Mastodawn

“The lack of access to healthcare for many Mississippians is currently a crisis, not a new crisis, but one that has been fermenting... As hospitals close across Mississippi, access to life-saving medical care becomes a real threat to all Mississippi."
https://www.mississippifreepress.org/30094/mississippi-health-care-faces-looming-disaster-medical-group-warns-lawmakers

Mississippi Health Care Faces ‘Looming Disaster,’ MSMA Tells Lawmakers

Health-care professionals have said that Mississippi's refusal to expand Medicaid has contributed significantly to hospital closures.

Mississippi Free Press

MSMA: “There is a sizable gap that exists for working Mississippians who cannot afford private insurance, yet whose income is too much to qualify for Mississippi Medicaid. ... [H]ospitals are required to treat them regardless of their inability to pay."
https://www.mississippifreepress.org/30094/mississippi-health-care-faces-looming-disaster-medical-group-warns-lawmakers

Mississippi Health Care Faces ‘Looming Disaster,’ MSMA Tells Lawmakers

Health-care professionals have said that Mississippi's refusal to expand Medicaid has contributed significantly to hospital closures.

Mississippi Free Press

MSMA: "And because these individuals are uninsured, the hospital is not compensated for necessary care. Such an economical strain on hospitals is not one that even the most successful private business could not endure.”
https://www.mississippifreepress.org/30094/mississippi-health-care-faces-looming-disaster-medical-group-warns-lawmakers

Mississippi Health Care Faces ‘Looming Disaster,’ MSMA Tells Lawmakers

Health-care professionals have said that Mississippi's refusal to expand Medicaid has contributed significantly to hospital closures.

Mississippi Free Press

Since 2013, Mississippi’s Republican leaders have rejected more than $10 billion from the federal government that could have been used to expand Medicaid, even with the federal government offering to cover between 90% and 100% of the cost.
https://www.mississippifreepress.org/30094/mississippi-health-care-faces-looming-disaster-medical-group-warns-lawmakers

Mississippi Health Care Faces ‘Looming Disaster,’ MSMA Tells Lawmakers

Health-care professionals have said that Mississippi's refusal to expand Medicaid has contributed significantly to hospital closures.

Mississippi Free Press

The 12 Republican-led states that refused to expand Medicaid accounted for 74% of all rural hospital closures between 2010 and 2021, an American Hospital Association report found last year.
https://www.mississippifreepress.org/30094/mississippi-health-care-faces-looming-disaster-medical-group-warns-lawmakers

Mississippi Health Care Faces ‘Looming Disaster,’ MSMA Tells Lawmakers

Health-care professionals have said that Mississippi's refusal to expand Medicaid has contributed significantly to hospital closures.

Mississippi Free Press

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LATEST: Despite warnings that 54% of rural Mississippi hospitals are in danger of closing, Gov. Tate Reeves cautioned lawmakers against using state funds to save them.

"Keeping inefficient systems is not a good answer,” he told @[email protected].
https://www.mississippifreepress.org/30116/crisis-mode-as-hospitals-close-mississippi-lawmakers-mull-band-aid-fixes

As Hospitals Close, Mississippi Lawmakers Mull ‘Band-Aid’ Fixes

Amid a raft of hospital closures, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves cautioned lawmakers against rushing to provide funding for ailing hospitals.

Mississippi Free Press

Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn reiterated to @[email protected] that he is "not in favor of Medicaid expansion," even though Mississippi's top medical leaders say it could save dozens of ailing rural hospitals.
https://www.mississippifreepress.org/30116/crisis-mode-as-hospitals-close-mississippi-lawmakers-mull-band-aid-fixes

As Hospitals Close, Mississippi Lawmakers Mull ‘Band-Aid’ Fixes

Amid a raft of hospital closures, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves cautioned lawmakers against rushing to provide funding for ailing hospitals.

Mississippi Free Press

Still, Speaker Gunn said he's reviewing the so-called "Arkansas model" to see if it is “a viable solution,” while reiterating that he opposes "Medicaid expansion."

But the "Arkansas model" is a version of Medicaid expansion that includes work requirements.https://www.mississippifreepress.org/30116/crisis-mode-as-hospitals-close-mississippi-lawmakers-mull-band-aid-fixes

As Hospitals Close, Mississippi Lawmakers Mull ‘Band-Aid’ Fixes

Amid a raft of hospital closures, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves cautioned lawmakers against rushing to provide funding for ailing hospitals.

Mississippi Free Press

Important point: A lot of times when we talk about "rural hospitals" and "rural voters," people assume you're referring to white people (such as in the midwest).

But in Mississippi, "rural" very often means Black (such as the majority Black rural Delta).
https://www.mississippifreepress.org/30116/crisis-mode-as-hospitals-close-mississippi-lawmakers-mull-band-aid-fixes

As Hospitals Close, Mississippi Lawmakers Mull ‘Band-Aid’ Fixes

Amid a raft of hospital closures, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves cautioned lawmakers against rushing to provide funding for ailing hospitals.

Mississippi Free Press

Ashton Pittman Jan 5, 2023

Correction: This story originally said the "Arkansas model" includes work requirements. A federal court struck down those work requirements in 2020.

Thanks for catching that, @[email protected].
https://www.mississippifreepress.org/30116/crisis-mode-as-hospitals-close-mississippi-lawmakers-mull-band-aid-fixes

As Hospitals Close, Mississippi Lawmakers Mull ‘Band-Aid’ Fixes

Amid a raft of hospital closures, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves cautioned lawmakers against rushing to provide funding for ailing hospitals.

