JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – The 2024 Legislative Session is nearing a close, and state lawmakers began their week with an 8:00 p.m. deadline on Monday, April 29 to fine conference reports.
Negotiations around Medicaid expansion remain the headlining issue still being discussed among lawmakers.
House Medicaid expansion conferees have sent the Senate another counteroffer amidst these conference negotiations. It includes some changes to the original compromise they made early last week.
The newest House offer would still cover those making up to 138% of the federal poverty level. The House and Senate have agreed on providing coverage for those making up to that percentage. It also includes an 80 hour monthly work requirement.
The original House plan included a 20 hour weekly work requirement. The Senate has pushed for a monthly work requirement up to 120 hours a week. The House proposal states that if the work requirement is denied, the plan could still go into effect. It also includes language that would mandate the state to reapply for work requirements when the federal government begins approval of them.
The work requirement aspect of both plans is the main disagreement between both chambers. The federal government has not approved a Medicaid expansion plan with a work requirement since President Joe Biden took office. Every House plan has included language that would ensure the plan would go into effect without a work requirement being approved.
Later on Monday, Senate Medicaid Chairman Kevin Blackwell (R-District 19) delivered another signed compromise proposal to the House on healthcare reform.
The newest proposal is a version of the Senate compromise delivered to the House on Friday, April 26. The House objected to the requirement that the Attorney General appeal to the federal courts if CMS denied the waiver. The new compromise would require the state, if the waiver was denied, to reapply only if another state’s work requirement was approved by CMS instead of contesting through the courts.
The newest proposal would also move the work requirement to 100 hours a month from 120 hours a month.
“We have provided three conference reports over the past three days. The House got back to us this afternoon countering with, essentially, their original bill,” Blackwell said. “We now submit a fourth report, which provides a path to implementation and is reflective of an attempt to compromise between the two chambers.”
“A compromise requires concessions between the chambers. The Senate requires a real work requirement, but our plan now covers individuals up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level,” Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann (R-Miss.) said. “This is a good step which would cover thousands more Mississippians than our Medicaid program covers now—and we hope the House will sign on to give us the opportunity to vote on the bill.”
The House and Senate also signed a placeholder bill updating the Medicaid statutes. The legislation as drafted by the Senate it easier for children who are severely disabled to receive coverage, increase reimbursement rates for physicians and certain services, include new areas of coverage, and preserve the changes made last year to the hospital tax.