The Delta Council is a long-standing lobby group that has attracted the attention of top Republican leaders. It was among the first non-health care-related major organizations in the state to advocate for Medicaid expansion. Since years, major medical organizations in the state, such as the Mississippi Hospital Association, have supported expansion. The health and education committee of the Delta Council unanimously approved the resolution. The committee consists of approximately 150 members, although not all were present. The resolution states that Medicaid expansion is not an all-encompassing solution for everyone. It is not the panacea for the entire community, including individuals, their economy, providers of health care, employers, and other stakeholders. The Delta Council Health & Education Committee chaired today by Dr. Cass Pennington approved a resolution in support of Medicaid Expansion. Wade Litton from Greenwood led a special subcommittee that reviewed the issue and brought it to full committee for approval. pic.twitter.com/5WYENqFx8z The resolution was presented to the committee after a special subcommittee studied different options for helping struggling health care facilities in the Delta. Wade Litton (chair of Delta Council’s Economic Development Committee) and leader of the subcommittee said, “After we spoke to the experts and people from the industry, it became clear that the best way is to expand Medicaid.” Mississippi is one of 12 states that has not expanded Medicaid, despite an increase in federal matching rates under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 which would give the state an additional $600 million annually. Gov. Governor. Reeves calls it “Obamacare extension” and has pledged to never support it. Gunn and Reeves both maintain that the state can’t afford it, despite decades of economic research and legitimate research that support this. Although at least eight expansion bills were introduced during the 2022 legislative session of Congress, none were considered or debated before being voted on by the committee. At least 225,000 Mississippians could be eligible for Medicaid if state leaders expanded it. READ MORE: ‘It’s hard to work’: Mississippi’s real cost of expanding Medicaid. The Delta Council repeatedly refers back to the findings of Corey Miller’s report, which showed that expanding Medicaid would not only pay for itself but also offer a host of economic benefits. Litton claims that Medicaid expansion would help reduce the cost for small businesses to pay their employees’ health insurance premiums. Hospitals that receive uncompensated care have a tendency to increase the cost of care, which in turn leads to higher premiums. Litton stated that this creates a negative feedback loop which ultimately hurts those who pay for insurance. Litton stated that Mississippi taxpayers already contribute to Medicaid expansion through federal income taxes but don’t see any benefits. Medicaid covers approximately 780,000 Mississippians. These include the elderly, the poor, pregnant women who are poor, and the disabled. Medicaid expansion would cover those earning up to 138% below the federal poverty level or $17.774 per year for an individual. Tom Gresham is a member on the health and education committee and has served as the chairman and president of Delta Council. He said that passing the resolution in support of Medicaid expansion shows that leaders in business and agriculture in the Delta are aware of the needs of their communities. Gresham stated, “You need to have a healthy workforce as well as quality medical care in order for communities to thrive.” Between 2010 and 2020, the Mississippi Delta saw more people leave than any other part of the state. Gresham stated that the Delta’s much-needed economic boost, Medicaid expansion, would encourage people to stay. Gresham stated that getting people insured would improve access to preventative and health screenings. This would result in significant savings for taxpayers, the health system, and individuals. Gresham stated, “If we prevent someone from having strokes, think about the money that we save over if they have strokes and they have to go on disability.” “That’s how you keep people in work.” Research shows that Medicaid expansion could boost the economy more than a legislative income tax cut.