Deal applauds legislature on passage of SB 70

Gov. Nathan Deal today applauded the legislature on passage of SB 70, the Hospital Medicaid Financing Program. Deal will sign the legislation on Tuesday, February 14.

"The Medicaid program for our state in the next fiscal year’s budget will cost more than $10.5 billion,” said Deal. “One of the funding sources for our Medicaid program comes from the fee paid for by hospitals, amounting to roughly $311 million annually. That is money the state uses in partnership with the federal government, which allots Georgia an additional $600 million for our state’s most vulnerable citizens. Because of the courage of the General Assembly, Georgia now has $900 million dollars available to us for the Medicaid program. Further, because of their leadership and quick action on this matter, we will not have to take away resources from other portions of the budget.”

SB 70 passed the Senate on February 2 with a vote of  50-3. It passed the House today with a vote of 152-14.