A solution to Mississippi’s ongoing healthcare crisis offered by Gov. Tate Reeves may not receive the federal greenlight if Medicaid coverage is not fully expanded, according to a powerful hospital owner.
Reeves announced in September what he called “sweeping Medicaid reimbursement reforms” that could generate an estimated $689 million for hospitals throughout the state if the proposal is approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
In response to the plan, hospital owner and administrator Quentin Whitwell said during a recent appearance on MidDays with Gerard Gibert that he’s thankful for the Republican governor’s efforts. However, he is worried federal officials might deny it unless lawmakers and Reeves decide to move forward with full Medicaid expansion.
“If I’m the feds, I’m probably saying, ‘Wait a minute. You want your cake, but you want to eat it too,’ because you’re not expanding for the population and the actual persons that need the insurance,” Whitwell said.
Whitwell, who owns Panola Medical Center and operates other hospitals throughout Mississippi, explained that Reeves’ plan does not provide a solution for every low-income working adult in the state.
The former politician believes lawmakers will have to look harder than ever at Medicaid expansion – which would give the state more than $1 billion in federal funding at a cost of just over $100 million – if a real answer is going to be provided to the state’s struggling hospitals. Last session, 17 bills that included expansions were thrown out without being taken up for a vote.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if we don’t end up in a situation where we have to look at both in the legislature this year before it’s over with,” Whitwell said of the likelihood of the legislature having to examine full Medicaid expansion as well as the governor’s plan.
With arguably a more open-minded speaker of the House set to take over in Rep. Jason White, lawmakers have already been discussing taking the prospect of expansion more seriously than in years past. Sen. Chad McMahan, R-Guntown, confirmed this recently.
“I’m neither for, nor against Medicaid expansion. What I’m for