Democratic Party of Georgia

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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/

Statement on Trump’s Executive Order to Sabotage Health Care

Release:  Friday, October 13, 2017

Atlanta, GA – Democratic Party of Georgia First Vice Chair Nikema Williams issued the following statement on Donald Trump’s executive order to sabotage the health care marketplace.

“With this executive order, Donald Trump and the Republican Party have made crystal clear the fact that they do not care about the collateral damage—Georgia’s families—in their quest to dismantle a bill that is actually saving lives. The ACA is working, yet Trump is undermining the insurance marketplace—while chipping away at President Obama’s legacy—to score political points with the Republican Party’s base. Democrats believe health care is a human right, not a privilege. To truly improve the quality of life for all Georgians, we call on the GOP to work with Democrats to craft policies that strengthen the security found in quality affordable healthcare.”

Late Thursday evening, the Trump Administration announced the decision to cut ACA subsidies—known as cost-sharing reduction subsidies or CSRs—that reduce the cost of health care for millions of Georgians.

From The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities:

Stopping cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments to insurers under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), as President Trump has repeatedly threatened, would drive up federal marketplace subsidy costs, raise premiums, cause more insurers to withdraw from the marketplaces, and increase the number of uninsured next year, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found today. Key findings include:

  • Stopping CSR payments would raise federal budget deficits by $6 billion in 2018 and $194 billion over the next ten years, relative to current law, due to increased costs for the ACA’s premium tax credits for low- and moderate-income people to offset their rising premiums (see below).
  • Marketplace premiums for “silver-level” plans would rise by 20 percent, on average, in 2018. Premiums for such plans would be 25 percent higher in 2020 and thereafter, relative to current law.
  • Marketplace insurers in some states would withdraw from or not enter the marketplaces in 2018. As a result, the share of the nation’s population living in areas with no marketplace insurers would rise to 5 percent in 2018, up from less than 0.5 percent under current law.
  • The number of uninsured would rise by 1 million in 2018, relative to current law.

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SHOT/CHASER: The Price is Wrong Edition

 

Release:  Wednesday, September 20, 2017                                                                                     

 

SHOT/CHASER: The Price is Wrong Edition

 

SHOT: HHS Secretary Tom Price spent an estimated $60,000 on five private jet excursions, breaking precedent set by his predecessors who flew commercial.

 

CHASER: As a Georgia Congressman, Price decried the use of private jets, saying “This is just another example of fiscal irresponsibility run amok in Congress right now.”

 

“Tom Price spent more money on just five trips than the median household income for a Georgia family. This is an affront to the hundreds of thousands of Georgians who will lose health care coverage if Price and Trump get their way and repeal the Affordable Care Act.” – Michael Smith, Communications Director

 

CNBC – Tom Price, who reportedly used costly private jets, once slammed government planes as ‘fiscal irresponsibility run amok’

 

  • Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price took five private jets for official business last week at an estimated cost of at least $60,000, according to Politico.
  • In 2009, Price slammed House Democrats for authorizing funding for private jets.
  • Price has also backed the Trump administration’s proposed cuts to the HHS budget.

 

Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, who reportedly took five separate private jet flights for government business last week, once slammed Congress for authorizing funding for private planes.

Price, a fiscal conservative who has long pledged spending discipline, took the flights at an estimated cost of at least $60,000, according to Politico. The travel included an estimated $25,000 round trip from Washington to nearby Philadelphia.

The two HHS secretaries who served prior to Price took commercial flights while in the continental United States, the news outlet said.

Price had a very different outlook on government spending for private planes while serving as a congressman from Georgia. In a 2009 CNBC interview, he criticized House Democrats for trying to spend $550 million on eight passenger jets.

He said a scaled-back request of $220 million for four jets also went too far.

“I think we’ve made it halfway of where we ought to and that is cut it from eight to four jets,” Price said at the time. “Now we need to cut it from four jets to zero jets. This is just another example of fiscal irresponsibility run amok in Congress right now.”

HHS did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request to comment on this article.

Price’s flights last week cost tens of thousands of dollars more than commercial travel for the same schedule would have cost. He went to Philadelphia for a Q&A session with the CEO of Athenahealth and visited community health centers in both New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, Politico said, citing internal documents.

It is unclear if he took private flights for other official business since joining the Trump administration.

