SB 2567 Mississippi Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Mississippi Pediatric Access To Critical Health Care Protection Act; enact.

SB 2567 requires Mississippi's Medicaid program to pay an out-of-state pediatric teaching hospital (located in a city bordering the Mississippi River and meeting specific criteria) if federal Medicare/Medicaid authorities approve increased funding for such hospitals. The bill ensures that costs for treating Mississippi Medicaid children under 21 at this hospital do not exceed costs for similar care in Mississippi hospitals, and prevents in-state hospitals from receiving lower payments due to these out-of-state payments. It takes effect July 1, 2026, and applies only to hospitals meeting strict requirements like maintaining pediatric specialty programs and dedicated beds for patients under 21.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Signed into Law

Mar 2026

Introduced Feb 6, 2026 Signed Mar 25, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

As Passed the upper → Current version · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was restructured from five separate sections into a single section with subsections, and two significant new requirements were added: a funding condition requiring that the non-federal share of payments be received from a public entity via intergovernmental transfer before any payment can be made, and a sunset provision repealing the act on July 1, 2027. These changes add a practical funding mechanism and limit the bill's duration to one year.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed by adding a one-year sunset (repeal on July 1, 2027) and by conditioning payments on receipt of non-federal funds from a public entity via intergovernmental transfer, which adds a practical prerequisite that could delay or prevent payments if no such entity provides the required funding.

FISCAL

A new requirement was added stating that no payments shall be made until after the Division of Medicaid has received the non-federal share from a public entity capable of furnishing an intergovernmental transfer (such as a state university, public community college, local government, or instrumentality of local government). Any funds received by a public entity from the hospital must qualify as bona fide donations under 42 CFR Section 433.54.

TIMELINE

A sunset provision was added requiring the section to stand repealed on July 1, 2027, limiting the act's duration to one year from its effective date of July 1, 2026.

TECHNICAL

The bill was restructured from five separate sections into a single Section 1 with subsections (1) through (6), with the effective date moved to a new Section 2. Minor wording changes include replacing 'statutory or regulatory authority' with 'statute or regulation' and removing 'in the Office of the Governor' after 'Division of Medicaid.'

Floor votes · Senate Feb 5, 2026 · House Mar 11, 2026

How they voted

52–0

Passed

Total votes 52

Feb 5, 2026

D Democratic18

18 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican34

34 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Mar 25, 2026

Signed into law

Approved by Governor

executive

Mar 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

Concurred in Amend From House

upper

Mar 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed As Amended

lower

Mar 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

Amended

lower

Mar 3, 2026

Lower · Passed

Title Suff Do Pass As Amended

lower

Feb 16, 2026

Committee

Referred To Medicaid

lower

Feb 6, 2026

Introduced

Transmitted To House

upper

Feb 5, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed As Amended

upper

Feb 5, 2026

Upper · Passed

Amended

upper

Jan 29, 2026

Upper · Passed

Title Suff Do Pass

upper

Jan 19, 2026

Committee

Referred To Medicaid

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors