Access to health care should be expanded, not restricted
Commissioner Caylee Noggle has alerted us to the “huge undertaking” faced by her Georgia Department of Community Health in the months ahead. Her staff must examine the circumstances of 2.7 million Medicaid enrollees to drop those who no longer qualify under the restrictive rules of our state’s program.
We can help Commissioner Noggle. Let’s take a load off her staff by expanding Medicaid to every Georgian who otherwise cannot access health care. We won’t need to review millions of case files or expel anyone from the program. Expanding Medicaid will also reduce stress on Georgia medical facilities that risk closure because of uncompensated care.
Better yet, we should enact universal, single-payer health coverage for everyone from the cradle to the grave: Expanded, improved Medicare For All. Such a plan will improve our health and save money by reducing our current system’s bureaucratic complexity and overhead expenses.
HENRY KAHN, M.D., ATLANTA
Gov. Kemp’s agenda misses the mark
As Gov. Kemp basks in his recent election day win and messaging to provide tax relief for property owners, aid for teachers, better healthcare, and a fight against crime, I wonder if anyone is actually reading between the lines. Relief for property owners is great, but understand that Atlanta has a large discrepancy of home ownership between Blacks and whites. Percentage-wise, there are fewer Black homeowners now than in the ‘60s. Advantage white homeowners. Huge advantage.
While the governor claims that teachers deserve more pay (and they do), he also wants to tell them how and what to teach and what books to put in their libraries. Better healthcare? For whom? Not the hundreds of thousands of those in poverty who would benefit if the state passed enhanced Medicaid benefits. And I guess his fight against crime wins if we can put more guns in the hands of more people and allow them to carry them almost anywhere. So, how’s that working out, Gov.?
BOB DICKINSON, ALPHARETTA