Price also backed an 18 percent HHS budget cut proposed by the Trump administration for fiscal 2018. He was expected to present a plan to overhaul the agency’s structure to the White House this month, Politico reported.

 

 

GOP Proves They Don’t Give a Damn About Quality Affordable Health Coverage

Tom Price makes push for “junk insurance”

Release:  Monday, July 17, 2017    

Contact: Michael Smith, Communications Director                                         

Atlanta, GA – “Nothing is more telling than Tom Price’s admission that the GOP’s endgame is to place power back in the hands of insurance companies. Before the Affordable Care Act, Georgians with pre-existing conditions were charged higher premiums or denied coverage altogether, being a woman was considered a pre-existing condition, and out-of-pocket expenses for lifesaving preventative care like mammograms and immunizations placed these services out-of-reach for many. Repeal of the ACA is cruel and dangerous.” – DuBose Porter, Chair

Yesterday on This Week, HHS Tom Price suggested that insurance companies turn back the clock on industry improvements and standards set by the ACA.

From Huffington Post: “It’s really perplexing, especially from the insurance companies, because all they have to do is dust off how they did business before Obamacare,” Price said, referring to an amendment proposed by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) that would allow insurers to resume sales of policies that leave out key benefits, such as prescription drugs or mental health treatment.

“A single risk pool, which is what they’re objecting to, is exactly the kind of process that was ― that has been utilized for decades to care for individuals,” he added.

Cruz’s amendment would allow insurance companies to get away with providing “junk insurance” –barebones coverage that would cover very little while carrying higher out-of-pocket costs for those covered.

From NYT: The new version of the bill released on Thursday incorporates an idea from Senator Ted Cruz of Texas that would permit insurers to market all types of plans as long as they offer ones that comply with Affordable Care Act standards. The measure would also allow companies to take into account people’s health status in determining whether to insure them and at what price. State insurance regulators say the proposal harks back to the days when insurance companies, even household names like Aetna and Blue Cross, sold policies so skimpy they could hardly be called coverage at all. Derided as ‘junk insurance,’ the plans had very low premiums but often came with five-figure deductibles. Many failed to pay for medical care that is now deemed essential.

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Georgia Congressional Republicans Vote to Take Away Health Care From 24 Million Americans, 4,316,000 Georgians With Pre-existing Conditions at Risk of Losing Coverage

Atlanta, GA – Today, Georgia’s Republican Congressional Delegation voted to strip health care from 24 million Americans to pay for a $600 billion tax cut for millionaires and billionaires. If Trumpcare becomes law, seniors will be saddled with higher premiums. Further, 4,316,000 Georgians with pre-existing conditions—including those with cancer, children with disabilities, and those who are pregnant—will at best see higher premiums and at worst complete loss of health care coverage. Democratic Party of Georgia Chair DuBose Porter issued the following statement.

“This is abominable, and I cannot comprehend how these nine men will sleep at night knowing they just tipped the delicate scales of life and death matters. Obamacare saved the lives of millions, improved the quality of life for millions more, and gave families the peace-of-mind that comes with having access to affordable health care. The GOP should know that this is not the end, it’s only the beginning. They will be held accountable.” – DuBose Porter, Democratic Party of Georgia Chair

The bill is so dangerous that GOP legislators even exempted themselves.

Trumpcare’s impact on Georgians with pre-existing conditions is catastrophic. The Center for American Progress has calculated the number of Georgians with pre-existing conditions by Congressional District. All nine Georgia GOP Congressmen voted in favor of putting these Georgians at risk:

Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (GA-1) –  306,701

Drew Ferguson, IV (GA-3) – 299,400

Rob Woodall (GA-7) –  355,000

Austin Scott (GA-8) –  284,600

Doug Collins (GA-9) –  292,100

Jody B. Hice (GA-10) –  302,600

Barry Loudermilk (GA-11) –  328,200

Rick W. Allen (GA-12) –  293,200

Tom Graves (GA-14) –  285,700

Before Obamacare, insurance companies had license to deny coverage or charge higher premiums by defining pregnancy, sexual assault, drug addiction, cancer, diabetes, asthma and much more as pre-existing conditions.

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Democratic Party Response to Governor’s State of the State Address

Release:  Wednesday, January 10, 2017                                                                  

Atlanta, GA – Today the Chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia, DuBose Porter, issued the following response to the State of the State Address delivered by Governor Nathan Deal:

“This morning, Governor Deal delivered his State of the State Address. While we heard plenty of promises, we did not hear any meaningful solutions to several of the most pressing issues we face as a state.

