Mississippi GOP governor says his plan would aid hospitals; Democrat pushes for Medicaid expansion

Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves released a proposal Thursday aimed at helping some of the state’s financially struggling hospitals, even as the Democrat who is trying to unseat him has spent months hammering Reeves for opposing Medicaid expansion in one of the poorest states in the nation. Hospitals would pay some higher taxes as a way to receive substantially more federal Medicaid money, Mississippi Medicaid director Drew Snyder said. Reeves said the changes are projected to generate $689 million, which would be split among hospitals. Reeves said he and Snyder worked with hospital executives on the proposal.