Mississippi Today

Doctors, advocates rally at Capitol: ‘Defend and expand Medicaid’

Published

1 month ago

March 18, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – Sophia Paffenroth – 2025-03-18 15:16:00

by Sophia Paffenroth, Mississippi Today
March 18, 2025

Dr. Randy Easterling speaks during a press conference advocating for Medicaid expansion and protection at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson, Miss., on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.
Supporters hold signs in support of Medicaid expansion and protection during a press conference at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson, Miss., on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. The event was organized by Care4Mississippi and the Mississippi Women’s Economic Security Initiative.
Jason Coker, president of Together for Hope, speaks during a press conference advocating for Medicaid expansion and protection at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson, Miss., on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. The event was organized by Care4Mississippi and the Mississippi Women’s Economic Security Initiative.
Supporters and lawmakers pray at the start of a press conference advocating for Medicaid expansion and protection at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson, Miss., on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. The event was organized by Care4Mississippi and the Mississippi Women’s Economic Security Initiative, a coalition focused on improving economic policies for women and families.
Robin Jackson, director of Policy Advocacy at the Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable, speaks during a press conference advocating for Medicaid expansion and protection at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson, Miss., on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.
Supporters listen to speakers during a press conference advocating for Medicaid expansion and protection at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson, Miss., on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.
A supporter holds a sign reading “Leave No One Behind” during a press conference advocating for Medicaid expansion and protection at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson, Miss., on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.
Sonya Williams Barnes, state policy director for Southern Poverty Law Center, speaks during a press conference advocating for Medicaid expansion and protection at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson, Miss., on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.
Supporters listen as Dr. Randy Easterling speaks during a press conference advocating for Medicaid expansion and protection at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson, Miss., on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

Dozens of advocates, doctors and spiritual leaders gathered outside the Capitol Tuesday to call for the “defense and expansion of Medicaid.”

“Medicaid is not just an insurance program – it is a lifeline for 707,000 Mississippians,” said Sonya Williams Barnes, the state policy director for Southern Poverty Law Center. “Medicaid ensures that 315,000 children receive the health care they need … Make no mistakes: A cut to Medicaid directly harms our most vulnerable.”

Despite having some of the strictest eligibility requirements for the program, Mississippi has one of the largest Medicaid populations in the country as a result of the state’s poverty.

With federal changes threatening already-existing health care programs, defending Medicaid for vulnerable groups such as those who are pregnant, elderly or disabled has become the new goal for Mississippi advocates. Expanding Medicaid – arguably the biggest issue of the historic 2024 legislative session – has taken a backseat.

But some urge it’s as important as ever.

“In this moment we cannot shift gears, after all these years, and only beg our elected officials to save Medicaid,” the Rev. Jason Coker said. “We can’t give up that ground at a moment when we need to be gaining ground. We’ve got to keep pushing for Medicaid expansion, while we demand and pray for Medicaid to continue uncut.”

Key lawmakers have said expanding Medicaid in Mississippi is all but dead this year – though a vehicle for expansion is still alive in the Legislature.

“In a most practical sense, I’d say we probably won’t be doing anything this year,” Senate Medicaid Chairman Kevin Blackwell told Mississippi Today.

Mississippi is one of 10 states not to expand Medicaid, which would give health insurance to hundreds of thousands of low-income working Mississippians who can’t afford private health insurance and don’t qualify for subsidies that make marketplace insurance affordable.

“What kind of society are we to compound suffering with catastrophic costs to those in our congregations and so many across our state who fall within that coverage gap?” Coker asked.

Dr. Randy Easterling, former president of the Mississippi State Medical Association, recounted a story of an uninsured patient who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a kind of cancer, around the same time that Easterling’s insured relative was also diagnosed with the disease. The uninsured patient, Jimmy, died, while Easterling’s relative is now in remission.

“Is this what we boil down to?” Easterling asked. “If you have insurance, you live, if you don’t, you die? Let me tell you something, folks: That’s not what I signed up for when I went to medical school.”

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

Up Next

Senate and House pass revised plans to eliminate income tax, increase gasoline tax

Don't Miss

Mayor Simmons: Greenville aims to be city of hope and opportunity

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:

Loading…

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.