Mississippi
MS House passes prenatal Medicaid early eligibility. See details
Senate now to consider expanding prenatal Medicaid eligibility
The Mississippi House passed a bill that would establish a 60-day medical care window for pregnant women seeking to get on the state’s Medicaid program.
In a nearly unanimous vote Wednesday afternoon, the lawmakers approved House Committee Substitute Bill 539, which allows pregnant women to receive Medicaid benefits by being presumed pregnant if they can prove their family net income falls below 194% of the federal poverty rate by a Mississippi Division of Medicaid approved provider.
Bill Author Rep. Missy McGee, R, who serves Forrest and Lamar counties, told legislators in the House that the state would bear an average cost of about $557,000 per year, and that pregnant women can receive up to 60 days of Medicaid coverage by going to a County Health Department clinic to provide proof of pregnancy and income.
“The benefits are great, and the risks are very small,” McGee said. “In a state that you have the highest fetal mortality, infant mortality and maternal mortality rates, these will go a long way.”
If passed as is by both chambers, the 60-day window would allow mothers to receive medical coverage for doctor’s visits and prenatal care while MDM processes their application. In theory, those pregnant women would have Medicaid coverage once the 60-day window has closed.
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However, if an applicant is denied Medicaid benefits during the 60 days, their coverage is ended and the state would bear the cost of the services and treatments done up until that point, McGee said.
In 2023, McGee was a large support of a law that was enacted last year that expanded Medicaid coverage for post-partum care, giving new mothers up to 12 months of Medicaid benefits.
Medicaid Committee Member Rep. Rob Roberson, R, who serves Oktibbeha County, told the Clarion Ledger he supported the bill because it would help new mothers get medical insurance.
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“I think this is a good day for our women in this in this state, especially for trying to help lower the infant mortality right,” Roberson said, “This is an opportunity for the state to get ahead of the curve rather than continue getting behind.”
The bill will now be sent to the Senate. This is a developing story.
Grant McLaughlin covers state government for the Clarion Ledger. He can be reached at gmclaughlin@gannett.com or 972-571-2335.
Mississippi College baseball has won the series against West Florida for the first time ever
The Choctaws have been playing UWF since 2015
MC won the first two games and put on a bit of a comeback in game 3
Next: GSC at Delta St., then Conference Tournament
GEORGE COUNTY, Miss. (WLOX) — A George County High School senior is dead after an SUV hit him while bicycling on Highway 26 Friday night.
Mississippi Highway Patrol (MHP) officials said at 8:15 p.m. the MHP responded to a fatal crash on Highway 26 in George County.
Those officials said a Ford SUV traveling west on Highway 26 collided with 18-year-old Tyree Bradley of McLain, Mississippi, who was bicycling.
Bradley was fatally injured and died at the scene, MHP officials said.
The crash remains under investigation by the MHP.
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Some losses feel like they drag on longer than the box score suggests, and Mississippi State’s 3-1 opener at Texas A&M fits that category.
It wasn’t a blowout. It wasn’t a game where the Bulldogs looked outmatched.
It was just one of those nights where the early mistakes stuck around and the offense never quite found the swing that could shake them loose.
The frustrating part is how quickly the hole formed. Two solo homers and a wild pitch in the first two innings put Mississippi State behind 3-0, and that was basically the ballgame.
Against a top tier SEC team on the road, spotting three runs that early is a tough ask. The Bulldogs didn’t fold, but they also didn’t cash in when the door cracked open.
“I liked our fight. I think we’re really just working through some things offensively, and trying to stay together,” Mississippi State coach Samantha Ricketts said. “This team still believes, and we’re going to battle and fight every chance we get, and I think I saw a lot of that. I’m encouraged for what that means for us moving forward, but, you know, they’re a good hitting team, and we’ve got to be able to shut them down early. I don’t think Peja [Goold] had her best stuff, but she continued to battle out there and find ways to get outs.”
They had chances. Two runners stranded in the fifth. Two more in the sixth. Another in the seventh. Des Rivera finally got the Bulldogs on the board with an RBI single, but the big hit that usually shows up for this lineup never arrived.
It wasn’t a lack of traffic. It was a lack of finish.
If there was a bright spot, it came from the bullpen. Delainey Everett gave Mississippi State exactly what it needed after the rocky start.
“That was just a huge relief appearance by Delaney to keep us in it,” Ricketts said. “It’s really good to have her back and healthy these last few weeks because these are the moments where we really need her and rely on her. We know that she’s going to be a big part of the remainder of the season going forward as well.”
Three hitless innings, one baserunner, and a reminder that she’s quietly putting together a strong stretch.
There were individual positives too. Nadia Barbary keeps climbing the doubles list. Kiarra Sells keeps finding ways on base.
But the bigger picture is simple. Mississippi State is now 6-10 in the SEC, and the margin for error is shrinking. Nights like this one are the difference between climbing back into the race and staying stuck in the middle.
They get another shot this morning with the schedule bumped up for weather. The formula isn’t complicated.
Clean up the early innings, keep getting quality relief, and find one or two timely swings. The Bulldogs didn’t get them Friday. They’ll need them today.
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