Georgia Has Become an At-Risk Patient With Casey Cagle, Brian Kemp and the GOP leadership

$3 Billion Per Year is lost in Revenue by Refusing to Expand Medicaid

ATLANTA — “Casey Cagle, Brian Kemp, and the GOP leadership’s refusal to expand Medicaid has resulted in a loss of more than $3 billion a year in federal funds, making Georgia an ‘at-risk’ patient”, said Democratic Party of Georgia’s Chairman, Dubose Porter.  Porter’s statement follows confirmation from both Cagle and Kemp that regardless of the benefits of expanding Medicaid, both would prefer the same short-term “market-based” solutions. [1]

“Despite the irreversible harm that their stances would inflict on all Georgians, Casey Cagle and Brian Kemp have made it clear that they do not plan on lifting a finger to improve healthcare measures here in Georgia, further putting the lives of Georgians at risk,” said Democratic Party of Georgia Chairman, DuBose Porter. “It is time to elect leaders up and down the ballot who will commit to building a healthier, more prosperous Georgia.”

Right now, 240,000 Georgians make too little to buy health insurance on the marketplace and don’t currently qualify for Medicaid. [2] Additionally, six rural hospitals have closed since 2013 and more than half of the remaining rural hospitals remain financially vulnerable to closure. [3] Thirty-two other states across the U.S. have expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, Georgia not being one of them. [4] Due to GOP leadership in Georgia and their inability to take advantage of the opportunity to expand Medicaid, Georgia ranks near the bottom-tier of states on many healthcare measures. [5]

By every moral, economic and health measurement available, one thing has become clear— Kemp and Cagle are both willing to put partisan politics above the needs and lives of Georgians.

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[1] (GBPI)

[2] (GBPI)

[3] (GBPI)

[4] http://www.georgiahealthnews.com/2018/01/expanding-coverage-part-leaders-legislative-agenda/

[5] http://www.georgiahealthnews.com/2018/01/expanding-coverage-part-leaders-legislative-agenda/