Mississippi Today

Experts analyze House, Senate Medicaid expansion proposals, offer compromise plan

Published

1 year ago

April 16, 2024

As Mississippi lawmakers look for compromise between widely differing House and Senate Mississippi Medicaid expansion plans, experts with a health research group have projected the costs, savings and efficacy of the plans and offered a third, potential compromise plan.

The analysis shows that under each plan, the state would see net annual savings – ranging from tens of millions to hundreds of millions of dollars – by expanding the state-federal Medicaid program to cover working, poor and uninsured Mississippians. The plans, the study says, also vary widely in how many Mississippians would be covered – from around 50,000 to nearly 200,000.

The study was commissioned by the Center for Mississippi Health Policy and conducted by the Hilltop Institute at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Hilltop has studied Medicaid expansion nationwide and recently testified before the Mississippi House Medicaid Committee.

“We wanted to get some updated numbers based on publicly available data,” said Morgan Henderson, director of analytics and research for Hilltop. “We really want to make sure folks having these discussions have data points they need.”

The study takes the House and Senate plans at face value, even though both contain elements not likely to be approved by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The Senate plan, for instance, includes a stringent work requirement for coverage that, besides potentially costing millions in administrative fees, isn’t likely to be approved by CMS.

Both the House and Senate plans contain another potential poison pill that could prevent expansion from being implemented. They have 12-month moratoriums on people who qualify for the expanded Medicaid coverage from dropping private coverage and applying for Medicaid. CMS is highly unlikely to approve this, and such moratoriums would probably not meet constitutional muster in a court.

The options

Mississippi Senate plan

One striking difference between the Senate plan and the House and compromise plans is the Senate one would turn down about $1 billion a year in federal money to cover more expansion costs. It also would forego nearly $700 million over the first two years in enhanced federal funding that some refer to as a “signing bonus” for states that fully expand Medicaid per the federal Affordable Care Act.

The Senate plan would provide coverage to people making up to 100% of the federal poverty level – about $15,000 a year for an individual. Hilltop estimates this plan would cover about 54,000 people, although Senate leaders said they estimate about 40,000 people would sign up.

The Senate plan would require participants to work 120 hours a month or be enrolled as a full-time student or in a workforce training program. It would exempt some from this requirement, including parents of children under 6, people mentally or physically unable to work or those who are caregivers to disabled family members.

Cost

The state’s upfront cost of the Senate plan would be paid by a 3% tax on Medicaid managed care providers.

Hilltop estimates the Senate plan would cost the state a little over $114 million per year, including $15 million in administrative costs. But when these costs are offset by the tax on providers, the economic stimulus of expansion and other offsets or revenue, Hilltop estimates a net savings to the state of $43.4 million a year.

Mississippi House plan

The House plan would provide Medicaid coverage for people making up to 138% of federal poverty level, a little more than $20,00 a year for an individual. Hilltop estimates this would cover about 134,000 Mississippians (again, factoring in the “moratorium” on leaving private coverage).

The House plan calls for work requirements – 20 hours a week or enrollment as a student or in workforce development – but would still go into effect without the requirements if CMS fails to approve them.

Under this plan, Mississippi would draw down about $1 billion a year in increased federal Medicaid payments, and over the first two years, another nearly $700 million in enhanced federal payments.

Cost

The state share of upfront costs for the House plan would be covered by a 4% tax on Medicaid managed care providers.

Hilltop estimates the House plan, with no work requirement approved, would cost a little over $115 million, including $8 million in administrative costs. But when these are offset by the tax on providers, economic stimulus and other offsets or revenue, Hilltop estimates an annual savings for the state of more than $404 million a year for the first two years, then $79.5 million a year for the third year and beyond.

House Speaker Jason White and others have noted that the enhanced federal payments to the state totaling nearly $700 million over the first two years would cover all state costs for the first four years of the House expansion plan. White also noted that the House plan, even if a work requirement is not approved, would require the managed care organizations to track employment and other data from those covered.

