McLaren Northern Michigan's Cheboygan campus will soon begin a $17 million renovation.
The medical group plans to double the space of their emergency services, including adding behavioral health-specific beds and a complete renovation of their existing space.
$13 million of the funds are available through a grant from the recently signed state budget for the next fiscal year.
In a news release, McLaren officials said the expansion will give northern Michigan residents a better chance at receiving immediate emergency medical care in a region with little access.
For those at the top of the mitten, the nearest ER after Cheboygan is an hour away in Petoskey. With the expansion, McLaren Cheboygan will be able to handle 14 additional ER patients at a time.
While McLaren is receiving money from the state to implement these upgrades, President Donald Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" will be cutting Medicaid services and reimbursements in the coming years. This could pose a threat to medical centers in rural regions, like northern Michigan. These cuts will cause Michigan hospitals to lose $6 billion over the next decade.
One of the rural hospitals at risk is McLaren Central Michigan in Mount Pleasant.
Construction on the McLaren Cheboygan Emergency Room will begin in 2026.
