Nonprofit hospitals are throwing their support behind a bill that would partially expand Medicaid in Georgia, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Four things to know:
1. On Feb. 21, the CEOs of Macon-based Navicent Health and Grady Health System in Atlanta signed a joint statement with hospital lobbying groups that backed Republican Gov. Brian Kemp's proposal. The proposal aims to give Georgia more flexibility in using federal healthcare funding for its Medicaid program, but it does not fully expand Medicaid.
2. Democratic opponents of the bill have voiced support for full Medicaid expansion instead, often pointing to the financial pressures faced by nonprofit hospitals as a reason full expansion is needed.
3. However, the Georgia Hospital Association and rural hospital consulting group Hometown Health, along with the nonprofit hospital CEOs, are not in favor of Democrats' "all-or-nothing approach," according to AJC.
4. Grady CEO John Haupert said in statement to the publication that, "Passing Senate Bill 106 would be a positive step toward improving our healthcare delivery system and [increasing] access to care for those who need it most." Navicent CEO Ninfa Saunders, PhD, MSN, said the system "wholeheartedly" supports the bill.
For the full AJC article, click here.