MHA's Legislative Liaison

Mississippi Medicaid: Payments may be cut

The Mississippi Division of Medicaid recently notified a segment of providers, including doctors and dentists, that they will receive cuts to their payments for April, May and June due to a state budget shortfall.

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Legislature recesses, waits for Congress

Mississippi legislators have adjourned until April 20th in hopes Congress will finalize Medicaid-funding legislation to give Mississippi a $187 million break when setting its strained FY 2011 budget.

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Medicaid fight is brewing

Some Mississippi Medicaid providers were recently notified that cuts are on the way, prompting House members to say they will attempt to take $14.6 million in reserve funds to ward off a reimbursement reduction.

House lawmakers voted Saturday on a resolution that would allow the issue to be addressed when lawmakers return April 20. The Senate has not taken up the measure.

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Miss. lawmakers to finish budget in late April

Mississippi lawmakers recently passed a resolution allowing them to leave the Capitol for three weeks and return on April 20th to complete the budget. Legislators are hoping Congress will extend a stimulus program to allow a temporary funding expansion for Medicaid.

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Divisive issues forcing legislative overtime in Miss.

Approximately 40 state legislators will be working overtime, without pay, to settle issues the Legislature will need to finish before the session ends.  One of the major items will be the budget for FY 2011, which begins on July 1st.

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Mississippi lawmakers will take 30-day break

The House of Representatives voted 121/0 to take a 30-day break in the session to see what will happen with state revenue.  Lawmakers will work through the weekend and Monday to finish bond and general bills, leaving the FY 2011 budget as the only agenda item for their return in April.  This was the fourth House vote on the resolution.

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Mississippi House fails again to extend session

Another attempt to extend the legislative session failed on Wednesday, which would have allowed Legislators time to see if Congress approves an additional $187 million in Medicaid funding.The measure fell three votes shy of the two-thirds majority needed to extend the session past April 3rd. 

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Miss. House declines recess to await word on funds

House members killed a resolution to extended the legislative session, with a three-week break at no additional cost to taxpayers, while waiting to hear from Congress on Medicaid funding.

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Miss. House nixes plan for session hiatus

On Tuesday (March 23rd), the House voted against a resolution that would have given lawmakers a recess and called them back mid-April.

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Officials debate possible hiatus

Mississippi lawmakers face a Friday (March 26th) deadline on more than 100 budget-related bills, while legislative leadership continues debating issues and priorities, including a potential call for a recess to return in mid-April to finish FY 2011 budgeting.

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