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Since North Carolina passed the Medicaid expansion a few months ago, we're down to the final ten holdout states (AL, FL, GA, KS, MS, SC, TX, TN, WY, WI). Who had Mississippi as the most likely domino to fall next?
‘Moral imperative’: House overwhelmingly passes Mississippi Medicaid expansion
Good to know the state Senate is interested in expanding Medicaid, as well. Hopefully they can get a veto-proof supermajority there, too, since the governor seems like an obstacle.
‘Moral imperative’: House overwhelmingly passes Mississippi Medicaid expansion
Medicaid expansion, which for more than a decade has been blocked by legislative leaders, passed the House Wednesday 98-20 in less than 15 minutes and now advances to the Senate.
House Medicaid Chair Missy McGee, R-Hattiesburg, explained the policy as a “moral imperative” and said it “should transcend politics.” She also said that lawmakers have yet to propose a viable alternative to expansion to deal with Mississippi’s lack of health care access and poor health outcomes and that “‘No’ is not a policy that has helped.”
No questions followed McGee’s explanation of House Bill 1725. The bill passed with more than the two-thirds majority needed to override a potential veto from Republican Gov. Tate Reeves, who for years has opposed Medicaid expansion and reiterated his opposition multiple times during his successful reelection campaign last year.
The measure now heads to the Senate, which is also working on its own version of an expansion bill, as lawmakers consider making Mississippi the 41st state to expand Medicaid.
Good to know the state Senate is interested in expanding Medicaid, as well. Hopefully they can get a veto-proof supermajority there, too, since the governor seems like an obstacle.