The Mississippi House of Representatives approved $80 million in funding for the state's cash-strapped hospitals, according to a Feb. 16 Mississippi Today report.
The news comes as legislators, as well as the state's governor, continue to refuse to expand Medicaid, which could provide the state with about $1 billion in funds. Mississippi is one of 11 states that have not expanded Medicaid.
At least 28 hospitals in Mississippi are on the brink of closure, with others suffering major financial challenges, the report said.
An amendment to increase the $80 million figure to $275 million was defeated. The state Senate earlier this year approved $80 million for hospitals, though the legislative bodies would have to agree on a bill before any money is disbursed.
"We can't sit back and be like an ostrich with our heads stuck in the sand and our butts pointed up at the sky," said state Rep. Bryant Clark, who proposed the amendment. “Everybody in here knows we are right here in the midst of a healthcare crisis."
Several lawmakers described the newly approved funding as a "Band-Aid" solution, the report said.