Mississippi Legislature Overrides Governor’s Veto of Medicaid Budget

Mississippi lawmakers on April 12 overrode Gov. Ronnie Musgrove's (D) veto of the state's Medicaid budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports (Branson, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 4/13). On April 1, the state Legislature voted to appropriate $415 million in state funds for Medicaid, nearly $121 million less than the amount Medicaid officials say is necessary. But on April 9, Musgrove vetoed the appropriations bill, saying that if additional funds are not earmarked for the program, 13,000 Medicaid beneficiaries would no longer be able to receive care in nursing homes, and thousands more beneficiaries would lose their prescription drug benefits (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 4/10). After Musgrove's veto, several lawmakers said the governor was attempting to strong-arm the Legislature into appropriating additional funding by threatening to cut funds for nursing homes (AP/Nando Times, 4/13). State House lawmakers also on April 12 approved a bill that would provide the Musgrove administration with "considerable authority" to manage Medicaid. The state Senate, however, failed to pass a similar bill before the legislative session ended for the year (Memphis Commercial Appeal, 4/13). The governor had said previously that he would not veto the budget if lawmakers gave him "broad authority" to restructure the Medicaid program (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 4/10). Musgrove has said he will push for that authority during a special legislative session, which will take place before July 1, designed to resolve the budget problems (AP/Nando Times, 4/13).