Atlanta, Ga. - February 13, 2014 - Senate Democrats today called on Republicans to stop playing politics with Georgians' lives, jobs and health care. Reacting to the introduction of House Bill 990, Senate Democratic leadership said it is time to stop treating people as game pieces in political chess.
"HB 990 is the latest move by Republicans to control the flow of health care options to Georgians," said Sen. Steve Henson, leader of the Senate Democratic Caucus. "Governor Deal has refused to accept federal Medicaid expansion funding and now members of his own party are trying to take administrative control into their own hands."
Late Tuesday, before winter weather shut down state government, Georgia House GOP leaders dropped a bill that would give them control of expansion of Georgia's Medicaid program, placing it in the hands of the state legislature.
"It is mind boggling to me that our governor and Republican leadership would place bets on the outcome of the November gubernatorial election, while risking the health and lives of so many in our state," said Sen. Vincent Fort, whip of the Senate Democratic Caucus. "This decision is bad for our people and it's bad for our economy. People are not chess pieces in political gamesmanship. It is estimated that some 600 Georgians will die in 2014 without proper health care coverage."
"From our vantage point, this appears to be a power grab and waning confidence in their own leadership," said Sen. Nan Orrock (D-Atlanta). "Democrats have been urging the governor to accept federal Medicaid expansion funds for the past 18 months."
Democrats have called on Deal to expand the state's Medicaid coverage, making health insurance available to thousands of Georgians who are currently uninsured.
Census data reveals that more than one-quarter of Georgia's working-age adult population went without health coverage in 2010-2011. Georgia was ranked 44th in overall coverage and has the 6th largest number of residents without coverage.
Estimates from the Department of Community Health cite some 620,000 Georgians would be eligible for the expanded Medicaid coverage in 2014. Nearly, two million Georgians under the age of 65 were without health care coverage from 2010 - 2011 and nearly, twenty-six percent of those uninsured were our children.
Reports indicate an expansion in Medicaid funding would boost Georgia's sagging economy. Should the state participate, Georgia could see as much as $82 billion in related economic growth and some 70,000 jobs -- 40,000 in the health care field and another 30,000 in ancillary positions -- over the next 10 years.
"We get a great return on wisely investing our health care dollars. Matching funds will boost our economy and provide much needed revenues to clinics, hospitals, doctors and nurses. We'll have a healthier population by investing in preventive care and spending less on costly last-ditch efforts for very sick people who lack insurance.It's a no-brainer," Fort said.
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