Georgia Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux (GA-07) introduced legislation recently that she says will expand access to healthcare coverage for over four million low-income Americans, including many Georgians. Bourdeaux says the Medicaid Saves Lives Act will finish the work of the Affordable Care Act, providing health care insurance in the 12 states that have refused to expand Medicaid — adding that “refusing to expand Medicaid is morally wrong, but it’s also fiscally irresponsible.”
“Closing the coverage gap in the United States improves health outcomes by providing recipients with access to primary and preventative care, boosting economic mobility, and reducing uncompensated care costs,” said Bourdeaux. “The state you live in should not determine whether or not you have access to health care, but yet Georgians are being hung out to dry due to inaction.”
Georgia’s other Democratic Congresswomen Nikema Williams (GA-05) and Lucy McBath (GA-06) joined Bourdeaux in introducing the legislation. It directly targets the 12 states which have refused to expand Medicaid. Along with Georgia, the other 11 states are: Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Alabama, South Dakota, Kansas, Wyoming, Wisconsin.
Bourdeaux says the lack of Medicaid expansion has predominantly harmed people in the South where state governments have failed to provide basic health coverage for their residents, with minorities and communities of color representing 60 percent of those in the coverage gap. Under the Medicaid Saves Lives Act, coverage eligibility would be expanded to all individuals under 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, establishing a permanent and comprehensive solution to restrictive systems used in non-expansion states, the Congresswoman explains.
Earlier this month, Georgia Democratic Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff introduced The Medicaid Saves Lives Act in the U.S. Senate.
Last month, Bourdeaux joined over 40 members of Congress, representing states which have refused to expand Medicaid coverage, in introducing the Cover Outstanding Vulnerable Expansion-Eligible Residents Now (COVER) Now Act. The COVER Now Act would authorize the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to work directly with counties, cities, and other political subdivisions to expand Medicaid coverage.
Under the COVER Now Act, local entities would be empowered to apply directly to CMS without the State’s involvement.