Michigan Department of Health and Human Services launches Medicare support program

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has launched a program to assist residents with Medicare. MI Options is a statewide system that offers free counseling for people who need long-term care.

MDHHS director Elizabeth Hertel says in a press release that the resource hub will provide information about Medicare enrollment and prescription costs, while empowering people to make choices for their health and wellbeing, including aging in place.

People can call 800-803-7174 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Monday through Friday, to speak with an agent. More information is available at Michigan.gov/MDHHSMIOptions.

Reporting by Bre’Anna Tinsley

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MDOT warns of road closures without budget agreement

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is urging state leaders to pass a budget soon to prevent road closures.

Officials warn the I-96 and Southfield Freeway interchange in Detroit is in poor condition and at risk of becoming too dangerous to use. MDOT spokesperson Diane Cross says that without a funding plan, closures can be expected within the decade.

“Which sounds like a long time, but it is not really. When it comes to road projects, you have to design them, you have to do safety studies, you have to do traffic counts, you have to do updated environmental things. There is a lot you have to do when you plan and design and do any major rebuilding,” Cross said.

She adds that the department has already completed as much maintenance and made as many repairs as possible, and the only next step is a full rebuild. Many other bridges across the state are facing the same risk if funding is not approved soon.

Reporting by Bre’Anna Tinsley

Students return to school as budget uncertainty looms

Students across Metro Detroit are returning to class for the first day of school. That comes as school officials remain uncertain about how much money they will actually have to spend this year.

The Michigan House and Senate are still divided over how much funding to allocate for schools in the state budget.

Michigan’s overall education system is under scrutiny amid high absenteeism in many classrooms and low student performance in state and national testing.

Some educators also remain concerned about the Trump administration’s possible cuts in federal school funding. And some students say they worry that immigration enforcement could cause classmates to be forced to leave school.

Reporting by Quinn Klinefelter

Detroit Senior Task Force hosts free movie day

Detroit’s Senior Task Force is hosting a movie day for seniors this week. The free event will be held on Wednesday at the Bel Air Luxury Cinema starting at 10 a.m.

The first 500 people ages 55 and older will receive free entrance, popcorn, and a drink.

Film Detroit to host outreach and resource fair

The City of Detroit is hosting a Film Detroit Outreach and Resource Fair. The networking event will include food and conversations with Detroit’s film community.

Attendees can learn about film permits and local resources to access Detroit’s cable channels. The event will take place on September 10 at the community center at AB Ford Park, located at 100 Lenox in Detroit, from 4 to 7 p.m.

Chase Bank is teaming up with the Detroit Police Department this summer to help educate seniors on how to avoid scams through local workshops. 

Gail Taylor, vice president of community management at JPMorgan Chase, has been leading the workshops. She spoke with WDET about how scam calls and other ploys to defraud seniors are affecting metro Detroiters.

Recent data from the Federal Trade Commission shows a 25% increase in consumer losses as a result of fraud in 2024, compared to the prior year. Michigan residents lost over $200 million to fraud and scams during that timeframe, according to the FTC.

Adults ages 60 and older submitted the most fraud complaints of any age group last year, according to the FBI’s latest annual report, with an average loss of $83,000.

The most common scams targeting older adults are scam callers impersonating IRS, Medicare, Social Security and other government or financial institutions.

Taylor says these scam calls can deceive anyone — not just seniors — and shared a personal example of a time when her niece nearly fell victim to a scammer claiming she would go to prison if she failed to follow their instruction.

“These scam calls are here to create fear and panic and urgency so that you can not think rational,” she said. “So just imagine — if she is a young lady and that is how quick it was, imagine a senior.” 

Over 40% of the scammers are adult children, Taylor said, noting that a lot of them might know the victims personally. She says she hopes to help local seniors look out for warning signs by spreading awareness about these scams and sharing tips for financial wellness at the workshops.

“Our goal is to build trust in our communities and then offer financial help, education, access to tools and resources, so that communities can be financially savvy,” she said. 

Other banks such as American Bankers Association, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and more are also taking steps to help seniors and other customers avoid similar scams.

View a list of upcoming financial wellness workshops from Chase Bank below:

• Lunch and Learn: Ways to help protect your finances as you age (open to seniors) – Thursday, July 3 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Chase’s Corktown Community Branch, 1620 Michigan Ave., Ste 121, Detroit
• Homebuyer’s Workshop – Saturday, July 12 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Chase’s Harbortown Branch, 3300 E Jefferson Ave., Detroit
• Understanding and Building Credit – Tuesday, July 15 from 6 to 7 p.m. at Chase’s Corktown Community Branch, 1620 Michigan Ave., Ste 121, Detroit
• Lunch and Learn: Cyber Safety for Good (open to seniors) – Tuesday, Aug. 5 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Chase’s Corktown Community Branch, 1620 Michigan Ave., Ste 121, Detroit

Learn more about how to spot financial scams here.