ATLANTA— State Representative Jason Spencer (R-Woodbine) recently wrote a letter to Governor Nathan Deal asking for an executive order to refuse federal grant money awarded to the University of Georgia last week. This grant is intended to fund portions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for the state.
“As a Georgian and an elected member of the General Assembly, I am appalled that our state’s institutions, which are supported largely by Georgia’s citizens and its tax payers, are being hijacked to carry out this unpopular policy,” said Rep. Spencer. “The state of Georgia should not lift one finger to assist the federal government in implementing the Affordable Care Act; therefore, our tax payer supported institutions should not be accomplices in carrying out this monstrosity of a policy.”
The University of Georgia is one of two organizations that received grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The university received $1.7 million from the federal government to provide “navigators” to assist approximately 1.9 million Georgians during their insurance shopping when the exchange opens for business Oct. 1. These navigators will provide face-to-face, in-person help for consumers seeking information about the new marketplaces. The marketplaces are part of the final implementation of the 2010 health reform law, also known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Obamacare.
“Since this news has developed, I have received communication from the Governor’s office that he is looking into this issue,” said Rep. Spencer. “Furthermore, Speaker David Ralston is aware of UGA accepting this money to implement the ObamaCare ‘navigator’ network. I also hope there will be conversations with the Board of Regents and the University of Georgia about what can be done to rectify this issue. I am grateful that our state leadership has been very responsive in this matter.”
Georgia’s Attorney General, Sam Olens, also expressed concern for the new navigator assistance program. Olens sent a letter to U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius claiming that privacy protection measures are inadequate in programs that assist consumers with enrolling in these exchanges. Olens further asserts that personnel working for these groups and agencies helping consumers sign up for health insurance will have access to consumers’ personal information, yet the HHS rules do not provide clear privacy protections.
“We are a sovereign state, and we need to start acting like it,” Rep. Spencer Added.
To read a copy of the letter from Rep. Spencer to Governor Nathan Deal please follow this link: GovDealAug17_2013grantnavigators.
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