New Coalition Gears Up Push for Georgia Medicaid Expansion

Deal has since said the state will opt out of the expansion due to its high cost.

But Cindy Zeldin, speaking for the newly-formed coalition, Cover Georgia, says it’s the only way the state can begin to address one of the worst uninsured rates in the country.

“We do believe in the long run Georgia and probably every state will enact the Medicaid expansion, but how long the long run is, we don’t know and we’d rather it be a year or two than ten years.”

The coalition includes the American Association of Retired Persons, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Grady Hospital, and the Georgia Rural Health Association. 

Zeldin says making headway in the short-term will be difficult due to what’s expected to be a heated debate this legislative session over a controversial hospital tax. The tax is a critical revenue stream for the state Medicaid program and it’s scheduled to expire this summer unless lawmakers decide to renew it.

Zeldin says dialogue about the expansion doesn’t have to take a backseat.

“The hospital tax is expected to be the dominant issue this session and it’s an important opportunity to talk about what the Medicaid program does and why it’s important.”

The Medicaid expansion would extend coverage to more than 600,000 low-income Georgians, at a cost to the state estimated to be between $2.5-$4.5 billion over 10 years. During that period Georgia would draw down more than $30 billion in federal matching funds. And one report projects savings of more than $700 million in uncompensated care costs.