Bill > HB1379

This bill, titled the "Mississippi Pediatric Access to Critical Health Care Protection Act," authorizes the Mississippi Division of Medicaid to make payments to a specific type of hospital, a "border city university-affiliated pediatric teaching hospital," under certain conditions. This hospital must be located in a city bordering the Mississippi River and the state, be affiliated with an accredited university, be licensed as a pediatric hospital in its home state, have at least five pediatric specialty training programs, and maintain at least 100 beds for patients under 21 years old. The key condition for payment is that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), a federal agency overseeing Medicare and Medicaid, must approve an increase in a specific federal funding initiative (authorized under 42 CFR Section 438.6(c)) that is at least as large as the estimated annual payment to this out-of-state hospital. The bill also states the legislative intent that the cost of treating Mississippi Medicaid beneficiaries under 21 at such a hospital should not exceed the cost of similar services provided by in-state hospitals, and that these payments should not negatively impact the reimbursement rates of existing in-state hospitals. Additionally, the bill brings forward existing state law regarding Medicaid payments to ensure it can be amended, and it specifies an effective date of July 1, 2026.

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https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/HB/HB1379.xml