Published: July 20, 2008 12:14 am            

Senate Bill 2013: state's 'best option'

Mississippi politics have provided fodder to muddy a healthcare crisis that is in need of a solution in this state.

Strip away all of the political back-biting and propaganda, the state's current Medicaid crisis can be summed up like this: without an agreement, hundreds of jobs will be lost and healthcare services will vanish in every community throughout the state.

Is the political posturing worth that?

What we should know about this Medicaid problem and Senate Bill 2013:

• This is a solution that will get the state through the next five years.

• The Mississippi Hospital Association backed this plan, and they offered it as a solution.

• There is no reason to raid the state’s rainy day fund to fix this problem; the hospitals have agreed to pay this, something they’ve paid for years.

• We can’t afford to go at this with a “band-aid” approach. This bill offers a real solution.

• While a tobacco tax is needed statewide, it won’t happen this year. The state needs to address the Medicaid shortfall now. They can consider a tobacco tax later.

We encourage every lawmaker to look beyond the politics and look at what makes sense. The healthcare community in East Mississippi, aside from the normal services they provide to each of us, is a major economic force, pumping millions of dollars into this part of the state.

We can ill afford to see the effects the $375 million in cuts to Medicaid the governor would have to make if lawmakers can't put aside their differences.

It's time to stop playing politics and go with what's in the best interest of the state.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.