“More than 300,000 Georgians live without health insurance, we have one of the highest infant and maternal mortality rates, and we rank 49th in Medicaid spending per enrollee. Since 2013, five rural hospitals have shuttered their doors due to lack of funding, and scores more operate under the threat of closure. Yet the governor and his Party not only refuse to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act—they now boast the formation of a ‘repeal Obamacare’ taskforce. All the while, states that have taken advantage of Obamacare’s lifeline have slashed uninsured rates, saved tax dollars and—more importantly—saved lives.

“Georgia has one of the highest poverty rates in the nation, yet our state’s minimum wage remains at an embarrassingly low $5.15. Women comprise 51 percent of Georgia’s population, but we heard no plan to address the gender wage gap. We heard no plan to raise the minimum wage to a standard fitting for the year 2017. Too many workers hold two or more jobs while still living in poverty and are still left out in the cold when it comes to affordable child care, housing, access to health benefits and paid family leave.

“Georgia ranks 38th in per-student spending, investing $1800 less per student than the national average. State budget cuts to education have forced school districts to shorten their calendar year and furlough teachers. Even though voters overwhelmingly rejected Governor Deal’s school takeover plan at the ballot box just months ago, he is pushing another top-down proposal that leaves parents and teachers out of the discussion and does nothing to fully fund our public schools. All this talk about failing schools and still no real discussion about the causes that led to their struggles. Where is the proposal for universal Pre-K? Smaller classrooms? More spending for additional teachers and professionals in the classrooms? When a quality education is the single most power tool given to a child to rise above the economic or class barriers, our state must invest the resources needed to allow educators to equip students for a 21st Century economy.

“The costs to attain a college or technical school degree continue to skyrocket, yet we heard no indication that the governor will work with Democrats to guarantee hardworking students a HOPE scholarship that covers full tuition and the basic necessities on a needs-based system.

“Governor Deal discussed the threat of cybercrimes, but failed to acknowledge the recent attacks on our democracy by a foreign government. And he certainly didn’t mention cyberthreats much closer to home, like we saw just a little over a year ago when the Office of Georgia’s Secretary of State gave out the Social Security numbers and private data of more than six million Georgians, putting our own economic security at risk.

“In his inaugural State of the State Address six years ago, Governor Deal declared that we were ‘entering a new era of smaller government and greater personal responsibility’ and that ‘government must pull back.’ Six years later, we’ve learned that the governor and his Party didn’t just pull back—they pulled the rug out from underneath Georgia families.

“Government certainly isn’t the solution to everything. But it can be a powerful force for good, giving a voice to the voiceless, ladders of opportunity to those who need it most, and safety nets for those who fall. It is the Democratic Party’s mission to ensure that everyone willing to do their part is able to get a well-paying job, buy a home, have affordable healthcare, send their kids to college, and retire with dignity. Democrats in the Senate and House have put forward measures to make these promises a reality, but need willing partners on the other side of the aisle who are committed to working together for what is best for all Georgians.

“As President Obama said last night, we rise or fall as one. We are a community, and our successes and failures are shared. So it is our hope that Republicans work with Democrats to push Georgia down the path of progress.”

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GOP Plan to Scrap ACA, Medicaid, and Medicare Nightmare Scenario for Georgians

Release:  Friday, January 6, 2017

Atlanta, GA – Congressional Republicans are making moves in coordination with  members of the incoming Trump Administration—including Trump’s pick to head HHS, Representative Tom Price—to dismantle the Affordable Care Act. As a surprise to no one, Republicans are short on details, but that hasn’t stopped Georgia Republicans from announcing the formation of a “’repeal Obamacare’ task force to guide how Georgia responds to President-elect Donald Trump’s plans, saying the effort was one of their top priorities for the upcoming legislative session.”

The GOP has also indicated their intentions to privatize Medicare and cut state funds for Medicaid—a move that would disproportionately harm seniors, persons with disabilities, and low-income Georgians.

