Medicaid Expansion Bill Gains Bipartisan Support In Georgia From Four GOP Senators

Despite Governor Brian Kemp's opposition, four Republican senators in Georgia are backing a Democrat-sponsored bill to expand Medicaid.

Medicaid expansion in Georgia has gained bipartisan support, with four Republican senators signing the Democrat-backed bill.

While Georgia Governor Brian Kemp largely dismissed Republican support for Medicaid expansion, four GOP lawmakers signed onto a Democrat-sponsored bill advocating for the initiative, 11 Alive reported. The four Republicans who support Medicaid expansion represent pockets of rural Georgia, including Sen. Carden Summers (R-Cordele), Sen. Russ Goodman (R-Cogdell), Sen. Billy Hickman (R-Statesboro), and Sen. Sam Watson (R-Moultrie).

By supporting the bill, the GOP members are seemingly opposing Gov. Kemp’s state-run initiatives, Pathways and Georgia Access, which Kemp argues are already outperforming Medicaid expansion.

“The old system is not working. And the other side, their only answer to any of this is they want government-run health care. And I am not in that boat,“ Kemp said on Jan. 15.

Summers stated that he signed the bill after hearing from constituents who would benefit from Medicaid expansion. He emphasized his commitment to protecting rural hospitals, including Crisp Regional Hospital in his hometown of Cordele.

“It’s difficult,” said Jeff Mullis, a former state senator and Kemp ally. “However, in rural Georgia, there’s a lot of people who need medical attention and don’t have the money to pay for it. “

Supporters of the bill are praising the four GOP members for taking a bold step that could be a significant turning point in advancing Medicaid expansion.

“It’s hard to overstate the importance of having bipartisan support for legislation, especially in this area,” said Elizabeth Appley, a longtime advocate for expanding healthcare options in Georgia. “They’re responding to public sentiment. And they are seeking to protect these hospitals, these rural hospitals.”

Mullis also believes that other Republican lawmakers may be interested in voting for Medicaid expansion despite Kemp’s opposition.

“It’ll be a struggle for them. But I’m glad there’s some with courage,” Mullis said.

A solution to get everyone on board would be to change the name to something other than “Medicaid expansion,” Mullis suggests. So far, the Medicaid expansion bill has proposed the new name of “Peach Care Plus.”