Mississippi governor set to launch proposal to assist financially struggling hospitals

JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves is about to launch a proposal Thursday aimed toward serving to a few of the state’s financially struggling hospitals, even because the Democrat who’s attempting to unseat him has spent months hammering Reeves for opposing Medicaid growth in one of many poorest states within the nation.

Mississippi is one among 10 states that haven’t expanded Medicaid to low-wage staff whose jobs don’t present personal medical health insurance. Enlargement is an possibility below the well being care overhaul signed into legislation in 2010 by then-President Barack Obama.

Reeves has stated for years that he opposes Medicaid growth as a result of he doesn’t need to add extra folks to a authorities program that he derides as “welfare.”

Well being officers have stated Mississippi might obtain about $1 billion a 12 months from the federal authorities for Medicaid growth. The federal authorities would pay 90% of the associated fee for folks added to this system, and the state authorities would pay 10%.

Brandon Presley, the Democratic nominee for governor, stated at a marketing campaign occasion final week in Summit that “not increasing Medicaid is likely one of the dumbest selections that this state has ever made.”

He stated growth might assist preserve hospitals open and supply protection for 220,000 folks.

“They’re people like the woman that’s going to be wiping the desk on the Waffle Home someplace right here in Mississippi tonight,” Presley stated. “Any person will rise up tomorrow they usually’ll go to work at a Fast Lube altering oil, busting down tires. We’re speaking those that roof homes. We’re speaking about those that sweat. People that should take a bathe earlier than and after work.”

Mississippi has 74 rural hospitals. 5 have closed since 2005, and 24 rural are at rapid threat of closing due to extreme monetary issues, in accordance with a nationwide coverage group, Middle for Healthcare High quality and Cost Reform. Solely Texas and Kansas have extra hospitals in that threat class.

In April, Reeves signed a invoice to create a Mississippi Hospital Sustainability Grant Program to alleviate some monetary issues created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Hospitals are eligible for $250,000 to $1 million, relying on the scale of the ability and whether or not it presents emergency companies. The invoice handed 52-0 within the Senate and 111-2 within the Home.