Video & Transcript : 'exam room access' :

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MS

Mississippi 2026 Regular Session

Public Health and Welfare - Room 216, 21 January, 2026; 3:30 PM

Public Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:
  • They don't have enough teachers in the rooms in order to operate.
  • They don't have enough teachers in the<00:20:34.559><c> rooms</c><00:20:35.360><c> in</c><00:20:35.600
  • </c><00:20:36.880><c> The</c> the rooms in order to operate. The the rooms in order to operate.
  • We had access for a short period of time to some income and employment verification.
  • We had access for a short period of time to some income and employment verification.
MS

Mississippi 2026 Regular Session

Public Health and Welfare - Room 216, 14 January, 2026; 3:15 PM

Public Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:
  • And we had another witness who had been at the emergency room at the University of Mississippi Medical
  • been at had another witness who had uh been at the<00:01:14.400><c> emergency</c><00:01:14.880><c> room
  • /c><00:01:15.280><c> the</c><00:01:15.439><c> University</c><00:01:15.840><c> of</c> the emergency room
  • at the University of the emergency room at the University of Mississippi<00:01:16.400><c> Medical</c
MS
Summary: The committee took up Senate Bill 2018, which would create a state-funded reimbursement program to pay Tricare premiums for eligible Mississippi National Guard members. The sponsor explained the bill is intended to improve quality of life, recruiting, and retention, especially for part-time Guardsmen who lack other medical coverage. General Chris Thomas testified that the proposal is a major priority for the Guard and would help address a significant gap in insurance coverage among soldiers and airmen. Members asked how the reimbursement would work, when payments would be made, and whether the benefit would cover the full premium. Thomas said the mechanics were still being worked out, but the intent was to reimburse members fully for their monthly premium, likely through some recurring reimbursement process. He clarified the bill is aimed at traditional part-time Guard members, not full-time AGR or federal technicians who already have medical coverage. Senators also asked whether the benefit would extend to families. Thomas said the current version covers only the service member, though a family plan option exists and the committee discussed the possibility of pursuing that later if the numbers work. The sponsor noted an appropriation bill would be needed to fund the program, with a fiscal note estimated at $4.6 million if all eligible members participated, though that amount would likely be lower because some already have insurance. The committee then adopted a do-pass motion, approved the bill, and reported it out.