Petition to put Medicaid expansion on 2022 ballot in Mississippi

Mississippi health care professionals are first to sign petitions that would put Medicaid expansion on the November 2022 ballot.

Today they signed in support of Initiative 76. Mississippi is one of 12 states that haven’t expanded Medicaid to people working low-paid jobs without health insurance.

Expansion is an option under the Affordable Care Act signed in 2010 by President Barack Obama.

Medicaid already covers more than 763,500 Mississippi residents, about 25 percent of the population. Expansion could add another 200,000.

Governor Tate Reeves says the state can’t afford that. Hospital leaders say Mississippi is losing billions of dollars by not expanding the program.