'The threat is not gone,' governor says

Gov.

Tate Reeves asks Mississippians to stay vigilant in the fight against COVID-19.

PLUS DOESN’T END.AND I WANT TO THANK THE PEOPLEOF OUR GREAT STATE FOR IN THISFIGHT.LAST NIGHT WE SAW OUR LARGESTDEATH NUMBER YET.I WANT TO REPEAT WHAT I SAIDYESTERDAY BECAUSE I THINK THATIT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THATTHIS SINKS IN ONE OF THEADVANTAG FROM THE PERSPECTIVEOF HAVING THESE DAILY PRESSCONFERENCES IS SO MANY HUNDREDSOF THOUSANDS OF MISSISSIPPIANSACROSS THE STATE.WATCHING IT GIVES US THEOPPORTUNITY.TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLEAND WHAT I WANT YOU TO HEAR MESAY AND I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTANDTHAT I AM BEING AS HONEST.THAT CAN POSSIBLY BE WITH YOU.THE THREAT IS NOT GONE.EVEN AS WE ALL WANT TO MOVE ONWE HAVE TO STAY VIGILANT.I KNOW IT IS NOT EASY.I KNOW IT IS NOT FAIR.I ALSO KNOW IT IS NOT OVER.WE HAVE TO KEEP FIGHTING ASINDIVIDUALS.AND WE HAVE TO KEEP FIGHTING ASA STATE.THERE IS A REASON.THE WE HAVE NOT THROWN THESTATE.WIDE OPEN I HEAR THE CALLS.THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY.IT’S REALLY WHERE MY INSTINCTGOES WHEN I KNOW AND SEE THEECONOMIC DISASTER THAT IS INFRONT OF US.BUT I JUST SIMPLY CANNOT DO THATIN GOOD CONSCIENCE.I WANT THIS TO BE OVER.I KNOW THAT YOU WANT THIS TO BEOVER.BUT I CAN’T JUST MAKE IT GOAWAY.BALANCE IS THE KEY?EVERY EFFORT TO REOPEN SECTORSOF OUR ECONOMY HAS BEEN DONEBECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT IT ISSAFE TO ALLOW.CERTAIN ACTIVITIES IN TO MAKETHEM LEGAL B JUST BECAUSESOMETHING IS LEGAL DOES NOT MEANIT IS WISE.JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING IS LEGALDOES NOT MEAN THAT IT IS SMARTFOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.YOU AS MISSISSIPPIANS STILL HAVETO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS.THERE IS NO GOVERNMENTREPLACEMENT FOR YOUR PERSONALRESPONSIBILITY AND WISDOM.PLEASE TAKE OUR WARNINGSERIOUSLY.PLEASE DO NOT GO BACK TO NORMAL.PLEASE DO NOT GIVE UP.I HAVE A REAL FEAR.THAT I’VE BEEN TRYING TOCOMMUNICATE FROM THE BEGINNING.I HOPE OUR PEOPLE ARE LISTENING.ACROSS THE COUNTRY MANY OF THESESOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES HAVEBEEN A LITTLE BIT LIKE A REALLYSTRICT DIET.PEOPLE JUST CAN’T SUSTAIN THEMFOR A LONG TIME.AND WHEN THEY START TO REACH ABREAKING POINT THEY TEND TO GOSTRAIGHT.FOR A BIG OLD PIECE OF CHOCOLATECAKE THEY GIVE UP ON THEMISSION.RATHER THAN EASE UP ON THEMEASURES.WHATEVER WE DO AS A STATE HAS TOBE SUSTAINABLE.OR IT WILL DO MORE HARM THANGOOD.IS WHY WE ARE WORKING TO GIVEPEOPLE SOME SEMBLANCE OFNORMALCY.I CANNOT ALLOW YOU.TO LOSE MORALE AND GIVE UP OR WEWILL SEE THINGS GET FAR WORSE NOMATTER WHAT.ANY OF MY EXECUTIVE ORDERS SAYPLEASE DO NOT GIVE UP.WE NEED YOU TO STAY SMART.WE NEED YOU TO STAY STRONG.YOU ARE NEEDED IN THIS FIGHT.WE KNOW THAT NOT EVERY PORTIONOF OUR STATE.IS THE SAME.I’VE BEEN TALKING WITH DR. DOBBSABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO STAYFLEXIBLE.RECOGNIZE THAT SOME COUNTIES MAYNEED