Doug Richards: “On his website, Jackson promises to ‘transform healthcare.’ And that’s all it says about healthcare policy.”
New reporting from 11Alive’s Doug Richards highlights how billionaire insider Rick Jackson is drawing sharp backlash over his strong opposition to Medicaid expansion and his out-of-touch comments claiming that Georgians don’t need health insurance.
WATCH 11ALIVE’S FULL REPORTING HERE:
Richards also notes that Jackson’s website promises to “transform healthcare” but that “that’s all it says about healthcare policy.”
“Rick Jackson’s healthcare plan? Propping up the exact same rigged system that’s screwing over Georgians, raising healthcare costs, and shutting down rural hospitals all across our state – all so he can keep profiting off our pain,” said Democratic Party of Georgia spokesperson Jake Strickland. “Jackson opposes Medicaid expansion precisely because he wants to keep building his fortune, but Georgians have had enough of Slick Rick’s years of blatant self-dealing.”
- “Republican candidate for governor Rick Jackson says Georgians without insurance can still get healthcare.”
- “Expanding access to government-backed health insurance is a big priority for Georgia Democrats. Jackson implies that the need is overstated.”
- “‘You need to understand: Not having insurance in Georgia does not mean you don’t have healthcare. There’s a huge difference. Some people equate it. That is not true,’” Jackson said Thursday.
- On X, Democratic state Rep. Michelle Au (D-Johns Creek), an anesthesiologist, wrote, “That is not ‘healthcare’ in the sense that most people think of it. That is battlefield triage.”
- Au says emergency rooms are not required to do cancer screenings, annual physicals, maintenance, or preventive healthcare.
- “When you’re unable to take care of manageable health conditions, and to prevent sickness or injury, you are paying more down the line for more costly acute care, both as an individual and then we as a society,” added Leah Chan of the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute.
- On his website, Jackson promises to “transform healthcare.” And that’s all it says about healthcare policy.
###