State's Medicaid Fund Refusal Leads to Hospital Closures.

Mississippi is one of 10 states that have rejected federal funding to expand health insurance for the poor, intensifying financial pressure on hospitals. Greenwood Leflore Hospital in Mississippi lost $17 million last year, as rural hospitals nationwide struggle to deal with population declines, soaring labor costs, and a long-term shift toward outpatient care. Expanding Medicaid would uncork a spigot of about $1.35 billion a year in federal funds to hospitals and health care providers, according to a 2021 report by the office of the state economist.