MORE STRICT MEASURES THANOTHERS.WE’VE BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUTGETTING RESOURCES AND ATTENTIONWHERE THEY ARE NEEDED THE MOSTAND WHERE THEY ARE NEEDEDQUICKLY.WE WERE DISCUSSING HOW TO DO THESAME.WITH OUR ORDERS AND OUR MEASURESI WOULD EXPECT ADDITIONAL NEWSON THAT SOON.I WANT YOU TO KNOW.I’M TIRED OF ALL THIS TOO.I’M READY TO GET BACK TO LIFE ASNORMAL.BUT NEITHER YOU NOR I CAN SIMPLYSNAP OUR FINGERS AND MAKE THATSO WHAT WE CAN DO IS TRY TO WORKTOGETHER TO HELP MAKE THINGSBETTER.MAKE THEM A LITTLE SAFER.MAKE THEM A LITTLE MORE NORMALWITH KINDNESS FOR YOURNEIGHBORS.AND I KNOW SO MANY OF YOU HAVEBEEN DOING THAT.I SEE IT.WE ALL SEE IT.MISSISSIPPIANS ARE HELPINGMISSISSIPPIANS IT BRINGS ME JOY.IN A DARK TIME TO HEAR YOURSTORIES OF COMPASSION ANDRESILIENCE.I REALLY BELIE WE ARECONTAINING THIS AS MUCH AS WEPOSSIBLY CAN.DO NOT MISTAKE MY HOPE AND PRIDEIN THE PEOPLE OF MISSISSIPPI FORA BELIEF THAT THIS CANNOT GETWORSE.DO NOT CONFUSE MY BELIEF THATOUR STRATEGY IS STRONG WITH THENOTION THAT COVID-19 CANNOT KILLONE OF YOUR LOVED ONES.THERE IS HOPE.WE ARE, MISSISSIPPI.THIS IS AMERICA.WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH HARD TIMES.AND COME THROUGH ALL OF THEMSTRONGER.WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS ASWELL.I ALSO WANT YOU TO KNOW.THAT I TRUST YOU.I TRUST THAT YOU WERE DOING THERIGHT THING IN THE FACE OFTREMENDOUS PRESSURE.THAT’S WHY THIS IS NOT BEEN MUCHMUCH WORSE AT THIS POINT.I’M NOT LECTURING OR TELLING YOUWHAT TO DO.I’M ASKING YOU AS A FELLOW,MISSISSIPPIAN.AS A FELLOW AMERICAN PLEASE DONOT GIVE UP AND PLEASE DO NOTGIVE IN.TAKE CARE OF ONE ANOTHER.TAKE CARE OF YOUR MOM YOUR DADYOUR GRANDMOM YOUR GRANDDAD.TAKE CARE OF OF ALL OF YOURLOVED ONES.TODAY IN ADDITION TO DR. DOBBSAND DIRECTOR MICHELLE.I’VE ASKED DREW SCHNEIDER.OF THE DIVISION OF MEDICAID TOBE HER HE AND HIS TEAM HAVEBEEN DOING EXCELLENT WORK.AND WE ARE GETTING EMERGENCYSUPPLEMENTAL PAYMENTS TOHOSPITALS TO HELP THEM GETTHROUGH THIS TIME.WE ARE BEING SMART.WE ARE LEVERAGING SOME OF OURRESOURCES TO HELP SUPPORT THOSEVERY PEOPLE ON THE FRONT LINES.DREW WOULD YOU PLEASE ADDRESS?THAT EFFORT THANK YOU GOVERNORRAVES.SINCE THE OUTBREAK BEGAN WITHTHE DIVISION OF MEDICAID HAVEBEEN EXPLORING EVERY AVAILABLEOPPORTUNITY AT OUR DISPOSAL TOASSIST IN MISSISSIPPI’S RESPONSETO COVID-19.THE LATEST STEP HAS BEEN TOACCELERATE THE DELIVERY OFSUPPLEMENTAL PAYMENTS TOHOSPITALS, WHICH WILL MAKEALMOST A HUNDRED AND SEVENTYMILLION DOLLARS IN SUPPORTQUICKLY AVAILABLE WHERE THE MOSTINTENSIVE TREATMENTS ARE BEINGPERFORMED SPECIFICALLY.THESE ARE TWO POOLS OFSUPPLEMENTAL PAYMENTS THE BEEHOSPITAL ACCESS PROGRAM WEAR EMHOW IN DISPROPORTIONATE SHAREPAYMENTS WERE DISH ON MAY 1STHOSPITALS RECEIVE 92 MILLIONDOLLARS IN ADVANCE TIM HOWPAYMENTS AND THEY WILL RECEIVE77 MILLION DOLLARS IN EARLY DISHPAYMENTS ON MAY 14TH THEACCELERATED PAVEMENT AVENUE MADESENSE FOR A FEW REASONS FIRSTTHE STATE COULD RESPONDRELATIVELY QUICKLY ACCELERATEDPAYMENTS DIDN’T REQUIRESTATUTORY CHANGES.NOR WAS IT THE TYPE OF CHANGEAND REIMBURSEMENT