Mississippi climbed out of last place in the United Health Foundation's annual ranking of the healthiest states. In 2007, the state was ranked #49. The state is definitely not "out of the woods," though, with some of the worst ratings in 15 of 22 categories of measurement, including the worst rating in three of those categories.
The good news:
The bad news:
The state's best and worst category rankings:
See the United Health Foundation's latest findings on Mississippi.
Mississippi Comprehensive Health Insurance Risk Pool
Toll-free 1-888-820-9400
Risk pools are state-sponsored programs to help people with a history of medical problems in their family to purchase coverage. These pools are for people who can afford to buy health insurance, but are not able to get underwritten in the private market because of a pre-existing health condition. These programs can vary significantly from state-to-state in price, benefits and number of people served. Often insurance companies doing business in the state are required to contribute to the poolto keep it in the black. In the best cases they allow people to be able to switch jobs or become self-employed without the fear of losing their health insurance coverage. Find more on risk pools here.
An option for the medically uninsurable is a guaranteed-issue mini-med health insurance plan. There is no underwriting and no health questions are asked.
These plans provide basic coverage but are not designed to help with catastrophic expenses. They can often count as creditable coverage, eliminating the waiting period for pre-existing conditions if you later move to an employer-based plan. Read more here.
Cover The Uninsured is a national effort to highlight the fact that too many Americans are living without health insurance and to demand solutions from our nation's leaders. Read more information on its efforts. It is a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
US News does an annual ranking of what it considers the best health insurance plans in each state.
Visit its reports on various health insurance or medical insurance plans being offered in Mississippi.
Mississippi Insurance Department --consumer information page -- links of interest to state health care consumers.
Mississippi Division of Medicaid -- helping the state's lowest income individuals and families.
MO CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Plan) -- designed to provide health care insurance for children in families without health insurance or with inadequate health insurance. It does not replace Medicaid; in fact, children on Medicaid are precluded from CHIP participation.
Ezra Klein (Washington Post) – The big news of the morning is a new version of the Senate HELP Committee’s health-care reform bill that seems to have everyone confused. The short version is this: CBO estimates that by 2019 the bill will cover 21 million people at a cost of $597 billion. But – and [...]
Health Insurance Resource Center – Democrats, time to put up or shut up. We don’t expect you to pull all 60 members of your caucus into voting for a public option, but we DO EXPECT you to be able to brush aside any filibuster designed to keep it from a vote.
Health Insurance Resource Center – Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.), newly appointed as ranking minority member of the House Education and Labor Committee, is giving Rep. Michelle Bachmann a run-for-her-money as the looniest representative from the land of 10,000 lakes.
Contact your federal officials. President Obama needs your help to push Congress to make health insurance available, affordable and universal! Read more!
Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour
P.O. Box 139
Jackson, MS 39205
PHONE: 601-359-3150
FAX: 601-359-3741
Contact your Mississippi State Senator
Contact your Mississippi State Representative
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Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.), newly appointed as ranking minority member of the House Education and Labor Committee, is giving Rep. Michelle Bachmann a run-for-her-money as the looniest representative from the land of 10,000 lakes. Read more... (More blog posts)
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