Speaker Philip Gunn will not block postpartum Medicaid extension from House passage

Home Speaker Philip Gunn on Monday mentioned he received’t block extension of postpartum Medicaid protection for Mississippi moms, following fellow Republican Gov. Tate Reeves’ lead from Sunday.

Home Medicaid Committee Chairman Joey Hood mentioned he’ll name a committee assembly for Tuesday, the deadline to maintain postpartum extension laws alive by committee passage. The measure is predicted to cross.

A Mississippi At present survey of Home lawmakers in early February confirmed a majority assist extending Medicaid protection for brand new moms from 60 days to a yr, however Gunn twice blocked the measure from coming to a Home vote final yr.

“For a yr, we’ve been asking the division of Medicaid to provide us some steerage,” Gunn mentioned. “I’ve this letter in the present day, the place they’ve mentioned it’s a appropriate method for Mississippi. They assist doing it and they don’t view it as Medicaid enlargement — it’s not including new individuals onto the rolls. These have been my two important issues this complete time. I really feel like we’ve got been constant.”

READ MORE: Gov. Tate Reeves, after months of resistance, asks lawmakers to cross postpartum Medicaid extension

The Senate, led by fellow Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, has a number of occasions handed a invoice to increase Medicaid postpartum protection. However the proposal has died within the Home with no vote underneath Gunn’s course. Gunn opposes Medicaid enlargement and has mentioned he was involved the postpartum protection extension could be thought-about such enlargement.

Medicaid Director Drew Snyder had publicly declined taking a place on the difficulty, and Gunn and Hood mentioned they’ve been unable to get steerage — therefore their not taking it up within the Home final yr. However after Reeves, who oversees the Division of Medicaid, mentioned on Sunday he helps postpartum protection extension, Snyder despatched Gunn a letter on Monday.

It mentioned: “… adopting a one-year protection period for postpartum pregnant ladies as set out in Senate invoice 2212 is an acceptable method for Mississippi. It is also in step with the method adopted by equally located Medicaid packages in our area resembling Alabama, Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee … I’d additionally observe that establishing a 12-month protection period for already eligible Medicaid mothers is completely different than increasing Medicaid to newly eligible adults underneath the Inexpensive Care Act.”

Gunn careworn that he’s been “constant” in saying he wouldn’t assist postpartum extension till the Medicaid Division informed him it supported the transfer. He mentioned he suspects the company despatched him the letter due to Reeves’ announcement of assist. Beforehand, Reeves mentioned he didn’t have sufficient information to point out that extending well being providers to moms would assist their well being.

READ MORE: FAQ: What’s postpartum Medicaid extension, precisely?

Reeves mentioned Sunday that given the overturning of Roe v. Wade abortion rights, with hundreds extra births anticipated in Mississippi with its excessive charges of toddler and maternal mortality and issues, the state ought to “go above and past” to assist uninsured moms.

Gunn mentioned he nonetheless opposes broader Medicaid enlargement to cowl the working poor, as 39 different states have performed.

“I nonetheless imagine there are good options that don’t contain authorities,” Gunn mentioned. “Just like the tax credit we’ve proposed, incentives for private-sector resolution to assist with well being care, with out increasing authorities.”

Rep. Bryant Clark, D-Pickens, a member of the Home Medicaid Committee, mentioned he believes the laws will cross within the committee.

“I’ve combined feelings,” Clark mentioned. “I’m extraordinarily pleased moms are getting protection. However it reveals you ways a lot politics play into the choices which are made. If it the correct factor to do now, which it’s, then it was the correct factor to do final yr and it was the correct factor to do earlier this session.

“However I’m extraordinarily pleased moms will probably be lined.”

Clark additionally mentioned he’s happy that the Home Medicaid Committee will probably be assembly for the primary time this session.

READ MORE: Gov. Tate Reeves not sure whether or not offering moms well being care would assist their well being

Mississippi At present’s Bobby Harrison contributed to this report.