Gov. Deal OK Ceding Power to Legislature on Medicaid Expansion
State legislative leaders want to make sure they have a say over whether Georgia expands Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.
Currently, the decision lies solely with the governor’s office, but a bill dropped earlier this week would change that.
House Bill 990 has some influential sponsors. Among them, Speaker David Ralston, Speaker pro tem Jan Jones, and one of the governor’s floor leaders, Rep. Chad Nimmer.
The bill would prohibit an expansion of Medicaid without legislative approval.
At a Thursday press briefing, Gov. Nathan Deal was asked whether he supported ceding that power to the Legislature.
“I’m fine with that, yeah,” said Deal.
An estimated 500,000 Georgians stand to gain coverage through the health reform law’s optional Medicaid expansion.
Deal, however, has rejected it, saying it would cost too much.
In response, opponents point out the federal government is covering all expansion costs for the first three years and about 90 percent thereafter.
Recently, ten protestors, including state Sen. Vincent Fort, were arrested inside the lobby of Deal’s office for his continued opposition to the Medicaid expansion.
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