Roderick Givens, a rural Mississippi Delta radiation oncologist, advocates for Medicaid expansion to help uninsured patients. Despite Mississippi Legislature’s failure to expand Medicaid, Givens and others believe it’s necessary for low-income residents. Many Southern states, like North Carolina, have adopted Medicaid expansion, but political polarization remains a barrier. States that haven’t expanded Medicaid leave thousands in the coverage gap, unable to afford private insurance. Opposition to Medicaid expansion is driven by politics rather than cost concerns. Alabama and Mississippi have faced similar challenges, with some lawmakers viewing Medicaid as welfare. North Carolina offers hope for expansion, driven by fiscal incentives and public support.
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The Politics Holding Back Medicaid Expansion in Some Southern States
