Georgia Governor Candidates Spar Over Medicaid Expansion Scope
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms and Republican opponent Rick Jackson both now say they support expanding Medicaid in Georgia, though with differing approaches: Bottoms backs full expansion while Jackson favors a more limited "intelligent Medicaid expansion" that preserves subsidized ACA exchange plans for those just above the poverty line. More than 1 million Georgia adults remain uninsured, including over 300,000 in poor or low-income groups, according to Georgia Budget and Policy Institute data. The debate comes after the 2025 federal reconciliation law imposed nationwide Medicaid work and activity requirements, complicating expansion calculus, and after expiration of pandemic-era ACA subsidies pushed many low-income exchange enrollees to drop coverage. Polling shows majority support for expansion among Georgia voters, though it has not dented Gov. Brian Kemp's approval ratings.