JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi legislature wrapped its 2025 session today, leaving Mississippians once again vulnerable and without a solution to the health care coverage crisis. In response, Mississippi Government Relations Director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) Kimberly Hughes released the following statement:
“We are disappointed the legislature failed to listen to Mississippians and expand Medicaid during this year’s session. Expanding Medicaid eligibility is the clear solution to solve Mississippi’s health care coverage crisis while also bolstering the state’s workforce and economy. Lawmakers had momentum coming off 2024 and instead chose to wait, putting more people at risk without access to lifesaving cancer screenings and treatment.
“Consider our volunteer John Kress, who is in treatment for colon cancer and falls into the coverage gap. He was between jobs when he got sick. He knows if he had health insurance, he would’ve gotten a colonoscopy sooner and caught his cancer at an earlier stage. Instead, his family sold their farm equipment to pay for John’s life-changing surgery, limiting future work options.
“Further delays in action mean people like Mr. Kress have to manage conditions and diagnoses without access to the care they need to survive. By saying they're waiting to see what happens to Medicaid funding at the federal level, lawmakers are forcing people in Mississippi to go even longer without access to lifesaving care. We know Medicaid is a critical state–federal health insurance program that serves millions of Americans, including over 37 million children. One-third of childhood cancer patients rely on Medicaid to access essential treatments and 20% of adults with a history of cancer in rural areas rely on Medicaid. Any cuts to the program will take away health care and have a devastating impact on millions of those who need it most, all while possibly raising health care costs for everyone else.
“Mr. Kress knows his cancer could come back any day. He needs to stay on top of his treatments and tests. Mississippians like him can’t wait another few days, let alone months or years for lawmakers in Washington, D.C. and Jackson to act. ACS CAN will continue to advocate for expanding and protecting Medicaid at the state and federal level, because we know how imperative health coverage is to surviving cancer.”