The Mississippi Manufacturers Association voiced support for the House Medicaid expansion plan, which would make Mississippi the 41st state to expand Medicaid to cover the working poor, in a social media post.
The group cited new economic development projects this year as a reason to expand Medicaid coverage in the state with the lowest workforce participation rate.
“In late Feb., Jason White and the House passed Healthy MS Works, expanding healthcare access to 200,000 working Mississippians,” the Friday social media post read. “MMA supports improved access to quality healthcare, especially in rural areas, and efforts to promote a healthier workforce.”
A healthier workforce is a main reason many Republicans have cited for considering Medicaid expansion this year, including Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann.
The Senate Hosemann oversees says it is working on its own Medicaid expansion plan, but to date has only a “dummy bill,” with code sections required to change Medicaid coverage, but no details. Hosemann and other Senate leaders have said they will insist on a work requirement for expanded Medicaid coverage, which would require approval, or a “waiver,” from the federal government.
Experts from The Hilltop Institute at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, which conducted an extensive study on expansion in Mississippi, said including a work requirement would be costly, difficult to implement, and would likely lead to coverage losses even for employed Mississippians. That’s in the unlikely case a work requirement was granted by the Biden administration. The administration has not granted states waivers for work requirements and has rescinded those previously granted during the Trump administration.
The House bill in MMA’s social media post would expand Medicaid coverage in Mississippi whether or not the federal government approves a work requirement.
Authored by Speaker Jason White, R-West, and Medicaid Chairwoman Missy McGee, R-Hattiesburg, the House bill would expand Medicaid eligibility to 138% of the federal poverty level or about $20,000 annually for an individual. It would cover primarily the working poor, as well as those exempt from working due to disability or extenuating circumstances, and only a small number of unemployed and non-exempt adults.
It passed the full House 98-20 in less than 15 minutes with no debate. The Senate has not taken any action on the House bill, and faces a Thursday deadline to take action on its own dummy bill.
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