“Obamacare, Medicare, and Medicaid are proven to work and often mean the difference between life and death to millions of Georgians. Why are Republicans more eager to use our tax dollars for a ludicrous wall than they are to protect the wellbeing of the people? This plan to rip away Georgians’ healthcare will create utter chaos and the GOP would be wise to shift their attention to solving real issues.” – Rebecca DeHart, Executive Director

THE FACTS:
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services – Impact of the Affordable Care Act in Georgia

Employer Coverage: 5,240,000 people in Georgia are covered through employer-sponsored health plans. Since the ACA was enacted in 2010, this group has seen:

  • An end to annual and lifetime limits: Before the ACA, 3,317,000 Georgians with employer or individual market coverage had a lifetime limit on their insurance policy. That meant their coverage could end exactly when they needed it most. The ACA prohibits annual and lifetime limits on policies, so all Georgians with employer plans now have coverage that’s there when they need it.
  • Young adults covered until age 26: An estimated 74,000 young adults in Georgia have benefited from the ACA provision that allows kids to stay on their parents’ health insurance up to age 26.
  • Free preventive care: Under the ACA, health plans must cover preventive services — like flu shots, cancer screenings, contraception, and mammograms – at no extra cost to consumers. This provision benefits 4,187,077 people in Georgia, most of whom have employer coverage.
  • Slower premium growth: The average premium for Georgia families with employer coverage grew 5.7 percent per year from 2010-2015, compared with 7.0 percent over the previous decade. Assuming Georgia premiums grew in line with the national average in 2016, family premiums in Georgia are $1,800 lower today than if growth had matched the pre-ACA decade.
  • Better value through the 80/20 rule: Because of the ACA, health insurance companies must spend at least 80 cents of each premium dollar on health care or care improvements, rather than administrative costs like salaries or marketing, or else give consumers a refund. Georgians with employer coverage have received $25,641,050 in insurance refunds since 2012.

Medicaid: 1,782,301 people in Georgia are covered by Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, including 1,253,841 children and 137,671 seniors and people with disabilities covered by both Medicaid and Medicare. The ACA expanded Medicaid eligibility and strengthened the program for those already eligible.

  • 389,000 Georgians could gain coverage: An estimated 389,000 Georgians could have health insurance today if Georgia expanded Medicaid under the ACA. Coverage improves access to care, financial security, and health; expansion would result in an estimated 44,000 more Georgians getting all needed care, 55,300 fewer Georgians struggling to pay medical bills, and 470 avoided deaths each year.
  • Up to 159,000 Georgians with a mental illness or substance use disorder could get help: 159,000 Georgians, or an estimated 25 percent of those who could gain Medicaid coverage through expansion, have a mental illness or substance use disorder.
  • Georgia could be saving millions in uncompensated care costs: Instead of spending $410 million on uncompensated care, which increases costs for everyone, Georgia could be getting $3 billion in federal support to provide low-income adults with much needed care.
  • Children, people with disabilities, and seniors can more easily access Medicaid coverage: The ACA streamlined Medicaid eligibility processes, eliminating hurdles so that vulnerable Georgians could more easily access and maintain coverage.
  • Georgia is helping seniors and people with disabilities live in the community: The ACA provided Georgia with a new option to help promote community integration through long-term services and supports, providing seniors and people with disabilities an alternative to institutional care.

Individual market: 478,016 people in Georgia have coverage through the Marketplace. Individual market coverage is dramatically better compared to before the ACA:

  • No discrimination based on pre-existing conditions: Up to 4,323,897 people in Georgia have a pre-existing health condition. Before the ACA, these Georgians could have been denied coverage or charged an exorbitant price if they needed individual market coverage. Now, health insurance companies cannot refuse coverage or charge people more because of pre-existing conditions.
  • Tax credits available to help pay for coverage: Before the ACA, only those with employer coverage generally got tax benefits to help pay for health insurance. Now, 427,353 moderate- and middle-income Georgians receive tax credits averaging $291 per month to help them get covered through HealthCare.gov.
  • Women pay the same as men: Before the ACA, women were often charged more than men just because of their gender. That is now illegal thanks to the ACA, protecting roughly half the people of Georgia.
  • Greater transparency and choice: Before the ACA, it was virtually impossible for consumers to effectively compare insurance plan prices and shop for the best value. Thanks to the ACA, consumers can now shop for coverage on a transparent market, choosing among 32 plans on average.

