Health Innovation Through Collaboration

The Mississippi Healthcare Collaborative is dedicated to advancing healthcare in Mississippi through data-driven research and advocacy.

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to harness the power of data to identify critical health needs, drive evidence-based solutions, and advocate for financially sustainable policies that improve the quality and accessibility of healthcare for all residents. We are committed to fostering collaboration among healthcare professionals, policymakers, and community stakeholders to create a healthier Mississippi.

COLLABORATIVE PRIORITIES

Supplemental Payments

Working to identify potential changes by CMS to the MHAP ACR program- which has been the largest factor in protecting access to care and jobs- and working to mitigate any negative effects of such changes.

Expanded Access to Insurance

Conducting a thorough evaluation of current federal programs and tools that can be leveraged to expand access to affordable healthcare for low-income workers, exploring options such as Medicaid waivers, federal subsidies, and public-private partnerships to enhance the availability of essential health services.

Certificate of Need

Conducting a comprehensive review and recommending critical updates to the Certificate of Need policy, with particular attention to areas such as ambulatory surgery centers, high-cost medical equipment, and dialysis chronic care units. We will consider the unique challenges facing rural hospitals and propose adjustments that ensure these institutions remain viable and compliant.

Provider Tax

Conducting a thorough analysis of the hospital provider tax structure to ensure fairness, equity, and financial sustainability for all healthcare providers.

Rural Health

Advocating for the establishment of state grant programs to incentivize hospitals eligible for Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) status but not yet transitioned. Utilizing federal subsidized grants in tandem with the REH designation will not only improve access to emergency care but will also maximize resource efficiency across rural healthcare networks.

Assessing the Mississippi Trauma Care Systems Fund to address financial sustainability concerns, offering strategic solutions for long-term funding, and refining the most recent study’s recommendations to align with evolving healthcare needs and emergency preparedness requirements.

Trauma Care

Cyber Security

Defining the state’s role in protecting healthcare institutions from escalating cybersecurity threats. This will involve the evaluation of current infrastructure, vulnerability assessments, and the proposal of enhanced security measures to safeguard patient data and ensure operational resilience against cyberattacks.

Regionalization

Assessing the state’s health provider capacity, patient access, and gaps and devising a cooperative strategy to provide continuity of care to patients throughout the state.

Grant Funding

Exploring alternative revenue streams and innovative funding mechanisms, including opportunities to match federal dollars for supplemental healthcare programs. These efforts will focus on ensuring the long-term financial viability of healthcare providers while expanding service offerings to meet the growing needs of diverse patient populations.

340B

Continued advocacy for provider best-practices to ensure eligible hospitals and health clinics retain 340B status and effectively leverage the program.

Reviewing inpatient mental health access throughout the state and providing detailed recommendations to expand care capacity, enhance accessibility, and reduce patient wait times, with a focus on improving outcomes for underserved and rural populations.