Jackson Free Press

In an editorial today, The Clarion-Ledger writes: "The solution to the current Medicaid funding crisis is to take $200 million from the tobacco trust fund and approve a cigarette tax increase to replenish it. It's up to the Senate and Gov. Haley Barbour. While state representatives, senators and Gov. Haley Barbour continue to stare one another down on the state Medicaid funding, hoping the other will blink, there are a lot of scared Mississippians wondering what they will do without health care. The program is set to run out of money today."

"A Tupelo newspaper has reported the death of a woman who, her family says, was denied needed prescription drugs for a heart condition due to the Medicaid problems. How many deaths will it take?"

Brett's story this week.

Call the governor now and tell it's time to stop playing games with people's lives.

Previous Comments

ID

137621

Comment

The governor does have time to deal with this today amid the Medicaid games: MEDIA ADVISORY GOVERNOR HALEY BARBOUR TO SIGN STEELCORR BILL (Jackson, Miss.) - Governor Haley Barbour will be joined by lawmakers, local leaders and economic development officials as he signs a bill that will offer an incentive package to lure SteelCorr to Columbus. The bill signing will be Monday, March 14, at 11:00 a.m. on the Observation Deck at the Golden Triangle Regional Airport - 2080 Airport Road, off Highway 82 West in Columbus. CONTACT: Pete Smith (601) 359-3150 or (601) 720-8733 Kathryn Stewart (601) 359-3150

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-03-11T11:10:11-06:00

ID

137622

Comment

Here goes the gov again: another special session because he refuses to negotiate. When are Mississippians going to get tired of this game? Statement of Governor Haley Barbour March 11, 2005 "On behalf of the 780,000 Mississippi Medicaid recipients who risk losing their health care coverage today, I am calling a Special Session of the Legislature that will begin tomorrow at 1 p.m. It has been my hope from the time the Medicaid deficit was announced two and a half months ago, that there would be a speedy resolution to this crisis. Today's adjournment by the House of Representatives at 9:30 a.m., on the last day Medicaid recipients can be guaranteed health care coverage, was an absolute dereliction of duty. Walking away is not a solution. Medicaid recipients cannot wait any longer; action must be taken immediately. As I have stated before, there is only one way to address this $268 million Medicaid deficit. Health Care Trust Fund dollars are ready to be used to avert this emergency. Any long-term discussion on the future of Medicaid should not prevent the immediate action that is necessary right now. One out of every four Mississippians is depending on state leaders to act now and not wait."

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-03-11T15:19:24-06:00

ID

137623

Comment

And they whine about Johnson not working well with others. Hell, it seems to be a "top-down" problem starting with our Pres all the way down to city council.

Author

kaust

Date

2005-03-11T15:43:33-06:00

ID

137624

Comment

About time JFP noticed what is going on. Sorry if I sound rude, but this is heart wrenching. The House has agreed to take the money out of the Tobacco trust fund, they just want it paid back. That makes good sense, because we have to have something put away. State government is just like us individuals - if we spend all our savings and we don't replenish it, the next time we have an emergency, we're up the creek without a paddle. The House has made concessions, the Senate, prodded by Barbour, has not. The house bill would solve the immediate problem and lay at least a partial groundwork for averting this same disaster next year. Two years in a row that the elderly and disabled have been frightened and no one in the state goverment has done anything toward long term planning. What's up with this? Time to stop this dangerous game. And that tobacco tax - geez, we have the lowest per pack tax in the USA - only 18 cents. Another 50 cents a pack would help put the money back, would discourage people from smoking more than those expensive RAT ads. And if we would use that Tobacco Fund money to pay for the portion of Medicaid health care that is needed because of smoking, it would serve the purpose of the fund and save Medicaid a bundle. I have a poll going about the tax, and it's only been up a couple of hours or so, but someone put a very good comment on there - something I hadn't even thought of: "Well proven in medical literature that cigarette smokers place an undue burden on medical care and cost in this country. They tend to have more frequent health care issues requiring long years of expensive care and medical cost. Again, that is CLEARLY shown in the peer reviewed medical literature. So, given the evidence at hand, let those that choose to smoke pay a higher burden for health care in this state since they create a higher burden on the cost of health care in this state." I understand an independent poll has shown that the majority of Mississippians are in favor of a cigarette tax, so what is Barbour and Nunnalee's problem? Nunnalee, from what I understand, won't even let it out of committee so that the whole senate can vote on it. I know Senators that would vote for it - I don't if it would win, but why won't Nunnalee allow them to vote on it? Makes me wonder what is going on in those "smoke-filled" rooms (ironic comment, isn't it?) In fact, I have a couple of polls going, right at the top of the page: http://www.mississippipolitical.com if anyone wants to chime in. There is a place for comment, and it has an ISP checker that blocks a second vote from the same computer. Certainly not as scientific as a random poll, but better than those on the internet that allow a person to keep voting over and over.

