2024 Mississippi Legislative Priorities

2024 Mississippi Legislative Priorities

Victory in the fight against cancer requires bold new public policies that promote cancer prevention, early detection of cancer, and expand access to quality, affordable health care. Lawmakers make many decisions that impact the lives of Mississippi residents impacted by cancer and their leadership is vital to defeating this disease. In 2024 the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) will work with the Mississippi Legislature on legislative and regulatory efforts that provide affordable, adequate access to health insurance including Medicaid, ensure adequate funding for lifesaving cancer screening and prevention programs, and enact prevention policies to protect kids from tobacco products and help support those who are trying to quit. We will be making the following fact-based policies a priority and ask for your support:

Ensuring Access to Quality Care

•    Medicaid Expansion: ACS CAN will advocate for low-income individuals and families to have access to comprehensive health insurance coverage and non-emergent medical transportation services through state Medicaid programs. We will support policies that preserve funding and access to Medicaid for low-income parents and adults including changes to Medicaid that reduce coverage, benefits, eligibility, or quality of care and improvement of Medicaid systems. ACS CAN will advocate for Medicaid expansion in states that have not increased eligibility up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level.

Cancer Prevention and Early Detection

•    Breast and Cervical Cancer: ACS CAN will advocate to maintain funding of $250,000 for the Mississippi Breast and Cervical Cancer Program, the state breast and cervical cancer screening and treatment program for low-income uninsured and underinsured women administered by the Mississippi State Department of Health.

Reducing the Toll of Tobacco

•    Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Funding: ACS CAN will work to maintain funding for fact-based, statewide tobacco prevention and cessation programs at $8.7 million.

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For more information, contact:

Kimberly Hughes, Mississippi Government Relations Director ACS CAN

[email protected]  

601.672.9157

©2022, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Inc.