Columnist Jack Bernard Urges Full Medicaid Expansion in Georgia
In a Georgia Recorder commentary, guest columnist Jack Bernard argues Georgia should fully expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, citing Governor-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms' pledge to make expansion a "day-one priority." Bernard contrasts Georgia's "Pathways" waiver program, which he says covered only 18,527 people as of June versus the roughly half million uninsured Georgians full expansion would reach, with the outcomes in the 40 states that fully expanded. He attributes Georgia's refusal to expand, including forgoing an initial three-year fully federally funded expansion offer, to Governor Brian Kemp and state Republican lawmakers, and says Georgia has the third-highest uninsured rate in the nation. He contends full expansion is financially feasible given federal funding and the state's budget surplus.