JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Mississippi lawmakers will be voting this week on a compromise measure that would expand Medicaid for hundreds of thousands of Mississippians.

Facing a critical deadline on Monday, the House and Senate negotiators kept the bill alive, clearing the way for an eventual floor vote this week.

The compromise measure would expand Medicaid up to 138% of the federal poverty level, which is nearly $21,000 a year for one person. It’s a hybrid plan, meaning that those making between 0% and 99% FPL will be covered through Medicaid.

Those making between 100% and 138% FPL will be covered through state subsidized plans on the federal insurance exchange. It would also have a 25 hour weekly work requirement, something the federal government is not likely to approve.

If the work requirement is denied, the state will have to reapply annually for the work requirement until it’s approved.

This work requirement has been the main disagreement between both chambers all session long. The House has been open to expanding Medicaid without a work requirement and have included language in their proposals that would ensure expansion goes into effect with or without federal approval of a work requirement. The Senate has said a work requirement is absolutely necessary and has not included such language. The conference report lawmakers will vote on this week does not include such language.

State Senator John Horhn (D-District 26) said Democrats in the Senate are questioning whether to vote yes on a measure that is not likely to receive federal approval.

“It has a poison pill in it that we think will not allow the law to ever take effect in Mississippi. The requirement for work of 25 hours a week is bad enough, but if we keep the language in it says that CMS, if they reject the measure, the bill goes away. And so, we have every expectation that CMS is going to reject the work requirement, which leads us back to zero. So, we’ve gone through a whole lot of work for nothing, it seems to us. So, we’re still debating among ourselves as to how are we going to vote for the bill,” said Horhn.

The federal government has not approved a work requirement since President Joe Biden has been in office.

Republicans in the state legislature have said they’re confident that if former President Donald Trump is re-elected, his administration would sign off on this version of Medicaid expansion.

Lawmakers have until Wednesday to approve, reject or further amend the conference report.