Mississippi’s First Serious Bid to Expand Medicaid Collapses

Work requirements have long been central to the Republican goal of instilling a sense of “personal responsibility” in people who benefit from government programs. Data suggests that the majority of Medicaid enrollees have jobs. But in Arkansas, thousands of people lost Medicaid coverage after the state imposed a work requirement in 2018, largely because of the onerous paperwork and reporting obligations. “I remain committed to finding ways to increase access for working Mississippians who otherwise do not have the resources for a simple checkup or an extended hospital stay,” Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, a Republican who presides over the State Senate, said in a statement. He indicated that expanding health care access would be a priority again next year. Still, he added, a work requirement would remain “a bottom line for many senators.”