CNHI Deputy National Editor Jim Zachary 

The Georgia GOP can best serve the people of Georgia by sticking to its word and staying on its agenda.

When Republican lawmakers laid out their legislative agenda, they said their focus is on stimulating the economy, improving workforce education, reducing crime and expanding health care access.

That is a good list of priorities, and it certainly beats the heck out of the wholly partisan, cause-driven, far right pandering of the last legislative session.

This year’s GOP has an opportunity to accomplish things that will benefit the people of Georgia instead of just being a party of grievance opposing anything they think a Democrat might be in favor of or anything they think will please a far right, extreme voting base.

Macon Republican John F. Kennedy, who is president pro-tem of the Senate, could not have said it any better when he said, “We want to build a strong workforce to make sure that that effort is supported and to ensure that Georgia is a safe and healthy place for all of us to work for our families, and our children and our future.”

Of course, all this talk about making Georgia a healthy place to live and improving health care access does beg the question: Why is the GOP bound and determined to rebuff all efforts to expand Medicaid?

In fact, GOP lawmakers want to roll back Medicaid benefits provided in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Democrats want to expand Medicaid eligibility to 138% of the federal poverty level covering nearly half a million more Georgia residents.

While Republicans say Medicaid expansion is costly, Democrats say it would provide health care to those who need it the most.

Of course, both things can be true.

While expansion may be costly, the state would not have to bare that burden alone with federal assistance increasing from about 72% up to 90% of the cost.

And there is definite urgency.

In April, Medicaid eligibility will be reassessed for the 2.7 million who currently receive Medicaid or PeachCare for Kids coverage.

While Republicans seem to be united in their opposition to Medicaid expansion, the majority of people are clearly in favor. Lawmakers are playing with people’s lives and well being to score political points.

Gov. Brian Kemp, on the one hand brags about Georgia’s budget surplus under his watch, and on the other hand cited spending concerns as a primary reason for not wanting to expand Medicaid.

No one is suggesting that expansion will not greatly help those most in need in our state.

Nearly 570,000 Georgia residents added to Medicaid coverage under the COVID emergency, temporary expansion will likely be ineligible for Medicaid and will either have to find costly private insurance or be uninsured after the April deadline.

Across the U.S., 38 other states — Red and Blue states — have expanded Medicaid, covering low-income Americans up to age 64 by expanding income eligibility up to 138% of the federal poverty level. By doing so, those states have also increased their share of federal dollars to offset the cost.

If the vast majority of state legislatures and governors — Republicans and Democrats — can clearly see that Medicaid expansion is both affordable and the right thing to do, why can’t Georgia lawmakers see it?

While lawmakers must be fiscally responsible, they must also be humane.

Jim Zachary is the editor of The Valdosta Daily Times, CNHI’s director of newsroom training and development and president emeritus of the Georgia First Amendment Foundation.