Mayor Reed Urges Georgians to Register for Obamacare

“We got 600,000 people who can still receive healthcare in the state of Georgia, who need it.  So we need to push every single day through the 31st to get as many people as possible and that’s what I’m going to do,” says Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed.

An audio version of this story.

Although the law has received its fair share of criticism over the past few months—-even Reed admitted there were problems with the ACA website early on—–some people say they’ve benefited from it.

“I went from paying $985 a month for health insurance to $374 a month,” says Thaddeus Dawson, an Atlanta-based real estate appraiser.

Reed says Dawson is a good example to show why people should sign up for the law, also known as Obamacare.

But, at the State Capitol, there are two efforts on the opposite end of the political spectrum.

One bill would prevent state or local governments from focusing resources to help implement or promote the health law.

The other bill would give the decision to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act first to the legislature, instead of the governor.

“Obviously, it’s my preference that we would have an expansion of Medicaid but we can’t let the current policies that are in place prevent people who need access to healthcare from going on the exchange and getting it,” says Reed.

The state bill that deals with Medicaid expansion has passed the House and Senate.

It now goes to Governor Deal, who is expected to sign it.