All eyes turn now to the Mississippi Senate to see if senators will approve Medicaid expansion. Rep. Missy McGee of Hattiesburg guided the House version to approval by an overwhelming, veto-proof, 98 to 20 vote last week. What a remarkable turnaround from House actions in previous years!
The bill seeks to provide Medicaid coverage for working adults age 19 to 65 without employer coverage with incomes up to 138% of the poverty level. The complex but narrowly written bill would require the Division of Medicaid to apply for a federal waiver to allow these limitations. However, should the application fail, coverage would still take effect. An automatic repealer would allow expansion to be killed in January 2029.
Working adults with coverage from employers would not be eligible for a year. Full-time students in the earnings window enrolled in post-secondary schools or workforce training programs would be eligible. A 4% tax would be levied on capitated revenues received by entities providing Medicaid coverage. Should federal matching funds drop below 90%, the program would be cancelled.
The Senate has not adopted its own version of the bill, so may work on the House’s version.
Other major legislation pending in both houses deserves attention too.
A bill pending in the Senate would create a powerful Delta Rural Health Authority. Promoted by the Delta Council, the authority would be a public entity that could take over and manage community hospitals and other health care organizations in the Delta. Promoters are also asking for $5 to $10 million in state funds to get the authority started. The bill would allow other regions to create similar authorities.
A Senate committee has passed a bill that pretends to “restore” the initiative process in Mississippi. The House passed a similar version earlier. Both bills limit initiatives to statutes while the old one addressed the state constitution. Proponents say we should be worried about out-of-state interference. Opponents say both bills are so restrictive as to be unworkable. Others wonder why legislators will not restore citizens’ constitutional right to change their constitution.
Another Senate committee has passed a bill that tweaks and fully funds the Mississippi Adequate Education Program. The bill is similar to one the Senate passed last year that died in the House. The House is looking to dump the education expert designed MAEP formula and replace it with a funding formula of its own design.
Alas, MUW dropped its substitute legislative request for a new name. Wynbridge State University of Mississippi did not catch on any better than Mississippi Brightwell University submitted in January.
Crawford is a syndicated columnist from Jackson.