Poll: 80% of Mississippians favor Medicaid expansion

A wide majority of Mississippians across partisan and demographic lines supports expanding Medicaid to provide health coverage for the working poor, according to a newly released Mississippi Today/Siena College poll.

Mississippi News, NewsJerry MitchellJanuary 21, 2023expanding medicaid, cross partisan, health coverage, working poor, federal funds, Affordable Care Act

Federal law says insurers must cover outpatient mental health care. But Mississippi decides not for its state employees

Postpartum depression left Julie Seawright of Tupelo crying hysterically in her bathtub after the birth of her first child.

She turned to her state-employee insurance plan to cover out-patient treatment to see her through the crisis.

She was out of luck.

Mississippi physicians’ group lobbies for options to expand Medicaid

The largest physician group in Mississippi will pursue options to expand Medicaid in the state despite opposition from two statewide top political leaders.

Congress considers Medicaid expansion workaround to provide health care to poor Mississippians

Democrats in the U.S. Congress are considering a way to offer health care insurance for low-income Mississippians who have been denied coverage because of the refusal of the state’s political leadership to expand Medicaid.

Mississippi News, News, Mississippi SpotlightKatherine MitchellSeptember 21, 2021Mississippi Medicaid, federal money, expand coverage, medicaid expansion, Mississippi Spotlight, Unsteady Pulse, medicaid coverage, Medicaid, Affordable Care Act, U.S. Congress, Democrats, health insurance, low-income, American Rescue Plan Act

State economist refutes politicians’ claim that Mississippi cannot afford Medicaid expansion

The most common refrain of prominent Mississippi elected officials who have long rejected the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act — that the state cannot afford the costs of the program — was refuted this week by the state’s leading economic expert.

Mississippi News, News, Mississippi SpotlightKatherine MitchellSeptember 15, 2021Mississippi Medicaid, federal money, expand coverage, medicaid expansion, Mississippi Spotlight, Unsteady Pulse, medicaid coverage, investigation, Medicaid, Affordable Care Act, Gov. Tate Reeves, Philip Gunn

Insurance Commissioner discusses Medicaid and expansion

The federal pandemic relief bill contains a big incentive for states that haven’t expanded Medicaid. Mississippi is one of 12 states holding out on the expansion.

Mississippi News, News, Mississippi SpotlightKatherine MitchellMarch 29, 2021Mississippi Medicaid, federal money, expand coverage, medicaid expansion, Mississippi Spotlight, Unsteady Pulse, medicaid coverage, congress, Insurance Commissioner, Mike Chaney, Affordable Care Act