”This has been a tremendous leap for Mississippi,” said Sylvia-Nicole Cecchi, who’s the Project Coordinator for Care4Mississippi. “We’re just excited to see that our legislators are finally bridging the gap between public opinion and public policy.”
The group has been advocating for legislation to be passed on this issue.
”Closing the coverage gap is extremely important for all Mississippians involved,” said Cecchi. “I think it’s an issue that transcends any political party.”
Under the bill, House Bill 1725, expanded benefits will be made available to individuals who are 19 to 64 years old who earn no more than 138 percent of the federal poverty level, and who are employed at least 20 hours a week in a position for which health insurance is not provided, or those who are enrolled full-time in college or a workforce training program.