Compromise ‘hybrid plan‘

Hilltop’s “Mississippi MarketPlus Hybrid Plan” would offer expanded Medicaid coverage through the state’s managed care program for those making under 100% of the federal poverty level. For those making 100% to 138% (up to $20,000 for an individual) of poverty level, the plan would use federal money to provide assistance for them to buy private insurance plans through Mississippi’s marketplace exchange.

Hilltop estimates this plan would provide coverage for 197,000 Mississippians.

The plan would require managed care companies to provide employment support and require mandatory referral to workforce training. It would also require those covered to pay marketplace insurance co-pays, but would not include a work requirement or moratorium on people leaving private insurance.

Like the House plan, this plan is expected to qualify the state for enhanced federal Medicaid payments and the two-year “signing bonus” of nearly $700 million.

Cost

The plan, like the Senate’s, includes a 3% tax on Medicaid managed care providers to help cover state costs.

Hilltop estimates the upfront cost to the state for this plan would be a little more than $186 million, including $12 million in administrative costs (including work support). But these would be offset by the tax on providers, economic stimulus from expansion and other offsets or revenue. Hilltop estimates a net savings to the state for this plan of more than $356 million a year for the first two years, then $31.3 million a year in savings for years three and up.

The Hilltop study also noted this plan would allow the state to receive a 90% federal match for services currently funded only with state dollars, including hospital services for incarcerated people and some behavioral health services.

Credit: Chart courtesy of The Hilltop Institute at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Other findings

Hilltop’s report says that Medicaid work requirements – when they were previously allowed by the feds – have not shown to increase workforce participation. It said, “Moreover, the Arkansas experience demonstrates that the administrative burden in reporting work status can lead to Medicaid coverage loss for the working poor – thus hurting the exact individuals designed to be covered under work requirements.”

A Georgia program similar to the Mississippi Senate’s plan in several regards, has shown that stringent work requirements result in low enrollment and high administrative costs, the Hilltop study notes. As of recently, the Georgia program had enrolled only a few thousand people and over 90% of its costs to-date have been administrative costs and consulting fees. Georgia is still battling the federal government in court over its work requirements.

The Hilltop study found the Senate’s plan “contains high budget risk” to the state. Since the plan eschews extra federal funding available for expansion, “if enrollment exceeds estimates, there would be proportionally greater budget overruns in the Senate version than the alternative plans.” It noted that to protect state coffers, language could be inserted to the House or hybrid plan that rescinds the expansion should the enhanced federal match drop.

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

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Mississippi Today

Trump nominates Baxter Kruger, Scott Leary for Mississippi U.S. attorney posts

Published

5 hours ago

July 1, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – mississippitoday.org – 2025-07-01 17:02:00

by Taylor Vance, Mississippi Today
July 1, 2025

President Donald Trump on Tuesday nominated Baxter Kruger to become Mississippi’s new U.S. attorney in the Southern District and Scott Leary to become U.S. attorney for the Northern District.

The two nominations will head to the U.S. Senate for consideration. If confirmed, the two will oversee federal criminal prosecutions and investigations in the state.

Kruger graduated from the Mississippi College School of Law in 2015 and was previously an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District. He is currently the director of the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security.

Sean Tindell, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety commissioner, oversees the state’s Homeland Security Office. He congratulated Kruger on social media and praised his leadership at the agency.

“Thank you for your outstanding leadership at the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security and for your dedicated service to our state,” Tindell wrote. “Your hard work and commitment have not gone unnoticed and this nomination is a testament to that!”

Leary graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Law, and he has been a federal prosecutor for most of his career.

He worked for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Tennessee in Memphis from 2002 to 2008. Afterward, he worked at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi in Oxford, where he is currently employed.

Leary told Mississippi Today that he is honored to be nominated for the position, and he looks forward to the Senate confirmation process.

