The Mississippi House Medicaid Committee voted to advance the bill yesterday, which was the deadline for committees to approve general bills that originated in the opposite chamber. It passed with bipartisan support and a few dissenting votes.
House Republican Missy McGee of Hattiesburg serves on the committee. She also proposed a postpartum Medicaid bill this session that died in committee.
"I've often heard the statement that Mississippi takes pride in being the safest state for a baby to be born," she said. "This bill demonstrates that we, as policymakers also recognize that our commitment to life cannot end once the baby takes his or her first breath."
Democrats on the committee said that the legislature has waited too long to pass something their party has long promoted. Democrat Omeria Scott from Laurel said that it's not just the poorest of women who benefit from Medicaid, and that the state could do more for babies and moms.
"To say that Mississippi has healthy children," she said. "when we are number one in the world in child mortality, infant mortality. Number one in the world in maternal mortality... I would just say that hopefully this is an awakening and that we will move forward."
Committee chair Joey Hood had no comment on Governor Tate Reeves recently switching his position on extending the coverage.