Medicare: 1,574,058 people in Georgia are covered by Medicare. The ACA strengthened the Medicare Trust Fund, extending its life by over a decade. In addition, Medicare enrollees have benefited from:

  • Lower costs for prescription drugs: Because the ACA is closing the prescription drug donut hole, 141,609 Georgia seniors are saving $149 million on drugs in 2015, an average of $1,051 per beneficiary.
  • Free preventive services: The ACA added coverage of an annual wellness visit and eliminated cost-sharing for recommended preventive services such as cancer screenings. In 2015, 751,478 Georgia seniors, or 73 percent of all Georgia seniors enrolled in Medicare Part B, took advantage of at least one free preventive service.
  • Fewer hospital mistakes: The ACA introduced new incentives for hospitals to avoid preventable patient harms and avoidable readmissions. Hospital readmissions for Georgia Medicare beneficiaries dropped 7 percent between 2010 and 2015, which translates into 2,453 times Georgia Medicare beneficiaries avoided an unnecessary return to the hospital in 2015.
  • More coordinated care: The ACA encouraged groups of doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers to come together to provide coordinated high-quality care to the Medicare patients they serve. 19 Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) in Georgia now offer Medicare beneficiaries the opportunity to receive higher quality, more coordinated care.

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities – Impact of Affordable Care Act Repeal

1 million fewer people in Georgia would have health insurance in 2019 if the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is repealed, new Urban Institute estimates show. Republican policymakers plan to move quickly in January to repeal much of the health reform law without enacting a replacement.

Under Repeal, Georgia Would Lose $32.7 Billion in Federal Funding and Pay More in Uncompensated Care Costs

States would lose significant federal funds as marketplace subsidies and the Medicaid expansion end. Even states that didn’t expand Medicaid would see declines in federal spending as eligible people fall of the program. In Georgia, repeal means the loss of $1.8 billion in federal marketplace spending in 2019 and $20.5 billion between 2019 and 2028. Georgia would lose $953 million in federal Medicaid funding in 2019 and $12.2 billion between 2019 and 2028.

In addition, the growth in the number of uninsured residents would increase demand for uncompensated care by $1.1 trillion nationwide between 2019 and 2028. Assuming fixed federal spending on uncompensated care, state and local governments and health care providers would have to bear this cost.

Eliminating Marketplace Subsidies and Reducing Medicaid Enrollment Would Hit Low- and Moderate-Income Families

Moderate-income working families in Georgia would lose substantial financial assistance that is now available to help them pay their premiums and cost-sharing for insurance purchased in a marketplace. In 2016, Georgians who enrolled in marketplace coverage receive an average advance premium tax credit of $287, which covers 75% of the total monthly premium for comprehensive coverage.

In addition, nearly 220,900 more Georgia residents have enrolled in Medicaid since 2013 – coverage gains that likely would be lost due to the elimination of the Medicaid expansion for low-income adults.

Harmful Effects Would Be Felt Immediately

Repeal would destabilize the non-group insurance market beginning in 2017 as a combination of several factors — pending loss of subsidies, elimination of the requirement to buy insurance, and the requirement on insurers to sell to all purchasers — would cause prices to rise and the healthiest people to drop coverage. Nationwide, 4.3 million people would lose insurance right away, rising to 7.3 million by 2019.

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President Obama’s Remarks on ACA Ruling

“We’re making progress.  We’re going to keep working to get more people covered.  I’m going to work as hard as I can to convince more governors and state legislatures to take advantage of the law, put politics aside, and expand Medicaid and cover their citizens.  We’ve still got states out there that, for political reasons, are not covering millions of people that they could be covering, despite the fact that the federal government is picking up the tab.”

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DPG Statement on Affordable Care Act Decision

Release:  Thursday, June 25, 2015                                                                                      

 

Democratic Party of Georgia Statement on Affordable Care Act Decision

 

 

Atlanta, GA – DPG Chair DuBose Porter issued the following statement today on the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold health care subsidies as constitutional.

 

“Today brought a great victory for President Obama and his administration. But it also brought a greater victory for Americans insured under the ACA. The reason why millions of families now have health insurance is because of the subsidies that have finally made access to health care affordable.

 

“Yet, to this day, Nathan Deal continues to play politics with the issue, denying health care to hundreds of thousands of Georgians who fall through the coverage gap. The same governor who says that we can’t afford to expand Medicaid turns a blind eye to a $74 million tax bill owed by a company he sold—a transaction that pockets Deal $10,000 a month.