Mississippi Free Press

gotklss2 / annette Jan 4, 2023

*DIE* and *HAVE YOUR BABIES AT HOME*

Not sounding like good governance to me

gotklss2 / annette Jan 4, 2023

Notice R's want to "end" and "close"

Not FIX nor how do we make it better?

#LifelongDem

The Richie Rich Jan 4, 2023

@ashton @Penny_G I mean why would anyone want to help make sick poor people better? (Sarcasm) #republicans #TheyDontCare

Penny ✌🏽👊🏼💪🏾Jan 4, 2023

@therichierichaye @ashton It is devastating ‼️😢💔😪

The Richie Rich Jan 4, 2023

@Penny_G @ashton I wish we could level the playing field, bring all Americans up to the same level of education and then have them choose political affiliations and see if they would make the same choices. But even then I think people would vote against their own self interests.

Penny ✌🏽👊🏼💪🏾Jan 4, 2023

@therichierichaye @ashton True … I am so disappointed in the people who keep voting to hurt themselves, their families, and friends.

Kay Dub Jan 4, 2023

@ashton Of course we did! All about the rural Republican except when it comes to health and welfare. It’s always sad when people willingly vote against their own interests. 😟

Grassroots Joe Jan 4, 2023

@kaydubatl @ashton
Many of those rural people are black and vote for Democrats, but they are in heavily gerrymandered districts silencing their voices.

Zhi Zhu 🕸️Jan 4, 2023

@kaydubatl @ashton

People do NOT vote against their interests. Some people are just more interested in being selfish hateful bigots than in getting access to healthcare, a decent wage or good governance.

Some people are more interested in hurting others than in helping themselves.

Kay Dub Jan 4, 2023

@ZhiZhu @ashton I didn’t say people voted against all of their interests - which ones an individual find most critical at the moment, based on their highest values, principles, and information they know, are what matters to most voters.

It is absolutely in a rural person’s best health interest to not have the hospital nearest them close - the next one could be hours away and cost them or loved ones their lives. Doesn’t mean they’ll vote for that and that’s sad to me.

Kay Dub Jan 4, 2023

@ZhiZhu @ashton People are complex and what’s important one moment can not be the next moment. Or some may not understand or be aware of the impact of what one set of policies may mean for other things they care about. People vote against their own interests - both knowingly and unknowingly all the time.

It’s not a judgement at all, but as I described, sad. Cause who wants someone’s life directly and very negatively affected? We’ve all likely done it to some degree.

Molly Timmins Jan 4, 2023

@ashton I guess that wasn’t very smart of them. But really, who could have known?

Cosmo

Jan 4, 2023

@ashton I'd also almost bet that they'll account for 74% of the areas with rising mortality rates, as well. That just means Republicans will keep losing the popular vote for decades to come, and they'll have done it to themselves to #OwnTheLibs and oppose "Obamacare."

Kirk Haggerty Jan 4, 2023

@ashton the GOP-controlled south doesn't need health care. They got guns, Fox News and mega-church pastors. 🤣

Nathan Standing Jan 4, 2023

@ashton
The problem is the time lag between when GOP breaks things and when the car finally crashes. There aren't any obvious fingerprints on the wreckage. Worse, now Republicans can shriek, "SEE! That's why you should fire Dems and reelect the GOP! Send your campaign donations here..."

Worked every time so far.

PrinceOfDenmark Jan 4, 2023

@ashton What was it @Teri_Kanefield called this? “Sadopopulism?” Among other things, it creates pain that can be blamed on “coastal elites”/Democrats. It is shameful and cruel and serves a political purpose. Unless people hold the people stopping #Medicaid expansion at bay believe it will cost them an election, this will all continue.

54% of Mississippi's RURAL* hospitals, this tweet should say

Zhi Zhu 🕸️Jan 4, 2023

There is an edit function on most Mastodon servers. How you access it varies from server to server, but in my case, clicking on the three dots in the bottom right corner of one of your own posts, brings up a pop-up menu and one of the options is "edit"

carodjah!✨at the disco✨Jan 4, 2023

@ashton @brooklynmarie wonder if there’s any group working to expand it via ballot like we did in Nebraska. Legislature here was never gonna move, so voters did, and it’s saved a lot of people.

brooklynmarie Jan 4, 2023

@carodjah @ashton That’s a great question.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/14/politics/utah-medicaid-expansion/index.html

nshrubs Jan 4, 2023

@carodjah @ashton @brooklynmarie Utah did via voter initiative, then the GOP legislature said nah, we don't wanna do that and WE know better. Then they passed their own plan that covered fewer people & cost way more & the Feds (Trump admin) said nah, we're not approving that, so 🤷‍♀️.

brooklynmarie Jan 4, 2023

@Nshrubs @carodjah @ashton Disgusting.

nshrubs Jan 4, 2023

@brooklynmarie @carodjah @ashton Pretty typical of the patriarchal Utah GOP churchislature full of old white Mormon males. Only THEY know what is best, & it's not granting Medicaid coverage to the least fortunate. They're also about to cut taxes, which will decimate public schools & won't help low income families, but refuse to eliminate a food tax which WOULD help low income families. Sensing a theme?

SatelliteOfLove Jan 4, 2023

https://apnews.com/article/politics-mississippi-state-government-jobs-and-careers-scandals-79be4e8ed08d119a2b05da9441c5d8ea

They're too busy stealing money from the fed.

Welfare scandal sharpens contrasts in long-poor Mississippi

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — In Mississippi, where elected officials have a long history of praising self-sufficiency and condemning federal antipoverty programs , a welfare scandal has exposed how millions of dollars were diverted to the rich and powerful — including pro athletes — instead of helping some of the neediest people in the nation.

Associated Press