Gov. Kemp still opposed to Medicaid expansion despite growing support from both sides

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Cobb County Democrats continue to criticize Gov. Brian Kemp for failing to support a full expansion of Medicaid despite growing bi-partisan support.

Kemp spoke before the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce and highlighted what he said were his legislative accomplishments during this past session including returning more than $1 billion to taxpayers and giving pay raises to teachers, DFCS workers and state law enforcement.

“We’ve been able to constantly take these actions because of our responsible approach to balancing the state budget,” Kemp said.

But the governor did not talk about Medicaid, including growing support for it within his own party.

Channel 2′s Richard Elliot was at the state Senate Committee hearing weeks ago when Medicaid expansion came one vote shy of coming up for a vote before the full Senate.

Even some Republicans told Elliot that they were open to the idea.

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“Some of us are more open to the discussion, you know. We just continue to hear the same complaints. They’re not going away,” state Sen. Matt Brass said at the time.

Cobb County Democrat Teri Anulewicz praised some of the governor’s accomplishments on Monday but insisted that expanding Medicaid could be an economic boon to Georgia.

“I think fully expanding Medicaid would have an unquestionable impact. The first thing it would do is bring back to Georgia millions and millions of our federal tax dollars that we are sending up to D.C., and right now, we are losing out on that,” Anulewicz said.

But the governor has let it be known that he opposes full expansion and wants to give his Georgia Pathways alternative more time to grow.

“I just want to thank you all for working alongside us to build such a prosperous state and such a great place to work and raise our families,” Kemp said.

Kemp said he will be in Athens later this week to break ground on the new UGA medical school.

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Ga. Democrats push back over failure to move Medicaid expansion bill forward

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