Anti-Obamacare bills await Deal’s signature | www.myajc.com

Lawmakers approved Tuesday night two anti-Obamacare bills that all but guarantee Georgia won’t expand its Medicaid program and that will prevent state agencies from helping consumers sign up for new insurance coverage offered under the Affordable Care Act.

The Senate approved House Bill 990, by a vote of 35-19, which would strip the governor of the power to expand Medicaid or leave it unchanged, instead placing that decision in the hands of the General Assembly. The legislation now heads to the desk of Gov. Nathan Deal, a staunch opponent of the health care law, who has voiced support for the bill and is expected to sign it.

For now, the decision on Medicaid lies solely in the hands of the governor, which will change if he signs HB 990. Although Deal has steadfastly resisted expanding the program, saying the state cannot afford it, some had speculated that the governor might be willing to change his mind if he wins re-election in November. Once HB 990 takes effect, however, an expansion would require an act of the Legislature, the majority of which is even more opposed to Obamacare than Deal.

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