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

The post Trump nominates Baxter Kruger, Scott Leary for Mississippi U.S. attorney posts 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 a straightforward news report on President Donald Trump’s nominations of Baxter Kruger and Scott Leary for U.S. attorney positions in Mississippi. It focuses on factual details about their backgrounds, qualifications, and official responses without employing loaded language or framing that favors a particular ideological perspective. The tone is neutral, with quotes and descriptions that serve to inform rather than persuade. While it reports on a political appointment by a Republican president, the coverage remains balanced and refrains from editorializing, thus adhering to neutral, factual reporting.

Mississippi Today

Jackson’s performing arts venue Thalia Mara Hall is now open

Published

1 day ago

June 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @MSTODAYnews – 2025-06-30 17:29:00

by Maya Miller, Mississippi Today
June 30, 2025

After more than 10 months closed due to mold, asbestos and issues with the air conditioning system, Thalia Mara Hall has officially reopened.

Outgoing Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba announced the reopening of Thalia Mara Hall during his final press conference held Monday on the arts venue’s steps.

“Today marks what we view as a full circle moment, rejoicing in the iconic space where community has come together for decades in the city of Jackson,” Lumumba said. “Thalia Mara has always been more than a venue. It has been a gathering place for people in the city of Jackson. From its first class ballet performances to gospel concerts, Thalia Mara Hall has been the backdrop for our city’s rich cultural history.”

Thalia Mara Hall closed last August after mold was found in parts of the building. The issues compounded from there, with malfunctioning HVAC systems and asbestos remediation. On June 6, the Mississippi State Fire Marshal’s Office announced that Thalia Mara Hall had finally passed inspection.

“We’re not only excited to have overcome many of the challenges that led to it being shuttered for a period of time,” Lumumba said. “We are hopeful for the future of this auditorium, that it may be able to provide a more up-to-date experience for residents, inviting shows that people are able to see across the world, bringing them here to Jackson. So this is an investment in the future.”

In total, Emad Al-Turk, a city contracted engineer and owner of Al-Turk Planning, estimates that $5 million in city and state funds went into bringing Thalia Mara Hall up to code.

The venue still has work to be completed, including reinstalling the fire curtain. The beam in which the fire curtain will be anchored has asbestos in it, so it will have to be remediated. In addition, a second air-conditioning chiller needs to be installed to properly cool the building. Until it’s installed, which could take months, Thalia Mara Hall will be operating at a lower seating capacity of about 800.

“Primarily because of the heat,” Al-Turk said. “The air conditioning would not be sufficient to actually accommodate the 2,000 people at full capacity, but starting in the fall, that should not be a problem.”

Al-Turk said the calendar is open for the city to begin booking events, though none have been scheduled for July.

“We’re very proud,” he said. “This took a little bit longer than what we anticipated, but we had probably seven or eight different contractors we had to coordinate with and all of them did a superb job to get us where we are today.”

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

The post Jackson’s performing arts venue Thalia Mara Hall is now open appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

The article presents a straightforward report on the reopening of Thalia Mara Hall in Jackson, focusing on facts and statements from city officials without promoting any ideological viewpoint. The tone is neutral and positive, emphasizing the community and cultural significance of the venue while detailing the challenges overcome during renovations. The coverage centers on public investment and future prospects, without partisan framing or editorializing. While quotes from Mayor Lumumba and a city engineer highlight optimism and civic pride, the article maintains balanced, factual reporting rather than advancing a political agenda.

Mississippi Today

‘Hurdles waiting in the shadows’: Lumumba reflects on challenges and triumphs on final day as Jackson mayor

Published

1 day ago

June 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @ayewolfe – 2025-06-30 17:08:00

by Anna Wolfe and Molly Minta, Mississippi Today
June 30, 2025

On his last day as mayor of Jackson, Chokwe Antar Lumumba recounted accomplishments, praised his executive team and said he has no plans to seek office again.

