Timothy H. Moore, President/Chief Executive Officer of the Mississippi Hospital Association, the state’s trade association for hospitals, recently addressed the Rotary Club of Louisville on July 10.
Moore discussed the MHA’s proposals to reform Medicaid and help hospitals stay healthy in Mississippi.
According to the proposal, the program would cover up to 300,000 uninsured people who are not eligible for Medicare.
Mississippi Cares would cover non-disabled adults age 19-64 earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level (currently approximately $17,000 for an individual or $35,000 for a family of four).
Plan participants would contribute $20/month in premium payments, with a $100 co-pay for non-emergency use of a hospital emergency department if there is a federally qualified health center, rural health clinic, or urgent care center within 20 miles of the hospital. Other co-pays and plan benefits will mirror traditional fee-for-service Medicaid, with the exception of non-emergency transportation services. Dental and vision benefits will also be included.
“Uncompensated care costs in Mississippi are exceeding $600 million annually. Mississippi is among the highest in the country in medical debt. Not because our costs are too high – we rank in the bottom third in the country for health care expenditures per person – but because our need for healthcare is so great and our means to pay for that needed care is so low,” said Moore. “Healthcare is a quality of life issue. Many working adults have no health insurance coverage in our state. If Mississippi is going to improve the quality of life for our citizens, we can’t continue to do the same thing the same way and expect a different result. Plain and simple, what we’re doing, particularly in our Medicaid program, isn’t working. We need Medicaid reform.”
MHA data points to a plan could create over 19,000 jobs and spur nearly $100 million in revenue while also increasing $600 million in personal income. The plan is to be paid for by hospitals and matched federal dollars.
