Mississippi HB 114: Medicaid; direct Division of Medicaid to apply for federal waivers to expand Medicaid eligibility.

Bill Text

H. B. No. 114 *HR26/R178* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
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To: Medicaid; Appropriations
A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Johnson

HOUSE BILL NO. 114

AN ACT TO BE KNOWN AS THE MISSISSIPPI HEALTH CARE SECURITY 1
AND PROMOTION ACT OF 2026; TO EXPRESS THE INTENT OF THE 2
LEGISLATURE REGARDING EXPANSION OF THE MEDICAID PROGRAM; TO 3
PROVIDE DEFINITIONS FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS ACT; TO PROVIDE THAT 4
ANY EXPANSION OF THE MEDICAID PROGRAM AND ITS ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA 5
OR COVERED BENEFITS SHALL FALL INTO THE CATEGORIES OUTLINED IN 6
THIS ACT AND BE DEFINED BY THE SECTIONS OF THIS ACT; TO DIRECT THE 7
DIVISION OF MEDICAID TO SUBMIT TO THE CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND 8
MEDICAID SERVICES (CMS) AN APPLICATION FOR A WAIVER OR STATE PLAN 9
AMENDMENT THAT WILL ALLOW THE DIVISION TO EXPAND COVERAGE TO 10
ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS WHOSE INCOME IS AT OR BELOW 100% OF THE 11
FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL; TO DIRECT THE DIVISION TO SUBMIT TO CMS A 12
REQUEST FOR A SECTION 1115 WAIVER THAT WILL ALLOW THE DIVISION TO 13
EXPAND COVERAGE TO ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE UNINSURED AND 14
WHOSE INCOME IS NOT LESS THAN 101% OR MORE THAN 200% OF THE 15
FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL; TO PROVIDE THAT UNINSURED INDIVIDUALS WITH 16
TOTAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF NOT LESS THAN 101% OR MORE THAN 200% OF 17
THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR EXPANDED COVERAGE 18
THROUGH AN INDIVIDUAL QUALIFIED HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN; TO PROVIDE 19
THAT INDIVIDUALS WITH CURRENT EMPLOYER HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE 20
AND UNINSURED INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE OFFERED EMPLOYER HEALTH 21
INSURANCE COVERAGE WITH TOTAL HOUSEHOLD INCOMES OF NOT LESS THAN 22
101% OR MORE THAN 200% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL SHALL BE 23
ELIGIBLE FOR PREMIUM ASSISTANCE FOR EMPLOYER HEALTH INSURANCE 24
COVERAGE; TO PROVIDE THAT UPON CMS APPROVAL OF REQUESTED WAIVERS 25
OR AMENDMENTS, THE DIVISION SHALL, IN CONJUNCTION AND CONSULTATION 26
WITH RELATED STATE AGENCIES, IMPLEMENT THE APPROVED WAIVER 27
COMPONENTS TO EXPAND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR THE MEDICAID PROGRAM 28
AS PROVIDED UNDER THE APPLICABLE WAIVER; TO PROVIDE THAT 29
ELIGIBILITY FOR MEDICAID AS DESCRIBED IN THIS ACT SHALL NOT BE 30
DELAYED IF CMS FAILS TO APPROVE ANY REQUESTED WAIVERS OF THE STATE 31
PLAN FOR WHICH THE DIVISION APPLIES, AND SUCH ELIGIBILITY SHALL 32
NOT BE DELAYED WHILE THE DIVISION IS CONSIDERING OR NEGOTIATING 33
ANY WAIVERS TO THE STATE PLAN; TO PROVIDE THAT IF CMS HAS NOT 34

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APPROVED A REQUESTED WAIVER OR STATE PLAN AMENDMENT SUBMITTED BY 35
THE DIVISION ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 31, 2027, ELIGIBILITY FOR THE 36
MEDICAID PROGRAM SHALL BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE ALL ELIGIBLE 37
POPULATIONS AND ESSENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS AS PROVIDED IN THE 38
FEDERAL PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT OF 2010; TO 39
AMEND SECTION 43-13-115, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM TO 40
THE PRECEDING PROVISIONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 41
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 42
SECTION 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be 43
cited as the "Mississippi Health Care Security and Promotion Act 44
of 2026." 45
SECTION 2. Legislative Intent. Notwithstanding any general 46
or specific laws to the contrary, it is the intent of the 47
Legislature for the expansion of the Medicaid program to be a 48
fiscally sustainable, cost-effective, impactful, and an 49
opportunity-driven program that: 50
(a) Expands health insurance coverage opportunities for 51
the population of Mississippians who have not been previously 52
eligible or able to obtain coverage; 53
(b) Achieves comprehensive and innovative health care 54
reform that builds upon existing Medicaid, private insurance 55
market competition, and value-based insurance purchasing models in 56
providing health insurance coverage to low-income adults in 57
Mississippi; 58
(c) Reduces the maternal and infant mortality rates in 59
the state through initiatives that promote healthy outcomes for 60
eligible women with high-risk pregnancies; 61
(d) Promotes the health, welfare, and stability of 62
mothers and their infants before and after delivery; 63

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(e) Strengthens the financial stability of the critical 64
access hospitals and other small, rural hospitals; 65
(f) Fills gaps in the continuum of care for individuals 66
in target populations in need of services; 67
(g) Addresses health-related social needs of 68
Mississippians and reduces the additional risk for disease and 69
premature death associated with those needs; 70
(h) Strengthens the ability of individuals to improve 71
their economic security; 72
(i) Strengthens the ability of employers to recruit and 73
retain productive employees; 74
(j) Encourages personal responsibility for individuals 75
to understand their roles and obligations in maintaining private 76
insurance coverage; and 77
(k) Ensures state responsibility and accountability f