Latest Details on Kemp’s Budget Cuts Reveal New Low to GA GOP’s Assault On Healthcare

While Georgia Comes In Last on Maternal Mortality, Kemp Budget Strips Funding From Program To Fix It 

ATLANTA – As details continue to emerge about the possible consequences of Brian Kemp’s extreme and unnecessary budget cuts, the Georgia Recorder reports alarming news for Georgia’s already terrible maternal mortality ranking: Kemp’s budget cuts are set to cancel state support for Morehouse School of Medicine’s groundbreaking program to finally address Georgia’s maternal health crisis. 

Morehouse’s program, the Center for Excellence on Maternal Mortality, is designed to finally address the extreme equity issues in Georgia maternal health. Black women are 3.3 times more likely to die during or after pregnancy than white women – a serious health crisis that continues to be ignored by Georgia Republicans. 

During 2019’s legislative session, Georgia Republicans, led by Brian Kemp, chose to push through a forced pregnancy bill rather than addressing Georgia’s maternal health crisis. Now, instead of fully expanding Medicaid to those in need, Kemp’s extreme budget cuts would strip 10 million dollars from Georgia’s Medicaid program, in addition to slashing state programs in public health, education, and criminal justice, among others. 

“This is simple: the longer Brian Kemp and Georgia Republicans ignore Georgia’s maternal health crisis, the more women – particularly Black women – will die preventable deaths,” said Maggie Chambers, spokeswoman for the Democratic Party of Georgia. “Once again, the Georgia GOP shows that they’d rather put dangerous rhetoric and extreme policies ahead of actually serving Georgians in need.” 

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