About
In Mississippi, Medicaid works to ensure that we are better able to meet many of the healthcare needs of our citizens and support community wellbeing through a proven program that enhances public health and increases economic growth.
Everyone in Mississippi Deserves Access to Affordable Healthcare Coverage
Access to affordable healthcare is not only crucial to improving the health of so many Mississippians, it also a key tool for improving children’s health, improving family economic security, and strengthening Mississippi’s workforce and economy.
According to the Commonwealth Fund, Mississippi’s health care system ranks last among all states across 49 measures of access to health care, quality of care, service use and costs of care, health outcomes, and income-based health care disparities. However, since 2014, Mississippi has declined the option to expand Medicaid eligibility to most1 adults with incomes under 138 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL; approximately $30,300 in annual earnings for a family of three).
The Mississippi Health Advocacy Program (MHAP) and Mississippi Center for Justice (MCJ) believe this change to Medicaid will negatively impact children and families throughout the state, particularly the poorest and most vulnerable parents who now receive Medicaid in Mississippi—and that few of them will be able to afford insurance even if they find jobs.
Find out the many ways Medicaid is already working for our state, and why a work requirement won’t work for Mississippi in our resources section below.
The Mississippi Health Advocacy Program (MHAP), Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable and Mississippi Center for Justice (MCJ) are working together to educate Mississippians about the detrimental impact of the proposed Medicaid work requirement on the health and well being of children and families in our state.
With the help of a diverse coalition of community partners, we are working to activate community organizations, engage healthcare providers, and support community advocates to help get the word out in communities across Mississippi. Together, we can demonstrate to key stakeholders at the state and federal level why taking health coverage away from the most vulnerable families will only work to degrade health outcomes in our state.
Ensure all Mississippians, regardless of their background, have access to quality health coverage for themselves and their families.
Create the space and opportunity for impacted Mississippians to tell their story about the lack of access to quality affordable healthcare insurance in Mississippi.
Inspire, educate and empower others to become educated and aware of the ongoing need for increasing access to affordable healthcare insurance coverage.
According to the recent report from Manatt Health, approximately 370,000 Mississippians were uninsured in 2019. That’s enough people to fill the stadiums at Jackson State, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, and USM, nearly one and a half times.
Nearly 45,000 women—including over 20,000 Black women—fall in the state’s coverage gap. That means that they don’t qualify for traditional Medicaid and also don’t make enough money to qualify for premium tax credits, which help people with low and moderate incomes purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. The majority of employed Mississippi women who fall in this coverage gap work in low-wage occupations that often don’t offer benefits and/or don’t pay enough for women to be able to afford insurance coverage.
Right now, thousands of Mississippians are stuck in a “coverage gap,” which means they often must choose between getting healthcare care and paying the mortgage. By expanding affordable healthcare access, nearly 200,000 uninsured non-elderly people would be eligible for health coverage, reaching those currently in the overage gap and others. Half of those eligible are women, and about six in ten are people of color.
New mothers who utilize Medicaid in Mississippi have only 60 days of Medicaid coverage post-delivery. Experts and advocates have expressed that new mothers should have at least one year of post-partum coverage to ensure the safety and health of both mother and baby.
Mississippi leads the nation in the infant mortality rate of 8.9 deaths per 1,000 live births and a rate of 11.3 deaths per 1,000 live births for Black infants.
Resources
Medicaid works for
Medicaid works for Mississippi.
For Individuals
Find out if a new work requirement would impact your Medicaid health coverage.
For Advocates
Get informed and take action to help protect health care for children and families in MS.
Expanding Affordable Healthcare Access in Mississippi Fact Sheet
Assessing the Fiscal Impact of Medicaid Expansion in Mississippi
Proposed Medicaid Work Requirement: Impact on Mississippi’s Low-Income Families
Medicaid Briefs: Who Is Harmed by Work Requirements
Connect with Us
Mississippi Health Advocacy Program
601.353.0845
800 N.President St.
Jackson, MS 39202
