Nettleton – When asked about his reaction to hospitals laying off workers, Tate Reeves “chuckled, didn’t substantively respond and brushed off the question” in a gaggle of reporters at the Neshoba County Fair. 

To Tate Reeves, our hospitals may be a joke, but this crisis is no laughing matter. Here are just a couple of hospitals around the state struggling that Tate Reeves finds funny:

• In March, Mississippi’s first rural emergency hospital, Alliance Healthcare System, announced they were ending inpatient care in order to try and keep their doors open.

• Greenwood Leflore Hospital has requested donations from the public on its website - and now the county is debating whether to raise property taxes in order to keep the hospital open. Staff is overwhelmed with patients dealing with severe health issues that could have been treated sooner with proper healthcare.

• St. Dominic’s Hospital in Jackson closed its entire behavioral health unit, laying off 157 workers, and now psychiatric beds are full at nearby hospitals.

• KPC Promise Hospital in Vicksburg closed this week after struggling financially.

• North Mississippi Medical Center announced laying off around 100 people.

“Tate Reeves laughed while our hospitals burn to the ground. To me, your health is no laughing matter. That’s why as governor, I will end Tate Reeves’ healthcare crisis once and for all by expanding Medicaid, which will keep hospitals open, provide affordable healthcare to 220,000 working Mississippians, and create thousands of good-paying jobs across our state,” said Commissioner Brandon Presley.

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