Medicaid; expand eligibility under federal Affordable Care Act and under CHIP.

HB 224 would expand Mississippi's Medicaid program to cover adults under 65 with incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level (FPL) and children under 19 with family incomes between 133% and 200% FPL, aligning with federal Affordable Care Act and CHIP standards. The bill repeals existing Mississippi Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) rules (Sections 41-86-1 and 41-86-5 through 41-86-15) and modifies Medicaid eligibility categories to include these new groups. It directly affects low-income Mississippi residents who currently fall outside existing Medicaid coverage due to income thresholds. The policy change would extend health coverage to approximately 100,000 additional Mississippians, per federal guidelines. This bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and did not become law.