Rep. Sam Mims Awarded State Legislator of the Year by Rural Health Association
Published on Tuesday, December 1, 2020
State Representative Sam Mims, District 97, was recently awarded the Mississippi Rural Health Association’s ‘State Legislator of the Year Award.’ This award is presented to one lawmaker each year for his or her work to advance healthcare policy in support of rural Mississippi.
Representing Adams, Amite, Franklin, Pike Counties, Rep. Mims has served as chair of the House Public Health and Human Services Committee for nine years. In this role, Rep. Mims advanced legislation related to reimbursement for services, expansion of telehealth, growth of broadband connectivity, support of emergency management services, and greater flexibilities of hospitals and clinics.
In 2020, Rep. Mims authored and passed legislation creating a new ‘Center for Rural Health’ within the Mississippi State Department of Health. This new Center will allow efforts from the existing State Office of Rural Health and Primary Care to be magnified for obtaining grants and contracts from partner agencies. It will also allow the office to better support rural hospitals and clinics with new payment methodologies and expanded ways to treat and provide access to patients.
Rep. Mims was awarded this recognition during the Mississippi Rural Health Association’s 25th Annual Conference, which was held as a virtual conference due to COVID-19 restrictions.
