If we do not expand Medicaid, not only will the state lose an opportunity to create 9,000 jobs and secure our state’s hospitals, it will also create a coverage gap that our state’s low income working families will fall into. These families are the ones who take care of our young children, prepare our food, care for us when we are sick, and build our homes.  They earn between approximately $10,000 and $30,000 for a family of four and do not have enough to pay for adequate health care.  They earn too much to qualify for the current Medicaid program, but do not earn enough to be eligible for the health insurance exchange and purchase health coverage.  We have an unprecedented opportunity to provide health care coverage for 300,000 Mississippians with 100% of the medical services costs covered by federal funding for the first three years and only as much as ten cents on the dollar after that.