Source

Mississippi Today

8 stories

Mississippi Awards $104M in Rural Health Transformation Grants to 167 Providers

Governor Tate Reeves announced $104 million in awards to 167 Mississippi healthcare providers for facility improvements, technology upgrades, and service expansion under the federal Rural Health Transformation Program. The state received nearly $206 million in December 2025 from the $50 billion national program designed to offset federal spending cuts' impact on rural hospitals. Recipients have until July 2027 to use the funds. Additional grant programs totaling over $30 million for workforce development and crisis mental health infrastructure will be awarded within 45 days.

mississippitoday.org+1 more

State Policy·MS·29d ago

Mississippi Physician Advocates Medicaid Expansion to Address Budget Gap and Uncompensated Care

A physician is advocating for Mississippi to expand Medicaid, arguing it would provide health coverage to 67,000 additional state residents. The expansion would reduce uncompensated care costs for providers and help address the state's budget shortfall. Mississippi remains one of ten states that have not adopted Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. The physician frames expansion as a solution to fiscal pressures and coverage gaps affecting the state.

mississippitoday.org

State Policy·MS·29d ago

Delta Health Alliance Opens Clinic in Leland Serving Uninsured and Medicaid Patients

Delta Health Alliance opened the Delta Cares Center in Leland, Mississippi on September 3, 2026, expanding access to dental and rehabilitative therapy services for uninsured, underinsured, and Medicaid patients in the Mississippi Delta. The $10 million USDA-funded facility will serve up to 500 rehabilitative therapy patients and 2,000 dental patients in its first year, using a sliding-scale fee structure starting at $3 and offering free transportation. The center addresses critical access gaps in a region with some of the worst health outcomes in the nation, where residents have historically faced long wait times and limited preventive care options.

mississippitoday.org

State Policy·MS·34d ago

Mississippi Social Worker Calls for Statewide CCBHC Expansion, Workforce Incentives to Address Rural Mental Health Gaps

A Mississippi social worker argues that the state must expand Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics statewide, strengthen workforce recruitment through loan repayment and salary incentives, and improve transportation access to address persistent mental health service gaps in rural counties. More than half of Mississippi is designated as a mental health professional shortage area, with some counties lacking licensed clinicians entirely. While recent Division of Medicaid telehealth expansion and CCBHC growth have increased access points, progress remains uneven due to inadequate broadband infrastructure, workforce shortages, and lack of culturally responsive services for minority populations. The opinion piece frames expanded community-based mental health infrastructure as essential to reducing emergency room utilization, suicide risk, and avoidable criminal justice involvement in underserved communities.

mississippitoday.org

State Policy·MS·34d ago

Mississippi Opens Second Opioid Settlement Grant Cycle with Third-Party Administrator

The Mississippi Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Council will open its second annual grant application portal on Monday, August 31, 2026, for organizations seeking access to the state's $430 million in opioid settlement funds. The application process will run for six weeks, administered by The Steadman Group, a Colorado-based behavioral health consulting firm contracted to address conflicts of interest and inconsistent review standards identified in the previous cycle. The 2026 Mississippi Legislature mandated third-party administration to prevent council members from influencing applications that could benefit their own organizations. Final funding recommendations will go to the Legislature during the 2027 regular session.

mississippitoday.org

State Policy·MS·76d ago

Mississippi Exchange Premiums Rise as State Remains Without Medicaid Expansion

Health insurance premiums on Mississippi's federally-facilitated marketplace continue to increase while the state has not expanded Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act. Low-income workers above the poverty line face higher out-of-pocket costs for exchange coverage, while those below 100% of the federal poverty level remain ineligible for both exchange subsidies and Medicaid. The coverage gap affects Mississippi residents who would qualify for Medicaid in expansion states but have no affordable coverage option in Mississippi. Mississippi is one of ten states that have not adopted Medicaid expansion as of 2026.

mississippitoday.org

Legal·MS·96d ago

Mississippi Judge Orders Emergency Medicaid Payment to Prevent Hospital Closure

A judge has ordered Mississippi Medicaid officials to make an emergency payment to Greenwood Leflore Hospital to prevent its imminent closure this week. The Delta hospital argued that without the payment, it would be forced to shut down, threatening a proposed agreement for the University of Mississippi Medical Center to assume operations. The court intervention ensures continued access to hospital services in the region while the UMMC takeover arrangement moves forward. The case highlights the acute financial pressures facing rural hospitals dependent on Medicaid reimbursement.

mississippitoday.org

State Policy·MS·107d ago

Mississippi Medicaid Seeks Court Approval to Withhold $2.4M Payment to Greenwood Leflore Hospital

The Mississippi Division of Medicaid filed a motion in bankruptcy court Wednesday requesting permission to withhold a scheduled $2.4 million payment to Greenwood Leflore Hospital. The hospital, currently operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, has warned the payment withholding could force immediate closure. The dispute arises as the state Medicaid program exercises its authority to recoup or withhold payments from providers in financial distress. If approved, the action would remove critical operating revenue from a hospital serving a predominantly Medicaid-eligible population in the Mississippi Delta.

mississippitoday.org