 

“People are sick and can’t get the health care they need, our rural hospitals are closing and other hospitals are hemorrhaging, and the fault of this lies at the feet of Nathan Deal.”

 

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GA GOP in ACA Denial

Georgia GOP Congressman Continue Boorish Partisanship with 67th Vote to Repeal the Affordable Care Act

 

Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted—for the 67th time—to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Georgia’s GOP delegation to the House voted in favor of the measure.

 

Nationwide, 9.5 million Americans have enrolled in the Health Insurance Marketplace, including 425,927 Georgians.  (HHS.Gov 1-27-2015)

 

If Republicans had their way, millions of people would lose their health insurance, insurance companies would once again be allowed to deny coverage or charge higher premiums to individuals with pre-existing conditions, and millions of seniors would be forced to pay more for their prescriptions.

 

The Affordable Care Act is working—the national uninsured rate is nearing a historic low, 4.5 million young adults have gained insurance since 2010, and 17 million children with pre-existing conditions can no longer be denied coverage.

 

Despite these facts, here’s what Georgia Republicans had to say about yesterday’s vote:

 

Rep. Rick Allen – “Simply put, ObamaCare is an unworkable law that is wrong for Americans and disastrous for our economy.”

 

Rep. Buddy Carter – “Today, I voted to repeal the health care law that is destroying the healthcare system…”

 

Rep. Barry Loudermilk – “Today’s vote signals a strong departure from business-as-usual and builds a solid foundation for restoring free-market solutions…”

 

Rep. Lynn Westmoreland –  “…I will continue to vote to dismantle and repeal ObamaCare every opportunity I get.”

 

Rep. Tom Price – “In the House of Representatives, we are saying we need to get rid of this law…”

 

Rep. Tom Graves  – “By repealing Obamacare in its entirety, we can start fresh on health care reform…”

 

Sen. Johnny Isakson – “This entire law is fundamentally flawed and must be taken out root and branch.”

 

Sen. David Perdue – “It’s time for a full repeal.”

 

The same day House Republicans voted to repeal the ACA, Naomi Rosen—an organic farmer from rural Georgia—was among 10 individuals invited to the White House to meet with President Obama to discuss how they have benefitted from the ACA. Naomi had written a letter to the President in June of last year, describing her battle rheumatoid arthritis and how the ACA has impacted her life.

 

From a White House Press Release:

 

Then, about three years ago, she found she could no longer climb onto her tractor, bend down to pull weeds, or harvest her crops.

“I started to use a cane to walk with,” she wrote the President. “I could barely feed and water my flock of free-range chickens…I started to wonder how long I could handle that level of pain and think of alternatives.”

Then, as Naomi said, the ACA happened. A widower, she lives off her husband’s Social Security, and so she qualified for tax credits that have put her monthly premiums under $5 a month. She found an orthopedist nearby, got x-rays — which showed no cartilage on either hip — and scheduled a right hip replacement.

This past June, she was able to climb on her tractor for the first time in four years. 

 

While Georgia Republicans continue their obsession with repealing the ACA, Democrats will continue to find new ways to improve access to healthcare and put problem-solving above politics.

 

Release: Georgia Federal Health Care Exchange Enrollment Surge Among Highest in Nation

 

Georgia Federal Health Care Exchange Enrollment Surge Among Highest in Nation

Chairman DuBose Porter says report is reality check that highlights urgent need for affordable health care in Georgia

 

Atlanta, GA – On the heels of a new report showing that Georgia had one the largest enrollment surges during the final weeks of open enrollment in the nation, Democratic Party of Georgia Chair DuBose Porter released the following statement in response.

 

“How much more evidence does Nathan Deal and the Georgia Republican Party need for them to admit there is an urgent need to expand access to affordable health care in our state,” said Chairman Porter. “This is a reality check—wake up. More than 316,000 Georgians have enrolled in the federal exchange, 177,000 at the very end.”

 

“Imagine how many Georgians could have peace of mind, imagine how many lives could be saved, imagine the financial security given to hospitals—especially rural hospitals—if our governor would buck up and expand Medicaid. Instead, Republicans in the state legislature enabled him to cower behind the political cover of his party. It’s gutless and it’s heartless.”

