Growing up in a working-class neighborhood in Columbus, I learned the value of hard work and community. Now, as a candidate for Governor, a state senator, a small business owner, and a dad, I see my fellow Georgians working harder than ever to make ends meet around costs that just keep rising. Whether you’re renting or buying, housing is far from affordable. Instead of addressing these issues, Republicans in Congress are focused on cutting health care for hard-working Americans just to put more money in the pockets of billionaires and corporations.
The Republicans in Congress cheering on cuts to Medicaid are only half the story. The bill that they pushed through in the dead of night also seeks to obliterate the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace Exchanges. Not only did they refuse to extend the enhanced premium tax credits that over 1.2 million Georgians rely on to afford their monthly premiums, but they included provisions that would add administrative red tape and raise premiums for all Americans accessing health care through the ACA.
Republicans are seeking to decimate our health care system through the “Big Beautiful Bill,” and we are running out of time to prevent these slashing cuts or impending cost increases, as health insurance companies will set premium rates for open enrollment this summer. Inaction will cause health care premiums to skyrocket for over millions of Georgians, hurt our state economy, and interrupt the care of Georgians receiving treatment for chronic conditions, like diabetes and high blood pressure. We cannot stand by while access to affordable health care is taken away from so many of our fellow Georgians, we must demand action now.
Unfortunately, our state leaders have remained silent, too. The same leaders in Georgia have refused to expand access to affordable, reliable healthcare coverage.
Governor Brian Kemp’s Pathways to Coverage program has cost Georgia taxpayers more than $86 million, and only 6,500 people enrolled in the program during the first 18 months. That is approximately 75% fewer than the state had estimated for Pathways’ first year.
Georgia remains one of the highest uninsured rates in the nation, with sixteen percent of working-age residents in our state living without healthcare. Our state’s healthcare crisis will only be exacerbated by the chaos in Washington. If Republicans in Congress move forward and make it harder to afford healthcare coverage, even more Georgia families are at risk of losing their healthcare coverage altogether.
In the State Senate, I introduced a bill to help Georgia families who can no longer afford their healthcare if Republicans eliminate the enhanced premium tax credits. If our federal government allows this coverage to lapse, our state government must step up. Access to health care is vital for all of us. My wife, Ariel, and I know this firsthand, and it is one of the reasons we opened an urgent and primary care clinic in the Atlanta area.. For Georgians who are not offered employer sponsored health insurance, the enhanced premium tax credits have been a lifeline – allowing them to access and afford vital health care services without breaking the bank.
According to a study done by the Commonwealth Fund, Georgia could lose almost 30,000 jobs if these tax credits are allowed to expire, as well as over $3 billion in state GDP and over $200 million in state and local tax revenue. These losses, when combined with the devastation that will stem from the cuts to Medicaid and blows to the ACA, would be catastrophic to our state economy. Our representatives must stand up for our health care system and our economy.
The reckless health care cuts from Republicans in Congress will take away access to affordable health care from millions of Americans, including those fighting chronic diseases like cancer. No one should miss a cancer treatment or have their care interrupted because politicians in Washington did not act to protect Medicaid or the enhanced premium tax credits. It is time for our leaders to stand up to this reckless agenda.
