Lawmakers return to find Medicaid fix

The Clarion-Ledger, 6/26/8

State lawmakers will resume a special session today without a compromise on a long-term funding solution for Medicaid, the health insurance program that serves about 600,000 Mississippians.

Although House and Senate leaders met for hours on Wednesday, neither side budged on competing proposals to hike tobacco and hospital taxes, or both.

Legislative officials said the session’s current cost of $350,000 will jump to $409,230 when it resumes at 2 p.m.

House Speaker Billy McCoy, a Democrat who had stated his intention to adjourn immediately today if no agreement was reached, said, “I think the House will have a plan and present it within the next couple of days.”