At a Closed Rural Hospital, Keisha Lance Bottoms Kicks Off General Election Focused on Expanding Health Care in Georgia

At a Closed Rural Hospital, Keisha Lance Bottoms Kicks Off General Election Focused on Expanding Health Care in Georgia

Yesterday outside of a shuttered rural hospital in Commerce, Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms launched the general election by talking about the importance of expanding access to health care across the state. As one of the only states to not expand Medicaid, families across Georgia are facing a health care crisis that has only been made worse by Donald Trump's disastrous budget law which has decimated rural hospitals and stripped away healthcare from half a million Georgians. Rick Jackson - who is running to be "Trump's favorite governor" - vocally opposes Medicaid expansion, and has made it clear he is only looking out for himself.

Keisha has rolled out plans to expand Medicaid, lower health care costs, and protect Georgia's rural hospitals.

See more on how Keisha is fighting for Georgians:

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Bottoms looks to put healthcare access at center of governor's race

• "It's the difference between life and death for so many people - when you can't get to a hospital, when you can access medical care, when you can't see a doctor when you're in need," she said outside the Northridge Medical Center, an acute care hospital about 20 miles north of Athens, which closed its doors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Georgia's rural health care crisis has historically been a top issue for Democrats looking to flip the governor's seat for the first time since 1998. But Bottoms may have more leverage on the issue than others did before her.

• More than 190,000 residents lost coverage when the Affordable Care Act's enhanced federal subsidies expired at the end of last year, and premiums soared for those who were able to hold onto their plans.

• "It's a dire situation that is touching every community," she said, citing not only increased medical bills but the high cost of everyday living. "And I believe it's going to be one of our No. 1 issues on the ballot in November."

11Alive: Keisha Lance Bottoms discusses governor's race

• KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS: "At the end of the day, this election is about what the people of Georgia want for their future and what they are saying is we want Medicaid expanded. [Rick Jackson] is saying, I'm not going to expand Medicaid, although he's made more than $1 billion dollars from health care in this state."

• KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS: "Everybody wants access to great jobs, everybody wants thriving schools. Our seniors want to age in place, and everyone wants access, easy access to health care. So, as we're moving around the state, it's a great opportunity not just to talk about the solutions that I have to offer, but most importantly to listen to our communities about what their needs are, and how they need me to deliver as a governor."

WFXG:

• KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS: "In this state we need Medicaid expansion. We need to fully fund pre-k for every single child in this state who seeks to have a spot. We need free access to technical and community college in this state. We need to take our average teacher starting pay from $43,000 to $60,000 in this state."

MS NOW:

• KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS: "Everywhere I go, it's the cost of living. Everybody is talking about the cost of living. And in Georgia, since the beginning of the year, 500,000 people have opted not to have health care because costs have gone up. Small business owners are complaining about how their premiums have almost tripled since the beginning of the year. Add on top of that, the cost of gas and groceries, the cost of housing, whether I'm in a rural community or an urban city, everybody is talking about it."