AARP Mobilizes E-Activists To Urge Special Session For Medicaid

After a prolonged state budget battle that threatened health services for thousands of Mississippians, lawmakers finally passed a Medicaid bill that Governor Barbour signed.

During the last week of June, Gov. Barbour said he would not call a special session because he disagreed with a House and Senate compromise on Medicaid. He supported placing a tax on hospitals to fund Medicaid.

AARP mobilized its 19,000 grassroots activists through an e-blast asking them to call a toll-free number that connected them with Gov. Barbour’s office. They then left messages asking the governor to call a special session so legislators could vote on a budget and save critical services.

Several days later, Gov. Barbour decided to call a special session to handle other budget issues. During this time, legislators were able to work on another Medicaid compromise, House Bill 71, which passed minutes before the July 1 deadline. The bill includes a $60 million hospital tax that could gradually increase to $90 million as federal stimulus money expires. It also gives the governor authority to make limited cuts to hospitals and other Medicaid providers.

AARP continues to support rebalancing Medicaid funding so more Mississippians can receive home- and community-based services allowing them to age at home and saving the state millions. AARP members and volunteers throughout the state are urging their legislators to support home- and community-services funding expansion when they return for the 2010 legislative session.