‘It is a moral obligation’: Faith leaders, advocates, doctors cite Christianity as reason to expand Medicaid

Kimberly Hughes, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network’s government relations director, stressed how critical insurance coverage is in the fight against cancer. Mississippi has one of the highest cancer mortality rates in the nation. “Cancer is curable if it’s caught early, and it’s only caught early if it’s screened for, and screening requires appropriate health insurance,” she said. Hughes described the types of Mississippians who expansion would cover — veterans, working parents and low-wage workers. “Stop and think about people that you know, people that you love, people that are your neighbors that have no health insurance that could greatly benefit from it,” she said.