North Mississippi business leaders urge Legislature to approve Medicaid expansion

A group of business leaders from northeast Mississippi, one of the most conservative parts of the state, recently wrote a letter to House Speaker Jason White encouraging lawmakers to expand Medicaid coverage to the working poor.

The letter, signed by influential Itawamba County entrepreneur and Republican donor Luke Mongtomery, thanked White for pushing the Medicaid expansion legislation and called it “the most important legislative issue for the 2024 session.”

“As this bill now heads to our legislators appointed to the conference committee for consideration, I am confident that a workable solution will be developed that is acceptable to House and Senate leadership,” Montgomery wrote. “Legislation that is good for our future and for all Mississippians.”

Montgomery wrote the letter on behalf of Mississippi Hills Leadership PAC, a committee of northern Mississippi business leaders who regularly donate to statewide politicians and dozens of conservative legislative candidates.

Montgomery is the current chairman of the PAC, while Dan Rollins, CEO of Tupelo-based Cadence Bank, is vice chairman and David Rumbarger, CEO of Lee County’s Community Development Foundation, is treasurer.

The PAC gave $50,000 to White’s campaign last year, $50,000 to a PAC that White controls, $50,000 to Hosemann and thousands of dollars to lawmakers, according to campaign finance reports from the secretary of state.

Northeast Mississippi business and civic leaders such as Jack Reed Sr., George McLean, Hassell Franklin and Bobby Martin, all now deceased, had a long history of advocating for political causes in the region.

But in modern times, area business leaders are cautious about delving into political issues that fall outside the typical scope of local business interests.

Montgomery told Mississippi Today in a statement that PAC leaders are supporting White, a Republican from the West, and Hosemann, the Senate leader, because they realize the importance of passing expansion legislation.

“The Mississippi Hills Leadership PAC fully supports our leaders in the House and Senate as they work together to develop a responsible healthcare expansion plan that makes the most of available federal support for the benefit of our hospitals, our people and our future ” said Montgomery.

The letter comes amid House and Senate leaders trying to reach a compromise in a conference committee to resolve the various expansion plans the chambers have proposed.

The House of Representatives’ expansion plan aims to expand health care coverage to more than 200,000 Mississippians by accepting $1 billion a year in federal money, as most other states have done.

The Senate, on the other hand, wants a more restrictive program, expanding Medicaid to about 40,000 people, rejecting federal money and requiring proof that recipients work at least 30 hours a week.

Montgomery’s letter did not endorse a specific plan, but did call the House plan, which expanded coverage to the full 138% of the federal poverty level under the Affordable Care Act, “a reasonable and responsible proposal.”

One possible compromise is for the two chambers to agree on a “MarketPlus Hybrid Plan,” which health policy experts at the Center for Mississippi Health Policy and the Hilltop Institute at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County estimate would help the state could save money in the long run. -term.

Speaker White previously told Mississippi Today in an interview that he believes he can keep together a bipartisan group of more than 90 members of the House of Representatives, a veto-proof majority, in support of a compromise expansion package.

But the support coalition in the 52-member Senate is more vulnerable. The Capitol’s upper chamber passed the frugal expansion plan by just 36 votes, with just one vote remaining for the two-thirds threshold needed to override a governor’s veto.

In addition to Hosemann, the PAC has donated money to the following senators: Kathy Chism, R-New Albany; Rita Potts Parks, R-Corinth; Daniel Sparks, R-Belmont; Chad McMahan, R-Guntown; Hob Bryan, D-Amory; Ben Suber, R-Bruce; Dean Kirby, R-Pearl; Briggs Hopson, R-Vicksburg, and Josh Harkins, R-Flowood.

Jack Reed Jr., the former Republican mayor of Tupelo and the CEO of Reed’s Department Store, an economic anchor of downtown Tupelo, is also expected to be at the Capitol Tuesday morning to advocate for expansion.

— Article courtesy of Taylor Vance from Mississippi Today —