Mississippi passes "presumptive eligibility" law for quicker Medicaid coverage during pregnancy to improve health outcomes.

Mississippi passed a new law, called "presumptive eligibility," to offer quicker Medicaid coverage during pregnancy, with the goal of improving health outcomes for mothers and babies in the state, which has the worst infant mortality rate in the U.S. Signed by Governor Tate Reeves, the law will allow Medicaid to pay for a pregnant woman's outpatient medical care for up to 60 days while her application is processed. The legislation passed the Republican-controlled Legislature with bipartisan support and will go into effect on July 1st.