He spoke during a press conference outside of the city’s Thalia Mara Hall, which was recently cleared for reopening after nearly a year of remediation. The briefing, meant to give media members a peek inside the downtown theater, marked one of Lumumba’s final forays as mayor.

Longtime state Sen. John Horhn — who defeated Lumumba in the Democratic primary runoff — will be inaugurated as mayor Tuesday, but Lumumba won’t be present. Not for any contentious reason, the 42-year-old mayor noted, but because he returns to his private law practice Tuesday.

“I’ve got to work now, y’all,” Lumumba said. “I’ve got a job.”

Thalia Mara Hall’s presumptive comeback was a fitting end for Lumumba, who pledged to make Jackson the most radical city in America but instead spent much of his eight years in office parrying one emergency after another. The auditorium was built in 1968 and closed nearly 11 months ago after workers found mold caused by a faulty HVAC system – on top of broken elevators, fire safety concerns and vandalism.

“This job is a fast-pitched sport,” Lumumba said. “There’s an abundance of challenges that have to be addressed, and it seems like the moment that you’ve gotten over one hurdle, there’s another one that is waiting in the shadows.”

Outside the theater Monday, Lumumba reflected on the high points of his leadership instead of the many crises — some seemingly self-inflicted — he faced as mayor.

He presided over the city during the coronavirus pandemic and the rise in crime it brought, but also the one-two punch of the 2021 and 2022 water crises, exacerbated by the city’s mismanagement of its water plants, and the 18-day pause in trash pickup spurred by Lumumba’s contentious negotiations with the city council in 2023.

Then in 2024, Lumumba was indicted alongside other city and county officials in a sweeping federal corruption probe targeting the proposed development of a hotel across from the city’s convention center, a project that has remained stalled in a 20-year saga of failed bids and political consternation.

Slated for trial next year, Lumumba has repeatedly maintained his innocence.

The city’s youngest mayor also brought some victories to Jackson, particularly in his first year in office. In 2017, he ended a furlough of city employees and worked with then-Gov. Phil Bryant to avoid a state takeover of Jackson Public Schools. In 2019, the city successfully sued German engineering firm Siemens and its local contractors for $89 million over botched work installing the city’s water-sewer billing infrastructure.

“I think that that was a pivotal moment to say that this city is going to hold people responsible for the work that they do,” Lumumba said.

Lumumba had more time than any other mayor to usher in the 1% sales tax, which residents approved in 2014 to fund infrastructure improvements.

“We paved 144 streets,” he said. “There are residents that still are waiting on their roads to be repaved. And you don’t really feel it until it’s your street that gets repaved, but that is a significant undertaking.”

And under his administration, crime has fallen dramatically recently, with homicides cut by a third and shootings cut in half in the last year.

Lumumba was first elected in 2017 after defeating Tony Yarber, a business-friendly mayor who faced his own scandals as mayor. A criminal justice attorney, Lumumba said he never planned to seek office until the stunning death of his father, Chokwe Lumumba Sr., eight months into his first term as mayor in 2014.

“I can say without reservation, and unequivocally, we remember where we started. We are in a much better position than we started,” Lumumba said.

Lumumba said he has sat down with Horhn in recent months, answered questions “as extensively as I could,” and promised to remain reachable to the new mayor.

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

The post 'Hurdles waiting in the shadows': Lumumba reflects on challenges and triumphs on final day as Jackson mayor appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Political Bias Rating: Center-Left

The article reports on outgoing Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba’s reflections without overt editorializing but subtly frames his tenure within progressive contexts, emphasizing his self-described goal to make Jackson “the most radical city in America.” The piece highlights his accomplishments alongside challenges, including public crises and a federal indictment, maintaining a factual tone yet noting contentious moments like labor disputes and governance issues. While it avoids partisan rhetoric, the focus on social justice efforts, infrastructure investment, and crime reduction, as well as positive framing of Lumumba’s achievements, aligns with a center-left perspective that values progressive governance and accountability.