Sen. Ben Watson

Guest Columnist

As elected officials, our first obligation is to the taxpayers we serve. That means asking hard questions — even when the answers are uncomfortable.

As chairman of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, I take seriously my responsibility to ensure Georgia’s healthcare dollars are spent wisely and efficiently. So when red flags emerged around one of our state’s largest healthcare vendors, I started asking questions. What I found was alarming. Jackson Healthcare, a vendor with deep ties to the political establishment, has pocketed nearly $930 million in state taxpayer dollars between 2021 and 2025 — that’s $510,000 every single day. When I inquired about their line item spending on staffing, I was told nothing could be done or changed because of who the vendor was.

That answer is unacceptable.

Georgia taxpayers deserve to know how their money is being spent. And they deserve a government that asks hard questions on their behalf — not one that looks the other way because a vendor has the right connections or the right high-paid lobbyists. Jackson Healthcare’s business model isn’t just a fiscal problem — it’s a healthcare problem. By cornering the market on medical staffing through no-bid contracts and little oversight, they have driven up costs exponentially, making it harder for Georgians to access quality care. Hospitals have closed. Rural communities have been left behind. And taxpayers have been left holding the bill.

This is what happens when a vendor is handed a green light to the state bank account with no accountability.

The 2026 legislative session concluded just last week, and I am proud of the action the Senate took to close these loopholes and restore taxpayer trust. We passed legislation ensuring that any contract renewal above $100,000 must go through a competitive bid process — a measure that passed both chambers and ends the days of vendors exploiting the system to lock in taxpayer dollars without competition. We also passed a common-sense conservative measure that would have prevented those who hold state contracts from holding public office — because no one should be able to use a government contract to enrich themselves while serving in elected office. Regrettably, that measure stalled in the House as the session came to a close.

Georgia taxpayers deserve better and the legislature is acting. The fox has been in the henhouse long enough. As long as I serve in the Senate, I will keep fighting to make sure Georgians get the accountability and transparency they deserve.