otherwise permanently residing under color of law only for emergency care, with narrow exceptions.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated direction