Author

C.W.

Date

2005-03-12T16:12:13-06:00

ID

137625

Comment

C.W., I don't mind you being rude, but you are misinformed this time. There is a detailed story in the issue that came out a week ago about what's happening here. Brett has been at the Legislature all day today, and he's not paid to be there on a beautiful day. We've been covering this regularly, in about every issue. We've already run one editorial about Barbour playing these games on Medicaid and refusing to negotiate. We've been all over the need for a tobacco tax -- even as some other publications in town haven't mentioned one word about all this. You're right: It is tragic. And if we could shake people out of their ignorant bliss about what this governor is up to, along with the laptop Senate, maybe we could do something about it.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-03-12T18:07:54-06:00

ID

137626

Comment

Ok, I'm duly chastised. I've been so disturbed by what Barbour and the Senate are doing on this issue that I'm in a perpetual state of angst. I do appreciate Brett's coverage - it's excellent. I probably should have specified "the readers of JFP" - that covers a lot more territory but I might get a lot more punishment being rude to everyone. :-) As far as the other papers in town (smile), the only ones out of Jackson that I read are JPF, C/L and Mississippi Link. The daily C/L has been notably blase in their coverage until very recently. If you want the scoop on this sort of stuff and look beyond Jackson papers, the best bet is the Daily Journal out of Tupelo, or Emily Wagster Pettus' AP coverage, which sometimes appears in the C/L, but almost always appears in the Sun Herald out of Biloxi. Surprisingly, though, the Picayune paper, which I think is a pretty small paper, has covered this extensively.

Author

C.W.

Date

2005-03-12T18:58:27-06:00

ID

137627

Comment

That's OK, C.W. The main thing is that you're passionate about it. You're right that not enough people are. Update: Brett called at 10 p.m. or so last night from the Capitol: they adjourned and are coming back today. I'll ask Brett to post an update tonight.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-03-13T11:07:09-06:00

ID

137628

Comment

BTW, Eric Stringfellow got this one right today: Barbour needs to stop playing games and start negotiating. He starts out talking about Rep. Steve Holland flipping off Tuck and several senators: Holland's behavior was inappropriate and he later apologized. But so are the bad faith negotiating tactics ó including Saturday's special legislative session ó the Senate and Gov. Haley Barbour are using in an attempt to emasculate the House. Barbour's refusal to compromise is unfortunate. It's unfair to the legislative process, medical providers and the citizens dependent on Medicaid. Poor leadership Barbour's opposition to hiking taxes on cigarettes, the source of many health-related ailments, is perplexing. Personally, I think the word "unfortunate" is kind to Barbour. However, it's good to see the Ledge calling out Barbour's one-way-or-nothing approach this time. They didn't during the other special sessions, letting him get away with this kind of dictatorial game. In case you missed it, the JFP called out these games in a Feb. 2 editorial: It is rather remarkable to observe current developments at the state Legislature, where the governor and his supporters in the Senate, many of whom seem incapable of thinking or speaking without his blessing, have the state of Mississippiís neck in a noose. They then expound the rhetoric that we are in a budget crisis; therefore, itís time to tighten our belts. The funny thing is, no one up there that we know of disagrees with that. Legislators of all stripes know cuts and tightening are in the offing and are ready to come to the table to hammer out ways to do just that. It is Mr. Barbour, however, who is the monkey wrench. His arrogant attitude is that it is his way or the highwayóthat he will consider no new tax or fee regardless of what cuts to vital programs that Mississippians wantósuch as public education and Medicaidówill result.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-03-13T11:12:39-06:00

ID

137629

Comment

I noticed how many people in comments and letters to various papers are suggesting Barbour go back to Washington (some doing more than suggesting - like the person in the Tupelo paper talking about running him out on a rail). I believe that's Mr. Holland's general area. He might have been expressing something for his constituents as well as his fellow legislators. That update will be most welcome - people all over this state are worried, more than the paucity of comments on this board might suggest.

Author

C.W.

Date

2005-03-13T17:02:26-06:00