METHODOLOGYTHAT OUR THE DIVISION TO GOTHROUGH A POTENTIALLYTIME-CONSUMING APPROVAL PROCESSAT THE FEDERAL LEVEL SECOND.THE IMPACT ON HOSPITALS ISIMMEDIATE A CHALLENGE HOSPITALEXECUTIVES FREQUENTLY MENTIONEDTO ME THAT THEY WERE FACING WASLOW CASH FLOW CASH ON HANDCAUSED IN PART BY HISTORICALLYLOW UTILIZATION.IT WOULDN’T HELP HOSPITALS THATMUCH IF WE INCREASE THEIRREIMBURSEMENT RATES.PATIENTS AREN’T SEEKING CARERIGHT NOW FOR NON-EMERGENTPROCEDURES, BUT COUPLED WITH THEFEDERAL FUNDING HOSPITALS HAVEGOTTEN DIRECTLY FROM WASHINGTON.THESE ADVANCES SHOULD HELPSUSTAIN THEM IN SLOW MO MONTHSUNTIL UTILIZATION RECOVERS ANDLASTLY ACCELERATING PAYMENTSDOESN’T PUT A FUTURE STRAIN ONTAXPAYERS.THE DIVISION OF MEDICAID ISTAKEN OTHER STEPS AS WELL.HISSING ACCESS TO TELEMEDICINEBEING ONE IN MARCH GOVERNORREEVES AND OUTS THAT WE’DRECEIVED AUTHORITY TO RELAXFEDERAL REQUIREMENTS.SO THAT BENEFICIARIES COULDRECEIVE TELEHEALTH SERVICES INTHEIR HOME THROUGH A PERSONALCELL PHONE TABLET OR OTHERDEVICE.WE ALSO EXPANDED THE TYPE OFPROVIDERS WHO COULD HAVE SATDELIVER TELEHEALTH INCLUDINGRURAL HEALTH CLINICS AND OURFEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTHCENTERS FURTHERMORE.WE RECEIVED APPROVAL FROM CMS TOEXPAND THE SERVICES AVAILABLE TOOUR HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASEDWAIVER RECIPIENTS AND THOSESTEPS INCLUDED INCREASING THEAVAILABILITY OF HOME DELIVEREDMEALS AND THE AVAILABILITY OFIN-HOME PROVIDERS OVERALL MOSTOF THE EMERGENCY POLICIES.WE’VE ENACTED ARE AIMED ATREDUCING BARRIERS TO NECESSARYCARE, AND WE’RE TO RESPONDINGDECISIVELY IN THE SUBMERGED.SEE WHILE STILL CONSIDERINGLONG-TERM FINANCIALCONSEQUENCES.WE WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO TAKETHESE ACTIONS WITH WITHOUTFEDERAL FLUX ABILITIES AND THEFULL SUPPORT OF GOVERNOR REEVESAND HIS OUTSTANDING TEAM.YOU KNOW, I’D LIKE TO ALSOBRIEFLY EXPRESS MY APPRECIATIONTO THE DIVISION OF MEDICAID’SWORKFORCE.MEDICAID’S GOT A LOT OF MOVINGPARTS AND THE STAFF HAS WORKEDHARD TOO QUICKLY AND ACT A WIDERANGE OF INTERTWINING POLICIESAN OUR ELIGIBILITY WORKFORCEACROSS THE STATE IS RAINCOMMITTED TO ENSURING OURBENEFICIARIES CONTINUE TO HAVEFULL ACCESS TO THE THE PROGRAMSIN OUR COMMUNITIES.THANK YOU.GOVERNOR.THANK YOU DREW AND THANK YOU TOYOUR TEAM FOR THOSE EFFORTS.I THINK.WHAT YOU ARE SEEING EVERY DAY ASWE BRING ADDITIONAL LEADERS INOUR TEAM TO REPORT TO THE PEOPLEOF OUR STATE IS OUR STATELEADERS IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCHOF GOVERNMENT ARE LEANING INTOTHIS VIRUS WE’RE LEANING INTOTHIS RESPONSE.WE WERE DOING EVERYTHING IN OURPOWER.TO EASE THE BURDEN ONMISSISSIPPIANS AND DREW AND HISTEAM SIMPLY ANOTHER EXAMPLE, ANDI’M VERY PROUD OF WHAT THEY’REDOING IN ADDITION TO THAT ON THECALL YESTERDAY WITH THECORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE VICEPRESIDENT PENCE.SEEMA VARMA WHO IS THEADMINISTRATOR OF CMS WAS ON THECALL AND SHE HAS WORKEDDILIGENTLY AS HAS SO MANY PEOPLEIN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ATMET AT TRYING THEIR BEST TOALLOW CHIEF EXECUTIVES ANDGOVERNORS TO RES