Mississippi: CMS approves 5-yr extension of Healthier Mississippi Medicaid program waiver

Mississippi is one of the 10 states which still hasn't expanded Medicaid to all residents earning up to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) under the Affordable Care Act. If they did so, up to 123,000 uninsured residents would gain healthcare coverage, while up to another 180,000 who are currently enrolled in zero-premium ACA exchange plans would be transferred over to Medicaid instead.

However, it turns out that the Magnolia State does at least have a much smaller Medicaid expansion program called "Healthier Mississippi:"

The Healthier Mississippi Waiver (HMW) Demonstration Program, Section 1115, was originally approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for a five (5) year period beginning on October 1, 2004, through September 30, 2009. Since then, the demonstration was approved for renewal and under a series of temporary approvals for an additional five (5) year period beginning October 1, 2009, through July 23, 2015. Currently the demonstration has been approved for renewal effective July 24, 2015, through September 30, 2018 with the following changes: (1) an increase in the enrollment cap from 5,500 to 6,000 and (2) coverage of podiatry, eyeglasses, dental, and chiropractic services which were excluded from previous demonstration years.

The HMW Demonstration Program allows Mississippi to provide all state plan services, except for long-term care services (including nursing facility and home and community based waivers), swing bed in a skilled nursing facility, and maternity and newborn care to individuals with income up to one hundred and thirty five percent (135%) of the federal poverty level (FPL) who are aged or disabled, are not eligible for Medicare, and are not eligible under the Medicaid state plan.

That was as of about 8 years ago; the point is that the program keeps getting extended in five-year increments, with some tweaks along the way.

Well, CMS just announced they're bumping it out yet again, though 2029:

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is approving Mississippi’s request for a five-year extension of the “Healthier Mississippi” section 1115 demonstration (Project Number 11-W-00185/4), in accordance with section 1115(a) of the Social Security Act (“the Act”).

CMS’s approval of this demonstration is based on the determination that the expenditure authority granted therein is likely to assist with promoting the objectives of title XIX of the Act because it will provide benefits to a low-income aged, blind, and disabled population. It is also expected to improve the health outcomes for vulnerable populations in the state. This approval is effective as of October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2029, upon which date, unless extended or otherwise amended, all authorities granted to operate this demonstration will expire.

The program only covers 6,000 people, but it's better than nothing in a state which refuses to simply expand Medicaid to a couple hundred thousand people with the federal government paying 90% of the cost.