Mississippi Senate leaders unveil health care proposals

Mississippi senators are proposing an $80 million grant program for financially struggling hospitals and other programs to help the state attract and retain nurses and physicians, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann said Wednesday.

The state health officer, Dr. Dan Edney, told legislators in November that 54% of Mississippi’s rural hospitals are at risk of closing. Mississippi has a large number of uninsured residents, and health care facilities have faced rising expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There needs to be significant, positive changes in order to provide our citizens with the necessary rural health (care),” Hosemann said.

The rural, impoverished Delta has lost population over the past several years, and some hospitals in that area have been curtailing services and cutting jobs.

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Hosemann unveiled four proposals during a news conference, including Senate Bill 2372, which would create the hospital grant program. Hospitals that receive money would have to submit information about how many patients they have and what kinds of medical services they offer — data that the state could use in planning for the health care industry in the state.

Senate Bill 2373 would create program to forgive up to $18,000 in student loans for any person who becomes a nurse and works in Mississippi.

Senate Bill 2371 would create about $20 million in grants to community colleges for nursing and allied health programs. The bill also proposes $5 million to let more hospitals have residency programs for physicians — a move that Hosemann said would encourage those physicians to remain in the communities where they trained.

Senate Bill 2323 would remove bureaucratic barriers to help hospitals collaborate.

Hosemann said the Division of Medicaid is expected to seek federal permission to increase payments for some medical services, but that request does not require action from the Legislature.

Hosemann also said Wednesday that he will not push to expand Medicaid coverage to people in low-paying jobs that don’t provide private insurance — a position that puts him in line with other Republican leaders, including Gov. Tate Reeves and House Speaker Philip Gunn.

Medicaid…