Georgia Governor rejects Medicaid expansion

Gov. Nathan Deal told reporters at the GOP convention that he has no intention of expanding the program because the federal government's commitment to pay the full cost for three years, and 90 percent thereafter "is probably unrealistic." An estimated 650,000 Georgians would gain health coverage under an expansion.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Deal Rejects Expansion Of Medicaid
Gov. Nathan Deal said Tuesday that he will not expand the Medicaid program under the federal Affordable Care Act -- which would have provided an estimated 650,000 low-income Georgians with health coverage -- because it would be too expensive. Deal had said that he would wait until after the presidential election to decide, but during an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 11 Alive and Politico at the Republican National Convention, Deal was firm that he will not take federal money to expand the state-based health insurance program for the poor in 2014. "No, I do not have any intentions of expanding Medicaid," Deal said. "I think that is something our state cannot afford. And even though the federal government promises to pay 100 percent for the first three years and 90 percent thereafter, I think it is probably unrealistic to expect that promise to be fulfilled in the long term, simply because of the financial status that the federal government is in" (Malloy, 8/28).

Georgia Health News: Deal Says He Won't Pursue Medicaid Expansion
Gov. Nathan Deal, switching from a wait-and-see stance, told reporters at the Republican National Convention in Tampa that he has no intention of expanding Medicaid in Georgia as outlined under the Affordable Care Act. Deal had indicated in June that he wanted to wait until after the November elections to make a decision on the expansion, which would add more than 600,000 Georgians to the Medicaid rolls, beginning in 2014. But according to the AJC's Kyle Wingfield, Deal told reporters Tuesday that expansion is off the table (Miller, 8/28).

The Associated Press: Gov. Deal: No Intention Of Expanding Medicaid
Gov. Nathan Deal says he has no intention of expanding Medicaid under President Barack Obama's 2010 health care overhaul. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution first reported Deal's comments to reporters gathered Tuesday in Tampa for the Republican National Convention (Barrow, 8/28).

Politico Pro: Georgia Says No To Medicaid Expansion
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal said Tuesday that his administration won't expand its Medicaid program, making him the latest Republican to choose not to implement a piece of the Democrats' health care reform law. "I do not have any intentions of expanding Medicaid," he told Politico in Tampa as the Republican National Convention got under way. He said the decision simply comes down to costs. "Even though the federal government promises to pay 100 percent for the first three years and 90 percent thereafter -- I think it is probably unrealistic to expect that promise to be fulfilled in the long-term simply because of the financial status of the federal government," Deal said (Haberkorn, 8/28).