Americans for Prosperity says no to Georgia House Bill 307

Paulding County residents have endured pain and hardship due to the effects of the economy, higher fuel costs, and recently the enactment of higher property taxes. Now comes along a bill being presented in the Georgia Assembly, HB 307, to add an additional burden to the citizens of this county.

Americans for Prosperity of Georgia Director and Paulding County Republican member, Virginia Galloway, states this is a bad bill and needs to be voted down.

In addition, many Paulding County residents are struggling to provide adequate health insurance coverage for themselves or their families. The Georgia House of Representatives is trying to pass a bill (HB 307) that would directly tax those plans, and also raise the cost of a hospital stay, thus providing two ways to raise your rates.

The summary title of this bill, Medicaid; federal financial participation; hospitals; impose fee; is another example of the harsh realities the citizens of Paulding are facing.

The summary of this bill dictates:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 8 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the care and protection of indigent and elderly patients, so as to provide for a fee to be imposed on hospitals to be used to obtain federal financial participation for medical assistance payments under Medicaid; to provide for application of the "Georgia Medical Assistance Act of 1977"; to revise definitions relating to quality assessment fees on care management organizations; to revise language relating to the maximum aggregate quality assessment fees which may be imposed; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

If House Bill 307 is passed, some people in Paulding County will lose their coverage, forcing them into Medicaid unnecessarily.

If you self pay, you would bear the additional cost of a hospital tax – as if we go to the hospital as a luxury outing. An extra burden, particularly on rural hospitals, could mean that they close their doors. Paulding County Republicans supports small businesses, sole-proprietors, and its citizens of the county and this is the last thing they need to be put on their shoulders.

Republican citizens in this county have always viewed over-taxing as a burden and this bill needs to be halted – as if the Obama health plan isn’t enough to be concerned about as nearly all Republicans in this county oppose and stand firm against it.

HB 307 was heard in a subcommittee meeting today, Wednesday, Feb. 17, at the Capitol and Americans for Prosperity of Georgia was there to stand in opposition to this tax increase.

You can read the text of the bill here; HB 307. Paulding County Republicans as well as other citizens are encouraged to contact their representatives to vote no for HB 307.