The Mississippi Hospital Association proposed offering residents who make too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to receive subsidies on the ACA individual market a health plan similar to Medicaid for $20 a month, according to local NBC affiliate WLBT.
The program, dubbed "Mississippi Cares," would apply to single residents making about $17,000 a year, or a family of four that makes $35,000 annually — or about 300,000 Mississippians, according to the Clarion Ledger. It also includes a $100 copay for nonemergency hospital visits.
These low-paid, nondisabled adults could gain access to affordable healthcare under the proposed partnership between the state, private hospitals and an insurance company previously formed by MHA. Tim Moore, president and CEO of MHA, and other officials said the plan could lower uncompensated care costs by 40 to 50 percent, according to WLBT.
Mr. Moore and the MHA hope the proposal will drum up support among elected officials. Mississippi is one of 14 states that did not expand Medicaid under the ACA.
In an interview with the Clarion Ledger, Mr. Moore said, "This is basically an insurance policy that is paid for by hospitals that are already seeing these patients anyway."
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