Creating Medicinal Minority

Half-baked health care reform is not the solution. This is the main message coming out of the private sector, as well as from uninsured Georgia consumers. The Peach State is taking federal grants to operate an online health marketplace but isn’t accepting federal funds to extend Medicaid.  This approach to health care will further isolate people without medical insurance.

Georgia is among States that have opted not to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act 2014. By doing so, the State is refusing to bring over $40 million of federal funds over the next decade. These funds would provide coverage to the currently uninsured, in particular medicinal minority living under poverty line with an individual income of $11,500.

The medicinal minority are uninsured people – white, black and brown. They come from all walks of life; isolated without access to health services, not out of choice, but due to other pressing priorities, handicapped by their location and situation. The medicinal minority are people like you and me – one out of four, between the ages of 19 and 64 without health insurance and often times tossed aside with existing health pre-condition. The uninsured men, women and children are underemployed, self-employed, unemployed, students, divorcees, and veterans.  By refusing to participate in Medicaid expansion, the State will deny these people the opportunity to responsibly access health care, improve their quality of life, health and mortality.

Georgia will offer a new federally run online insurance marketplace sales program for the uninsured to shop around for private coverage. Ironically, those that need it most; people living below the poverty threshold do not qualify from this program.  The State of Georgia’s adoption of a half-baked reform package is neither satisfactory to the private sector nor the uninsured consumers.

This State has the highest uninsured rates in the Nation. The number of people without health insurance is an alarming 1.9 million. Hospitals in Georgia expend $1.5 million annually to provide free care for people with low income. Yet, the obstinate refusal by the State, not to fully participate in health care reform will put additional pressure on tax-paying citizens to subsidize for those without coverage.  

Georgia has an opportunity to lower health care cost and save around 3693 lives each year by extending coverage through Medicaid. Medicaid expansion will stimulate our economy creating 38,000 new health sector jobs and triggering employment in other service sector and industries. So, why not create more jobs by taking all federal money?

Several jobs have been already created by infusing federal grants of $2.8 million for Georgia organizations for the set-up of online marketplace. On October 1, this online marketplace will come alive – a Travelocity equivalent to health insurance shopping plaza with sale options and service providers. Uninsured people with income above the poverty line will be able to shop in this health plaza and purchase coverage. As it currently stands, it is highly unlikely that this subsidized market provision become more affordable than what individuals currently pay. Skepticism is already detectable in the private sector. Two insurance companies, Aetna and Coventry changed plans to offer services, withdrawing from the marketplace – therefore, chances are that if the health plaza is not combined with the Medicaid extension, sales offerings on the online marketplace will not be any different to rates and deductibles currently offered by the insurance companies.

This half-baked health reform will leave the uninsured at the mercy of churches, hospitals, social service sector, and charity organizations or just out there, in the cold to fend for themselves. Governor Nathan Deal and his circle of experts must seriously consider not giving up on those free federal dollars to expand Medicaid in the State of Georgia. Extending Medicaid will complement the efforts of service providers within the online exchange marketplace, eventually lowering health care costs of the State. Furthermore, expanding Medicaid will eliminate the category of medicinal minority in the State of Georgia.