Hosemann reveals strategy to attend to health center dilemma

Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann stated actions he’s pressing in the Us senate will certainly aid with Mississippi’s health center dilemma “not simply following year, but also for the future generation.”

The Us senate strategy would certainly supply prompt assistance to health centers with gives, eliminate lawful obstacles to combination of little health centers and also attempt to incentivize registered nurses and also physicians to remain in Mississippi.

Hosemann stated he is likewise dealing with Mississippi Medicaid and also Gov. Tate Reeves to see if Medicaid can enhance repayment to health centers for some solutions. However Hosemann, among couple of GOP leaders open up to Medicaid growth via the government Affordable Treatment Act, stated he doesn’t foresee full expansion as a starter this year.

Senate leaders have drafted four bills, with a cost of about $111 million as part of the plan Hosemann announced. Hosemann said he worked extensively with the Mississippi Hospital Association and other hospital and health care leaders to come up with this plan. It would:

Provide $80 million in grants, to help shore hospitals’ flagging revenue and increased costs, which threaten closure of 38 rural hospitals across the state. SB 2372 would distribute money to hospitals based on the number of licensed beds and type of care. Hosemann said it would also require hospitals to provide data that lawmakers could use to overhaul the state’s health delivery system. He said adjustments are needed to meet demographic and other changes.

Change “anti-trust” laws or other state legal barriers to “collaboration and consolidation” of hospitals. Hosemann said SB2323, which has a mirror bill in the House, would not change the state’s certificate of need laws that limit where certain hospital beds and specialties can go, but that “our CON laws are due for a review” and will likely also be examined this year. For the long run, Hosemann said the state’s health care infrastructure needs to be reorganized and modernized to make facilities more financially viable.

Provide $6 million for a nurse loan repayment program. Hosemann said SB 2373 is a do-over of a bill passed last year that did not work to address the states drastic shortage, estimated at about 3,000 nurses. He said changes the House made last year and other issues derailed the program, but those issues are being worked out. The plan, using federal pandemic relief money, would provide $6,000 a year, for up to three years, for nurses who agree to work at Mississippi hospitals.

Provide $20 million for a nursing/allied health community college grant program. SB2371 would use federal pandemic funds, initially, for grants to help community colleges’ nursing and health programs. Hosemann said many of the programs have long waiting lists and shortage of faculty, equipment and infrastructure needed to train nurses. Hosemann noted the COVID-19 pandemic showed the importance of nurses and “our community colleges are leading the way in providing nurses throughout the state.”

Provide $5 million to help with hospital residency and fellowship programs. Also in SB2371, this proposal, funded by federal pandemic money, would help create new programs, or add capacity to existing residency and fellowship programs in medical or surgical specialty areas at Mississippi hospitals. Hosemann said the federal government provides reimbursement for some residents or fellowships at hospitals, but the initial startup costs are prohibitive, and this new plan would help. He said that hospitals report that a majority of doctors stay in areas where they do their residencies.

Hosemann on Wednesday also reiterated his support for extending postpartum Medicaid coverage for new mothers from 60 days to a year. The Senate passed such measures last year, but they were killed in the House.

“We won the pro-life case, and now we’re unwilling to take care of our moms?” Hosemann said. “I don’t understand how you can make that argument.”

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by Geoff Pender, Mississippi Today
January 18, 2023

