Any thought that Georgia state officials will reverse the decision to not expand Medicaid coverage in the state this year was put to rest Wednesday in Gov. Nathan Deal’s annual State of the State address.
Speaking to a joint session of the two houses of the General Assembly and the state’s top justices, judges and state officials, Deal said that he would continue to rebuff efforts to expand the program. The speech was streamed live on the Internet.
“(The) Affordable Care Act is anything but affordable and is costing our state $327 million this year,” Deal said. “You should be aware that, even without expanding, currently Medicaid and PeachCare cost every Georgian through federal and state taxes nearly $1,000 each year. Expansion would add 620,000 people to our taxpayer funded health plan, costing us even more.
“Now, the executive branch in Washington is trying to do what the courts deemed unconstitutional for Congress to do, but we will not allow ourselves to be coerced into expansion. Be assured, I am prepared to fight any intrusion into our rights as a state.”
via Gov. Nathan Deal: Georgia economy is warming up | Albany Herald.
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