Saving Rural Healthcare

A Crisis We Can No Longer Ignore

When there is a medical emergency in your family, every second counts. But across South Georgia, the tragic reality is that it is getting harder and harder to find immediate, life-saving care. Over the past decade, several rural hospitals in Georgia have closed their doors permanently, and many more are operating on razor-thin margins.

For families in Tattnall, Evans, Appling, and Jeff Davis counties, losing a local hospital or emergency room isn’t just an inconvenience. It is a matter of life and death.

Micah King believes that your zip code should not determine your access to quality healthcare. It is time for Atlanta to stop playing political games and start delivering real solutions for rural health.

Expanding Medicaid Access

The single biggest step we can take to keep our rural hospitals open is fully expanding Medicaid in Georgia. By refusing to expand Medicaid, state leaders have walked away from billions of our own federal tax dollars.

That is our money. It should be coming back to our communities to pay our doctors, keep our emergency rooms open, and provide coverage for hardworking families who can’t afford skyrocketing private insurance premiums.

By fully expanding Medicaid, we will:

• Inject millions of dollars directly into local rural hospitals, preventing them from going bankrupt.
• Provide health coverage for thousands of uninsured workers in District 157.
• Lower overall healthcare costs by reducing the burden of uncompensated emergency room care.

Lowering Prescription Drug Costs

Seniors and working families are being crushed by the cost of essential medications like insulin and heart medication. Nobody should have to choose between putting food on the table and buying the medicine they need to survive.

Micah will fight to hold pharmaceutical middlemen (Pharmacy Benefit Managers) accountable. These massive corporations drive up costs for local independent pharmacies and patients alike. By increasing transparency and regulating these middlemen, we can lower costs at the pharmacy counter and protect the small, locally-owned pharmacies that serve our towns.

Investing in Local Medical Professionals

We have a massive shortage of doctors, nurses, and specialists in rural Georgia. Micah will champion state funding for programs that incentivize medical students and nurses to practice in underserved rural communities. By forgiving student loans for healthcare professionals who commit to working in districts like ours, we can ensure that our local clinics are fully staffed with top-tier talent.

The Bottom Line

Healthcare is a right, not a luxury. Micah King will be a tireless advocate for the patients, doctors, and nurses of District 157, fighting every day to ensure our local healthcare infrastructure remains strong.