Medicaid Stories

Faith leaders from Mississippi come together to address how the working poor continue to fall into the health care coverage gap until Medicaid is expanded in their state.

Hear Shane Spees, the CEO of Northern Mississippi Hospital Systems, Lauren Thompson, a social worker at the Cancer Center, and Tim Floyd, a cancer patient, talk about the importance of making sure more people have access to care in Mississippi.

Angel is the CEO of Coastal Family Health Center located in Biloxi, MS. Angel understands firsthand how important having access to Medicaid is and knows that expanding access to Medicaid will benefit those her community health center serves.

Susan is unable to access the care she needs because she doesn’t have access to health insurance and does not qualify for Medicaid. If Mississippi were to expand Medicaid, Susan would be able to receive the treatment she needs.

Terrence is the Chief Executive Officer of the Community Health Center Association of Mississippi in Jackson, MS. He sees Medicaid expansion as a way to help his community health center grow to serve more needs of the community his community health center serves.

Bishop Joseph Kopacz of the Catholic Archdiocese in Jackson, Mississippi works with faith leaders across Mississippi to address lack of access to care and the need to expand Medicaid.

Reverend Jason Coker is the President of Together for Hope, a multi-state coalition that fights to address poverty in communities with persistent rural poverty, including the Mississippi Delta. He advocates for Medicaid expansion which will provide access to care for the working poor throughout the Delta and in other rural areas.

Dr. Jeff Parker of Southside Baptist Church works in the inner city in Jackson, Mississippi. Members of his congregation need access to care that can be realized through Medicaid expansion. Many currently only address health issues when the illness has reached a point that they make a visit to the E.R. Despite working two to three jobs to make ends meet, wellness and health checks remain inaccessible until Medicaid is expanded.

Bishop Ronnie C. Crudup is Senior Pastor at New Horizon Church International in Jackson, Mississippi. Bishop Crudup became involved with Medicaid expansion because he believes health care is a right that every citizen in Mississippi should have. His wife is a testament to having access to health care when diagnosed with breast cancer. He sees way too many of his congregation that work and still fall into the Medicaid gap.