Mississippians favor Medicaid expansion; Speaker Gunn still says “NO”

Although 80 percent of Mississippians – including 70 percent of Republicans — favor expanding Medicaid, Speaker Phil Gunn still blocks it in the House of Representatives.

Mississippi has the highest premature birth rate and the lowest average birthrate in America. Babies born in Mississippi are more than twice as likely to die before their first birthday than elsewhere in America.

House Speaker Gunn still refuses to yield in his opposition to expanding Medicaid.

Gunn even claims not to have seen data proving that Medicaid expansion could save lives. Five of the state’s medical care agencies had told Gunn in writing that Medicaid expansion would save the lives of infants. Gunn claims they never told him.

Gunn has said he will leave the legislature at the end of this year. Many wonder what he – or the people of Mississippi – are likely to gain by him hanging around another year.

Read more here: https://mississippitoday.org/2023/01/23/postpartum-extension-philip-gunn/