As part of the Affordable Care Act, the Federal government is currently offering $36 billion to Georgia over the next ten years to pay for expanding Medicaid to cover individuals and working families under the poverty line. Governor Deal and the Republican-controlled State Legislature is refusing to accept this money, forcing 650,000 people into the “coverage gap,” because they do not make enough money to qualify for Federal insurance subsidies.
What is the coverage gap?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI0M-6D1cPM&w=500] Athens for Everyone strongly opposes the political decision made by the Georgia Republican leadership to deny Medicaid expansion. Governor Deal’s opinion that our state cannot afford the expansion makes little sense when you consider that the Federal government is bearing over 90% of the cost and also the economic benefits of increased Medicaid spending.We will be pushing hard for the expansion once the Georgia Legislature’s 2016 session begins (in January), but we are not waiting that long when at least 10 Georgians are dying every week because they lack insurance.
Partnering with Moral Monday Georgia, we held a successful Rally for the Medicaid Expansion outside the Georgia Republican Convention on May 15th, 2015. Over 150 people attended this rally, and we delivered 160 letters–one to every Republican member of the Georgia Legislature and Governor Deal.
Rally for the Medicaid Expansion, May 15th, 2015
The Next Step
We have some ideas about how to proceed but we’d love to hear your ideas, too! Only by working together will we be able to force our misguided legislature to work in the best interests of all Georgians.
- Action Alert: Let’s Expand Medicaid
- Demand a Vote on Medicaid Expansion
- 6th Rural GA Hospital Closes as Republican Leader Considers Medicaid Expansion
- Athens for Everyone Lobby for Georgia Medicaid Expansion at State Capitol
- Commissioners and A4E Members Pressure State Officials to Expand Medicaid
- [VIDEO] ACC Commission to Request Medicaid Expansion From State Legislators
- Healthcare is a Human Right
- Medicaid Now Rally – May 15th
- UGA finds Adam Veale not guilty!
- Moral Monday: Protest for Medicaid Expansion