With Congress stuck over repeal of the Affordable Care Act, the question of whether Georgia should pursue Medicaid expansion under the 2010 law is being debated once again. Thirty-one states have expanded their Medicaid programs.
Last week, in a GHN Commentary, state Rep. Jason Spencer (R-Woodbine) argued that expansion would be a mistake for the state.
Now Laura Colbert, the new executive director of the consumer group Georgians for a Healthy Future, offers a different view. In a new GHN Commentary, Colbert writes that expanding Medicaid would help improve the health of up to 600,000 Georgians.
“Studies have shown that people covered by the Medicaid expansion seek more preventive care, visit emergency rooms less, and are more likely to receive regular care for chronic conditions. They also have fewer unpaid medical bills, and see their credit scores improve,’’ she says.