State House rep: Medicaid has expanded in Georgia under GOP leadership

Rep. Jesse Petrea
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This week's "Viewpoints" focus is on Medicaid expansion in Georgia. This commentary is written by Rep. Jesse Petrea, a Republican who has served in the Georgia House since 2015. He represents District 166, comprised largely of  the coastal islands and areas of Chatham and Bryan counties. For another view on this topic, read public policy expert Kyle Wingfield's op-ed headlined "Medicaid expansion is not a silver bullet for Georgia."

The Democrats continue saying that Republicans in the Georgia General Assembly have not expanded Medicaid in our state. They are wrong.

The Republican-led legislature has continually provided the resources to ensure the number of Georgians with health coverage increases. In just the last 15 years, the number of Georgians on Medicaid has grown by more than 1 million people, at a rate of 73%.

Currently, over 2.5 million people are enrolled - nearly one fourth of the state’s population.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma sign health care waivers at the state capitol in Atlanta on Thursday, October 15, 2020. Georgia's plans would provide Medicaid access to adults who make less than poverty level incomes who meet work requirements, and leave private brokers as the only avenue to buy federally-subsidized private insurance for people with above-poverty incomes.

Medicaid expansion: Here's what Gov. Brian Kemp's budget covers for Georgia health care — and what it doesn’t

Patients First Act: What it means for the future of Georgia health care

Medicaid is a state health care program. It exists to cover the needs of poor elderly, blind and disabled people as well as children and pregnant women. These are the people Medicaid was created for and that we have prioritized.

For example, 73% of Georgia residents in nursing homes are covered by Medicaid. Just this year we extended post-partum Medicaid coverage for women from six months to a year.

Our leadership will continue to make our most vulnerable citizens our top concern.

Democrats blocking access to Medicaid

Jesse Petrea
Jesse Petrea

Gov. Brian Kemp introduced and our Georgia Republican Caucus passed a bill in 2019 to bring able-bodied working adults into the Medicaid program. The Patients First Act passed with almost all Democrats voting against it. Why? Because it requires those able-bodied adults to work, volunteer, or be in school.

Democrats want to provide free health care to able-bodied adults who are able to work but choose not to. Our plan had federal approval until the Biden White House stopped Georgia from moving forward.

I do not accept the Democrats’ approach. Our focus is on helping working Georgians who could not get Obamacare because their income is too low. Our plan would provide nearly 350,000 able-bodied poor working adults the opportunity to access Medicaid coverage.

If the Democrats really supported Medicaid expansion, they would push the Biden Administration to approve our plan.  Their lack of support is purely political.

Contact Rep. Petrea at jesse.petrea@house.ga.gov.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Georgia House representative highlights GOP efforts to expand Medicaid