As Public Comment Period Closes, Kemp’s Health Care Plan Leaves Georgians’ Health At Risk

ATLANTA – This evening, the public comment period closes on Governor* Brian Kemp’s sham health care proposals, after weeks of devastating testimony from health care providers, Georgians in need, and policy experts on how Kemp’s plans threaten Georgians’ health, leave hundreds of thousands without insurance, and would fail to provide quality care for Georgians with pre-existing conditions and those who need it most. 

Throughout the public comment period, experts have proven that Kemp’s health care proposals leave hundreds of thousands of Georgians uninsured and allow sham health insurance plans that don’t meet federal standards. According to the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, Kemp’s plan would allow health insurance providers to stop covering essential health benefits that Georgians with pre-existing conditions need like prescription drugs, maternity care, substance abuse treatment, or mental health care. 

Most crucially, Kemp’s proposal “falls far short” of what full Medicaid expansion would achieve in for the state of Georgia, by costing millions more than a full expansion while covering far fewer people. Kemp continues to refuse to fully expand Medicaid, a policy which is supported by 7 in 10 Georgians and a majority of Republicans. 

“After weeks of public comment, it’s clear that Brian Kemp’s health care plan is a cruel imitation of what Georgians actually need: full Medicaid expansion in the state of Georgia,” said Maggie Chambers, spokeswoman for the Democratic Party of Georgia. “By choosing to leave hundreds of thousands of Georgians uninsured, and embracing shoddy health insurance plans that fail to cover essential benefits like prescription drugs or maternity care, Brian Kemp is proving that his extreme political agenda will always come before Georgians in need.” 

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