‘Right thing to do’: Senate offers compromise on Medicaid expansion

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - The Mississippi Senate has offered a compromise in Medicaid expansion.

On Friday, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann issued a statement saying that Senate conference committee members have signed off on two reports: the Senate’s original expansion plan, and a compromise plan that would allow the state to pull down federal funds to help pay for 90 percent of the program’s costs.

“We are hopeful a compromise is on the horizon. When people are healthy, they are working, raising their families, and contributing to their communities,” Hosemann said. “Access to healthcare is a critical component of economic and workforce development efforts in Mississippi - and reforming healthcare is the right thing to do.”

[READ: Only House conferees show for Medicaid expansion conference committee; Senate says negotiations still happening]

The compromise appears similar to a compromise put forward by the House earlier this week, except that it includes a more stringent work requirement. Under the proposal, beneficiaries must work 120 hours a month. The House proposal would have only mandated new recipients to work 20 hours a week.

The deadline for filing conference reports on appropriation and revenue bills is Saturday, April 27. The deadline for those reports to be adopted is April 29. The last day of the session is May 5.

Under the Senate’s latest offering, the Mississippi Division of Medicaid would seek a federal waiver to expand the program to cover people making less than 100 percent of the federal poverty level.

Medicaid also would be expanded to cover residents earning between 100 and 138 percent of the federal poverty level through the federal health insurance exchange.

One hundred percent of the federal poverty level for a family of four is $31,200 a year, state figures show; for that same family, 138 percent of the federal poverty level is $43,056 annually.

If the state’s waiver is approved, Mississippi would be able to fund 90 percent of the expansion costs with federal funds. The remaining 10 percent would be paid through an assessment on managed care organizations and a tax on Medicaid beneficiaries who receive a plan through the exchange.

Both proposals would have a work requirement for recipients. Under the compromise plan, the Division of Medicaid would appeal to the U.S. Attorney General if CMS denies the state’s waiver.

CMS is the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. To expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, the state must obtain a Section 1115 Waiver from CMS.

Whether the work requirement would be allowed by the federal agency remains to be seen.

According to NBC News, CMS revoked waivers for states that include work requirements as part of their expansions.

Under the Senate’s previous version of the bill, the measure would be dead if the waiver was not approved, or if a “court of competent jurisdiction” nullified the requirement.

Meanwhile, it’s unclear whether any expansion bill will be signed by Gov. Tate Reeves, who has voiced opposition on social media.

The Senate compromise report is shown below.

Senate Compromise Healthcare Reform Conference Report by aswarren77 on Scribd

WLBT State Reporter Courtney Ann Jackson contributed to this report.

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