Politics & Government
GA Sues Biden Administration Over Statewide Medicaid Expansion Program
The possible discontinuation of the Georgia Pathways to Coverage program could impact more than 50,000 families, Gov. Brian Kemp said.
GEORGIA — Georgia is suing the Biden administration in efforts to continue a federalstate program that expands Medicaid coverage to low-income residents, Gov. Brian Kemp's office announced Friday.
The possible discontinuation of the Georgia Pathways to Coverage program could impact more than 50,000 families, Kemp said.
The lawsuit was filed Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia Brunswick Division against the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and related parties within the Biden administration.
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Patch has reached out to Kemp's office for a copy of the complaint but have not received a reply as of late Friday afternoon.
“Simply put, the Biden administration is obstructing our ability to implement innovative healthcare solutions for more than 50,000 hardworking Georgia families rather than rely on a one-size-fits-none broken system,” Kemp said in a news release. “They have attempted an unlawful regulatory bait and switch, and it is clear that their decision is not being driven by policy – rather politics – as they attempt to force their top-down agenda on the American people.”
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Georgia Pathways was first approved on Oct. 15, 2020, and according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, is set to expire in 2025.
According to its website, Georgia Pathways is similar to traditional Medicaid, covering:
- Doctor visits.
- Hospital stays.
- Emergency services.
- Prescriptions.
- Laboratory and x-rays.
- Family planning services.
- Mental health services.
- Preventive and wellness services.
- Chronic disease management services.
“Our team at DCH has been working diligently to get the word out to eligible Georgians and enroll them in the plans that are right for them and their families,” Department of Community Health Commissioner Russel Carlson said in the release. “I applaud Governor Kemp for working to give our team the opportunity to continue implementing this innovative program.”
DCH has stopped implementing program activities due to legal matters, Kemp's office said in the release.
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