ATLANTA (AP) - A spokesman for Gov. Nathan Deal says the governor is proposing a plan that would allow lawmakers to avoid an explicit vote on whether to extend an expiring hospital industry tax that helps finance Georgia's health care system.
Deal spokesman Brian Robinson says the governor's floor leaders introduced legislation outlining the plan Monday.
Currently, hospitals pay an amount based on net patient revenue. That money is then used to generate federal support for the Medicaid insurance program for poor, disabled and older Georgians. The arrangement expires in June. That means lawmakers could have to choose between steep cuts to Medicaid or backing the renewal of a tax.
To avoid that scenario, Deal's proposal would shift control over any hospital assessment to the state's Board of Community Health.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 7:04 AM EDT2013-05-22 11:04:40 GMT
Authorities have canceled an Amber Alert for a 1-year-old girl after she was found safe.
Authorities have canceled an Amber Alert for a 1-year-old girl after she was found safe. They say 1-year-old Annya Buchannon was in the back of a car that was stolen just after midnight from the Playskool Daycare on Conley Road in Forest Park.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 10:48 PM EDT2013-05-22 02:48:00 GMT
Local families are taking a serious look at storm shelters in the aftermath of Monday's deadly tornado in Oklahoma.
Local families are taking a serious look at storm shelters in the aftermath of Monday's deadly tornado in Oklahoma. Those shelters could mean the difference between life and death when faced with one of these powerful storms.
A federal court has struck down Fayette County's at-large method of electing members to certain county offices, saying the method was a violation of the Voting Rights Act.
A federal court has struck down Fayette County's at-large method of electing members to certain county offices, saying the method was a violation of the Voting Rights Act.
