Washington, D.C. — Yesterday, Republican lawmakers in Georgia and Kansas shot down legislation to expand Medicaid in both states, blocking coverage for more than half a million people. Not only does refusing to expand Medicaid leave hundreds of thousands of people uninsured, but it also leaves critical funding on the table that could reduce health disparities, strengthen rural hospitals, and boost local economies. In response, Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement:
“Republicans in Georgia and Kansas are putting politics over the lives of their constituents. All but 10 states have adopted Medicaid expansion because of the results: it makes communities healthier, keeps hospitals open, increases families’ financial stability, and saves lives. Unfortunately, this is all part of the GOP’s decades-long war on American health care. They are not backing down on their fight to cut Medicaid and throw people off the rolls, and they want to repeal the Affordable Care Act and raise costs for middle-class Americans. It’s an absolute disgrace that MAGA Republicans are still trying to go backwards and sabotage the ACA and Medicaid — all for pure politics.”
Background:
Republicans Stopped More Than Half A Million People From Gaining Affordable Coverage. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that more than 430,000 Georgians and 150,000 Kansans would gain coverage if each state adopted Medicaid expansion.