 

Georgia is one of 24 states that have refused to expand Medicaid. Days ago, Nathan Deal signed into law HB 990, legislation that removed the power to expand Medicaid from the governor’s office and placed it in the hands of the state legislature.

 

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BACKGROUND

 

HHS Enrollment Report

HHS 5/1/2014 – Enrollment in the Health Insurance Marketplace totals over 8 million people

HHS 5/1/2014 – Georgia Specific Data

AJC 5/2/2014 – Ga. sign-up surge among tops in U.S.

 

GA House Dems to Hold Series of Town Halls on ACA

Town Hall Meetings on the Affordable Care Act have been scheduled in the following districts:

Date: September 26, 2013

Who: Rep. Karen Bennett (HD 94)
Time: 6:00pm-7:30pm
Where: Voices of Faith Church
2500 Rockbridge Road, Stone Mountain, GA 30087

Date: October 1, 2013
Who: Rep. Darryl Jordan (HD 77)
Time: 6:00pm-7:30pm
Where: Riverdale Library
420 Valley Hill Road SW, Riverdale, GA 30274

Date: October 5, 2013
Who: Rep. Kim Alexander (HD 66)
Time: 3:00pm-5:00pm
Where: Taylor Farm Park
1380 Pine Valley Road, Powder Springs, GA 30127

Date: October 5, 2013
Who: Rep. Gloria Frazier (HD  126)
Time: 10:00am-12:00pm
Where: Burke County

Date: October 7, 2013
Who: Rep. Sandra Scott (HD 76)
Time: 6:00pm-7:30pm
Where: Fairview Library
28 Austin Rd,  Stockbridge, GA 30281

Date: October 8, 2013
Who: Rep. Nikki Randall (HD 142)
Time: 6:00pm-7:30pm
Where: Macon, Georgia

Date: October 10, 2013
Who: Rep. Michele Henson (HD 86)
Time: 7:00pm-8:30pm
Where: St. Timothy’s UMC
5365 Memorial Drive, Stone Mountain, GA 30083

Date: October 12, 2013
Who: Rep. Pam Dickerson (HD 113)
Time: 10:00am-12:00pm
Where: Rockdale Career Academy
1064 Culpepper Dr SW, Conyers, GA 30094

Date: October 19, 2013
Who: Rep. Demetrius Douglas (HD 78)
Time: 6:00pm-7:30pm
Where: Clayton Lovejoy Community Center
11622 Hastings Bridge Road, Lovejoy, GA 30250

Date: October 21, 2013
Who: Rep. Mike Glanton (HD 75)
Time: 6:00pm-7:30pm
Where: 106 N. McDonough Street, Jonesboro, GA 30236
RSVP/POC: Media Savvy Consulting
Tel: (404) 207-3817
Email: [email protected]

Date: October 24, 2013
Who: Rep. Rahn Mayo (HD 84)
Time: 6:00pm-7:30pm
Where: Community Achievement Center
4522 Flat Shoals Pkwy, Decatur, GA 30034

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For more information, please contact Genny Castillo, Director of Caucus Services, at[email protected] or at 404-463-5401.

New Report Shows Lower Than Expected Obamacare Premiums For Georgia

NEW REPORT SHOWS LOWER THAN EXPECTED OBAMACARE PREMIUMS FOR GEORGIA

GOP efforts to repeal would hurt economy and raise average rates

ATLANTA, GA – As Republicans continue to march the country toward a government shutdown and a default on our obligations in an effort to defund Obamacare, the Georgia Democratic Party touted new data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services showing that Obamacare is working and will cost consumers less than anticipated.

“The new report found that health care rates in Georgia are affordable, especially with new subsidies that will be available for around half of Americans buying their health insurance. The report found that right here in Georgia, a 27 year old making $25,000 a year would have access to insurance plans as low as $103 per month and a family of four making $50,000 would only pay $132,” said DuBose Porter, DPG Chair. “Obamacare is working and Republicans in Washington are doing everything in their power to take it away, even if it means hurting our economy by shutting down the government and not paying our nation’s bills.”

The report found that in addition to lower premiums, in Georgia, consumers will be able to choose from an average of 50 plans so they can pick the one that works best for them and their family. The health care plans give Georgians access to quality affordable coverage with no lifetime caps on care, prevents coverage denial due to preexisting conditions, bars insurers from charging women more and so much more.

To view the report with a breakdown of how the Affordable Care Act is helping Georgians, click here.