Mississippi Today

Gov. Tate Reeves unsure whether providing mothers health care would help their health

Published

2 years ago

February 21, 2023

Gov. Tate Reeves unsure whether providing mothers health care would help their health

by Geoff Pender, Mississippi Today
February 21, 2023

Gov. Tate Reeves on Thursday reiterated that he really wants to help more mothers and babies. After all, it’s just the right thing to do after the post-Roe abortion ban in Mississippi, what with our third-world levels of infant and maternal mortality.

But he’s not sure spending $7 million — to draw down tens of millions of federal dollars — to provide thousands of mothers with 12 months of postpartum health care instead of 60 days would help them. He needs more data, more study of the issue.

But providing $10 million in tax credits for crisis pregnancy centers that provide no real health care but counsel women not to get abortions (even though they’re banned now anyway) and gives them diapers — well apparently that would be money well spent. It’s unclear what data shows that.

So, to recap: It’s unclear whether providing health care to mothers would help their health. But tax breaks for affluent people to help anti-abortion counseling centers would.

Asked his stance on extending postpartum coverage on Thursday, Reeves, who could extend postpartum coverage himself with the stroke of a pen, said: “What I’ve said repeatedly on postpartum Medicaid expansion is, No. 1, I’m proud to be the governor of the state of Mississippi that overturned Roe v. Wade. Mississippi is a pro-life state and we stepped up.

“I’ve also said that we as a state have to move to the next phase of the pro-life movement, and that’s ensuring that we support moms and babies,” Reeves said. “That’s a stated goal that is not going to be easy and it’s not going to be free.

“The postpartum Medicaid expansion what I’ve said in the past and continue to say today is the data is incomplete at best … I think it’s something that they’re working on in the Legislature and I think they should continue to work on it. We don’t have great data … So again that’s an issue we’re continuing to work on and I continue to be very interested in the issue because I do want to make sure we go above and beyond in our attempts to support moms and babies, because we know that we are going to in the absence of Roe v. Wade have more babies born in our state which I think is a wonderful thing and a beautiful thing and we’ve got to look for a number of ways in which to support them.”

That’s not exactly the clearest stance on an issue that’s been front-and-center in Mississippi politics for nearly two years.

Both Reeves and House Speaker Philip Gunn, who has blocked passage of extended postpartum care numerous times after the state Senate has passed it, say they need more data, more empirical evidence that it helps mothers.

But experts have said such data doesn’t exist yet. It will likely be several years before it’s collected and disseminated. That’s sort of the nature of such data.

There is data from 2017 through 2019, from the Mississippi Department of Health, that shows the state’s maternal mortality rate — already one of the highest in America — is worsening.

But it would take a leap of faith to craft policy on the theorem that providing more health care would help mothers’ health.

One national expert recently noted that basing health policy only on mortality numbers might be a bit myopic, saying, “There’s a lot more to maternal health than, ‘Did you die?'”

Reeves on Thursday made his continued support for pregnancy crisis centers clear, even if his stance on postpartum health care for mothers is not. He did not cite any data on how the centers impact health outcomes.

“One of the reasons I am very supportive and have proposed along with Speaker Gunn the additional money for the pregnancy crisis centers is many of those pregnancy crisis centers really do have individuals, if someone has an unwanted pregnancy they have individuals at these pregnancy crisis centers that will help coach them through the process.”

Reeves did not cite any data that shows coaches produce better health outcomes than doctors.

In a recent Mississippi Public Broadcasting article, the director of one of those crisis pregnancy centers detailed ways they help expectant mothers.

“We’ve had clients say, ‘I don’t want to have a baby because of the cost,’” he said. “We’re like, ‘But do you know about Medicaid?’ And they’re like, ‘Oh, what is that?’”

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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Mississippi Today

UMMC holds free cancer screenings

Published

1 day ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @EricJShelton – 2025-04-30 12:00:00

by Eric J. Shelton, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Resident physician Claire Babin, right, performs an oral cancer screening on Ella Holmes during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Physicians prepare for oral, head and neck cancer screenings during a free screening event at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, screens Diane Carter for oral cancer as medical students Mason Nodurft, left, and Eva Kiparizoska observe during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Educational giveaways advocating against smoking are available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Sharon Terry, senior tobacco treatment specialist, waits for patients during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Skylar Robinson, medical office assistant, left, and Kiandria Bruce, registered nurse, review materials at the patient sign-in table during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Head and neck cancer literature is available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Dr. Alex Brooks and registered nurse Angela Noble talk during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Nina Brown, clinical manager, helps Ned Bostic with paperwork during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin performs an oral cancer screening on Ned Bostic at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Ned Bostic receives a neck cancer screening during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, and medical student Hanna Watson examine Ned Bostic during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery hosted a free oral, head, and neck cancer screening Wednesday at the Jackson Medical Mall as part of Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week.

The event featured quick, noninvasive screenings aimed at catching cancer early — when treatment is most effective. Onyx Care provided free HPV vaccinations, while the ACT Center for Tobacco Treatment, Education, and Research offered resources on smoking cessation and free services.

“These screenings take about 10 minutes and can save lives,” said Dr. Gina Jefferson, head and neck surgical oncologist at UMMC. “The earlier a cancer is diagnosed, the better chance we have of curing it.”

Tobacco and alcohol use remain major risk factors for these cancers. However, physicians say an increasing number of cases are linked to HPV, especially among younger adults with no history of smoking or drinking. Dentists are often the first to spot early signs, which can include persistent sores, lumps in the neck, or difficulty swallowing.

Oral, head and neck cancers are among the most common globally. When found early, survival rates can exceed 80 percent.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post UMMC holds free cancer screenings appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article presents factual information about a free cancer screening event without showing a clear ideological stance. It primarily focuses on the health benefits of early cancer detection and the availability of free resources, such as HPV vaccinations and smoking cessation support. The language used is neutral and the content is centered around public health education rather than promoting a political viewpoint. The inclusion of factual statistics, such as survival rates and risk factors, adds to its informative and objective tone. There are no signs of bias or advocacy for a particular political agenda, making this a centrist piece.

Crooked Letter Sports Podcast

Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball?

Published

1 day ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @rick_cleveland – 2025-04-30 10:46:00

by Rick Cleveland and Tyler Cleveland, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi State didn’t even wait until the end of the season to fire Chris Lemonis, who brought the national championship to Starkville not quite four years ago. Where do the Bulldogs go from here. Robbie Faulk who covers the Bulldogs more closely than anyone else joins the podcast to discuss the situation.

Stream all episodes here.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball? appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Mississippi Today

Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you

Published

1 day ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @MSTODAYnews – 2025-04-30 10:21:00

by Mississippi Today, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi Today is looking to speak with current and former mobile sports betting users. We’d like to speak with people who spend considerable amounts of time and money betting on sports through online gambling sites.

We’re interested in hearing the experience of people who have suffered from gambling addiction or problems, or friends and family members of people who have. We also would like to talk with people who believe legalizing mobile sports betting would benefit Mississippi and its residents.

We want to hear from you. Please take the survey below or contact Political Reporter Michael Goldberg by email at mgoldberg@mississippitoday.org

TAKE THE SURVEY:

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This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article from Mississippi Today appears to present a neutral stance, focusing on gathering input from various groups of mobile sports betting users, including those who may have experienced addiction issues. The content does not advocate for or against the legalization of mobile sports betting but instead seeks to gather diverse perspectives, including those of individuals who may support or oppose it. The language used is objective and does not suggest a particular ideological perspective, allowing for a balanced exploration of the issue at hand.