<h1>Hosemann announces Senate plan to help Mississippi hospital crisis</h1> by Geoff Pender, Mississippi Today January 18, 2023 Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann said measures he’s pushing in the Senate will help with Mississippi’s hospital crisis “not just next year, but for the next generation.” The Senate plan would provide immediate help to hospitals with grants, remove legal barriers to consolidation of small hospitals and try to incentivize nurses and doctors to stay in Mississippi. Hosemann said he is also working with Mississippi Medicaid and Gov. Tate Reeves to see if Medicaid can increase reimbursement to hospitals for some services. But Hosemann, one of few GOP leaders open to Medicaid expansion through the federal Affordable Care Act, said he does not anticipate complete growth as a starter this year. <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://mississippitoday.org/2023/01/18/medicaid-expansion-mississippi-poll/">LEARN MORE: Survey: 80% of Mississippians prefer Medicaid growth</a> Us senate leaders have actually composed 4 expenses, with an expense of concerning $111 million as component of the strategy Hosemann revealed. Hosemann stated he functioned thoroughly with the Mississippi Health Center Organization and also various other health center and also healthcare leaders ahead up with this strategy. It would certainly: <ul> <li>Give $80 million in gives, to assist coast health centers’ flagging earnings and also enhanced prices, which intimidate closure of 38 country health centers throughout the state. SB 2372 would certainly disperse cash to health centers based upon the variety of qualified beds and also sort of treatment. Hosemann stated it would certainly likewise need health centers to supply information that legislators might make use of to revamp the state’s wellness distribution system. He stated changes are required to fulfill market and also various other modifications.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>Modification “anti-trust” legislations or various other state lawful obstacles to “partnership and also combination” of health centers. Hosemann stated SB2323, which has a mirror costs in your home, would certainly not alter the state’s certification of demand legislations that restrict where particular health center beds and also specializeds can go, however that “our disadvantage legislations schedule for a testimonial” and also will likely likewise be analyzed this year. For the long term, Hosemann stated the state’s healthcare facilities requires to be restructured and also updated to make centers extra economically practical.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>Give $6 million for a registered nurse finance settlement program. Hosemann stated SB 2373 is a <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://mississippitoday.org/2022/06/13/new-nursing-shortage-loan-program/">do-over of an expense passed</a> in 2014 that did not function to attend to the states radical scarcity, approximated at concerning 3,000 registered nurses. He stated modifications your home made in 2014 and also various other problems thwarted the program, however those problems are being exercised. The strategy, utilizing government pandemic alleviation cash, would certainly supply $6,000 a year, for approximately 3 years, for registered nurses that accept operate at Mississippi health centers. </li> </ul> <ul> <li>Give $20 million for a nursing/allied wellness neighborhood university give program. SB2371 would certainly make use of government pandemic funds, at first, for gives to assist neighborhood universities’ nursing and also wellness programs. Hosemann stated a lot of the programs have long waiting listings and also scarcity of professors, devices and also facilities required to educate registered nurses. Hosemann kept in mind the COVID-19 pandemic revealed the significance of registered nurses and also “our neighborhood universities are blazing a trail in supplying registered nurses throughout the state.”</li> </ul> <ul> <li>Give $5 million to aid with health center residency and also fellowship programs. Likewise in SB2371, this proposition, moneyed by government pandemic cash, would certainly assist produce brand-new programs, or include ability to existing residency and also fellowship programs in clinical or medical specialized locations at Mississippi health centers. Hosemann stated the federal government supplies repayment for some homeowners or fellowships at health centers, however the preliminary start-up prices are too high, and also this brand-new strategy would certainly assist. He stated that health centers report that a bulk of physicians remain in locations where they do their residencies.</li> </ul> <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://mississippitoday.org/2023/01/09/hospital-crisis-solution-democrats/">LEARN MORE: Democrats settle health center dilemma strategy, blast Republican politicians for inactiveness</a> LEARN MORE: <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://mississippitoday.org/2022/09/27/where-mississippi-stands-with-health-of-mothers-children/">‘We’re 50th by a mile.’ Professionals inform legislators where Mississippi stands with wellness of mommies, kids</a> Hosemann on Wednesday likewise repeated his assistance for <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://mississippitoday.org/2022/12/01/extending-postpartum-coverage-mississippi/">prolonging postpartum Medicaid protection </a>for brand-new mommies from 60 days to a year. The Us senate passed such actions in 2014, however they were eliminated in your home. “We won the pro-life instance, and also currently we hesitate to deal with our mothers?” Hosemann stated. “I do not comprehend exactly how you can make that disagreement.” This <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://mississippitoday.org/2023/01/18/hosemann-hospital-plan/">article</a> first appeared on <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://mississippitoday.org">Mississippi Today</a> and is republished here under an Innovative Commons certificate.<img decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/MT_square-thumb.jpg?fit=150%2C150&ssl=1" style="width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;"><img decoding="async" id="republication-tracker-tool-source" src="https://mississippitoday.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=1088806&ga=UA-75003810-1" style="width:1px;height:1px;">

Geoff Pender serves as senior political reporter, working closely with Mississippi Today leadership on editorial strategy and also investigations. Pender brings 30 years of political and also government reporting experience to Mississippi Today. He was political and also investigative editor at the Clarion Ledger, where he also penned a popular political column. He previously served as an investigative reporter and also political editor at the Sun Herald, where he was a member of the Pulitzer Prize-winning team for Hurricane Katrina coverage. Originally from Florence, Mississippi, Pender is a journalism graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi and also has received numerous awards throughout his career for reporting, columns and also flexibility of info initiatives.

Much More by Geoff Pender