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Legislators reflect sharp divide on Medicaid expansion
Medicaid panel
From left, Cindy Zeldin of Georgians for a Healthy Future, state Sens. Greg Kirk and Emanuel Jones, and Reps. Lee Hawkins and Debbie Buckner participate in a panel discussion on health issues. - photo by Georgia Health News photo
ATLANTA — A bipartisan panel of state lawmakers recently voiced agreement on at least a couple of health-care issues.Support for a higher cigarette tax, and for the emerging trend of ambulance crews treating people in their homes rather than in ERs were two areas of general unanimity on the panel, at an event sponsored by the group Georgians for a Healthy Future.But as expected, there was sharp division among the four legislators on the panel when it came to the issue of expanding the state’s Medicaid program.The topic of expansion arose Jan. 14, a day after Gov. Nathan Deal, a Republican, reiterated his opposition to such a move, which is outlined under the Affordable Care Act.Earlier this month, Louisiana became the 31st state to pursue expansion. But Deal said in his State of the State address Jan. 13 that Georgia has saved money already by not doing so.
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