House Speaker Philip Gunn on Monday said he won’t block extension of postpartum Medicaid coverage for Mississippi mothers, following fellow Republican Gov. Tate Reeves’ lead from Sunday.
House Medicaid Committee Chairman Joey Hood said he will call a committee meeting for Tuesday, the deadline to keep postpartum extension legislation alive by committee passage. The measure is expected to pass.
A Mississippi Today survey of House lawmakers in early February showed a majority support extending Medicaid coverage for new mothers from 60 days to a year, but Gunn twice blocked the measure from coming to a House vote last year.