Mississippi health official says agency closed $10 million gap, asks for targeted early-intervention funding

Dr. Eddy, a Department of Health official, told the Joint Appropriations Subcommittee that the department has closed a roughly $10,000,000 shortfall identified two years ago and is asking legislators to increase the state component of early-intervention funding by $2,000,000 to reach a combined $8,000,000 target this year.

The funding request is part of a broader briefing in which Dr. Eddy credited reorganization, improved billing and fee adjustments with increasing revenue and reducing federal dependency. "We have closed the $10,000,000 gap that I had shared with y'all 2 years ago," he said, and added that improved revenue cycles and a statute requiring private insurers to recognize the department as public-health providers now generate roughly $1,000,000 a year in additional revenue.

Why it matters: the department said the changes have allowed more county health departments and higher-level clinics to be open five days a week, increased patient access and freed state discretionary funds to address maternal and infant health, syphilis prevention and other priorities. Dr. Eddy told lawmakers the department reduced its reliance on federal funding from about 80% of its budget to roughly 70% through these measures.

Key program details and funding requests. Dr. Eddy described four spending “buckets” in the department’s appropriation:…