SPECIAL SESSION 2 - 2013 The Special Session call finally came. We were instructed to be in Jackson on Thursday morning for a meeting at 8:30 am. The Special Session was scheduled to start at 10:00 am that day. The instructions for the session were to reauthorize and fund Medicaid. The technical components of the program were to be in a separate bill. I want to be on record to say; we could and should have done this in the regular session of the Legislature. Due to the killing of the Medicaid bill (It was offered 4 times.) by the Democrat Representatives, we were not able to accomplish the passage of authorization or funding. They have continually pushed for expansion of the program rather than take care of those 700,000 in the nursing homes or medically dependent on Medicaid. Mississippi cannot afford the expansion costs. It is a fact that the Medicaid Roll is growing even without expanding the program. Forcing us to have a Special Session cost you, the taxpayers of Mississippi, over $105,000. I am pleased to have this issue resolved. As I have said, it is truly a shame for people who are on a program such as Medicaid to be used as political pawns. We should not have to worry if Grandma will be thrown out of the nursing home or employees lose their jobs due to Legislators failing to re-authorize Medicaid. For years those in power in the House have used the issue of re-authorization of Medicaid to propel other points of their agenda. They have used the threat of allowing the Medicaid Program to be done away with. Those in the program have been told to call the “Bad Ole Republicans” because they are going to hurt you. I am proud to say, the Republican controlled House put an end to this threat. We had enough votes to remove the one-year repealer from this section of Medicaid. Now, the program is authorized, period. We will continue to have a Medicaid Program and hopefully this law will remain in place so those covered will not have to worry about the re-authorization of this program every year. The Medicaid Program will continue to be monitored and each year will have to be revisited in the Technical instructions for two reasons. (1) There are always changes passed down from the Federal government and these adjustments will be made there. (2) Any new or innovative ways to provide cost savings or better programs must have instructions in this part of the package. This allows for close oversight by the Legislature, who can revisit any part of the program at any time it deems necessary. During the Grand-standing by many of the Representatives the statement was made that we are passing up millions of dollars in Federal aid by not expanding Medicaid. As I was told by one Representative while waiting for the Senate to vote on the bills, “If the Federal Government had to close down the toilets on the Natchez Trace because of the Sequester (Sequester did not cut any budgets, rather it reduced the expected raise in the budgets of the Federal Agencies and Departments by 2%.), how do they expect them to come up with the billions of dollars to fund expansion of Medicaid?” I thought that was very good conservative thinking. At the end of all the debate, only 4 Representatives voted against the bill that should have been passed in March to re-authorize and fund Medicaid. I would like to thank all of you that took time to pray for your legislators. In times like these, the place we all need to be is on our knees. I do believe we are working to create a new Mississippi. The steps we have taken in this session will make a difference. Common sense seems to have returned to the Capitol, thanks to the people who have voted for those who are making this difference. Tell your friends we need more prayers and more conservative leaders in Jackson. Who they send will either help or hinder the progress that is being made. I pledge to always try to represent well the people of District 19. Do not hesitate to call me with any concerns, regardless of whether you agree or disagree with my stance on the many issues that face us. My cell phone number is 662-231-0133 or my email is landtree@nexband . God Bless, Randy
Posted on: Sun, 30 Jun 2013 00:11:51 +0000
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