by Troy Johnson of WAPT16

This is something that has come before the legislature before, but as the session gets underway, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and Speaker of the House Phillip Gunn have very different views.

Hosemann said Mississippi should provide health insurance for working people. Hosemann said lawmakers should be looking at how real people are being impacted by a lack of insurance and lawmakers are drafting a proposal.

Speaker Gunn believed that the proposal will not pass.

“I just don’t think Medicaid expansion is realistic. Personally, I’m not for it, I’ve said that, and it’s very clear that I’m not for it. I don’t see it as a way to forward Mississippi. We need to be looking at ways to get people off Medicaid not put them on Medicaid,” said Gunn.

Speaker Gunn also said Medicaid and other measures that come before the legislature all come down to votes. He said he doesn’t believe there are enough votes among lawmakers to support the expansion and that there are other more pressing issues that the legislature needs to focus on this session.