A healthcare lobbying group says Georgia will receive more than $700 million in Medicaid funding if a federal economic stimulus package is passed.
Washington, D.C.-based Families USA is pushing Congress to approve an estimated $40 billion healthcare package, as part of the incoming Obama Administration’s expected economic measures.
Ron Pollack is the executive president of left-leaning advocacy group. He says the funding will have a trickle-down effect locally:
“The increased money for the State of Georgia would provide approximately $708 mi llion dollars in new funding to the state, which in turn would create approximately 12,600 additional jobs and spur about 1.3 billion dollars in new business activity in the state.”Recent State budget cutbacks pared five percent off Medicaid and PeachCare – some 114 million dollars.
A recent Georgia State University report pegs the state at sixth place nationally in uninsured residents. In 2007, about 18 – percent of all Georgians went without health care – above the national average of 15%.
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