JACKSON, Miss. ( WJTV ) – The first legislative deadline of the 2024 session has come and gone. Thousands of bills have been filed, giving us a glimpse as to what the rest of the session may be focused on.
So far, there has been a huge emphasis on healthcare, specifically from House Democrats. They’re taking another swipe at expanding Medicaid with one slight change this year.
House Democrats filed seven separate bills that would expand Medicaid to Mississippi’s working population. Six of those bills would expand Medicaid in the traditional sense through the Affordable Care Act. But one, authored by House Minority Leader Rep. Robert Johnson (D-District 94), takes a different approach.
“We came to the conclusion of just pure Medicaid expansion was kind of a non-starter. What we’ve offered is sort of a hybrid,” said Johnson.
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His plan expands Medicaid in the traditional sense, but it includes a private insurance option and a tiered co-pay system based on income. It would cover people up to 200% of the federal poverty level compared to traditional expansion, which covers 138%.