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Ahead of Anniversary of Medicaid, Case for Expansion in Georgia Clearer Than Ever
On Friday, July 30, the one in five Georgians who rely on Medicaid will celebrate the 56th anniversary of the landmark program, which provides health coverage to low-income adults and children. But Georgia Republicans’ continued refusal to expand Medicaid has left hundreds of thousands of Georgians uninsured, Georgia’s health outcomes some of the worst in the county, and the state’s rural health care infrastructure without the resources it needs to stay afloat.
Medicaid expansion is more popular than ever, with a majority of Georgians supporting it. It is also fiscally sound – if Georgia were to expand Medicaid now, the state would receive enough federal funds to cover the cost of Medicaid expansion and then some.
Amid Georgia Republicans’ refusal to do the right thing, Democrats in Congress — led by Senators Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock and Representatives Carolyn Bourdeaux, Lucy McBath, and Nikema Williams — have introduced legislation to create a federal pathway for Medicaid expansion that bypasses Kemp’s inaction.
“Georgia’s rural health care infrastructure is in dire straits – the rural uninsured rate is sky-high, rural hospitals are closing, and rural health outcomes are unacceptable. Medicaid expansion is proven to improve rural health care on all of those fronts,” said Rebecca Galanti, spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Georgia. “With one of the worst rural health situations in the country, Brian Kemp and Georgia Republicans should be doing everything they can to help – instead, they’re dragging their feet on Medicaid expansion and leaving rural Georgians in the dust. Every rural Georgian deserves access to reliable, quality health care, and the rural hospitals they depend on need help to keep their doors open – which is why Democrats will not stop fighting for Medicaid expansion despite Republican inaction.”
FAST FACTS: Medicaid Expansion Would Strengthen Rural Health Care in Georgia
Rural Georgia Health Care is Crumbling
Medicaid Expansion Would Strengthen Rural Health Care
Medicaid Expansion Would Be A Lifeline for Georgia’s Rural Hospitals
Read more about how Medicaid expansion will increase coverage and improve health outcomes in Georgia.
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