JACKSON, Miss. – As Mississippi lawmakers dive into the 2025 legislative session Tuesday, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) lends its full support to them finishing what they started last year to expand Medicaid in the Magnolia State.
ACS CAN Mississippi Government Relations Director Kimberly Hughes released the following statement:
“ACS CAN is fully invested in expanding Medicaid in Mississippi to ease the burden of cancer. Time after time, studies have shown health insurance is the top determinant of whether someone survives cancer. Closing the coverage gap would extend critical, lifesaving coverage to more than 200,000 Mississippians.
“Individuals in the 40 states and Washington, D.C. that have expanded Medicaid have access to comprehensive coverage for screenings, medications and treatments, resulting in earlier stage diagnoses and better cancer outcomes than individuals in non-expansion states. ACS CAN is committed to finding a way to extend this access to Mississippians.
“Expanding Medicaid is also a good deal for the Magnolia State. It ensures the taxes paid by hard-working Mississippians come back to them, rather than helping people in 40 other states instead. Having health care without barriers allows Mississippi to reach its fullest workforce potential by giving people the chance to access treatments and stay healthy.
“ACS CAN is proud to be a part of the effort to help hard-working Mississippians in the coverage gap gain access to care. We know lawmakers on both sides of the aisle want to make this happen and look forward to helping them finish the job in 2025.”