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Democrats Rally at Arch for Medicaid Expansion, Protecting Preexisting Conditions

Photo courtesy Jeanne Davis

State and local Democrats held a rally at the Arch Thursday evening for what they say is a need for more access to health care.

There was a sparse crowd for the rally and protest as Georgia Democrats called out Republican Gubernatorial candidates Casey Cagle and Brian Kemp for their refusal to support Medicaid Expansion. Protestors included Adam Lassila, Organization Coordinator of Athens for Everyone.

Lassila fell down the side of a mountain during a visit to Argentina.

“I went to he hospital 12 times over the course of 14 days and I’m not even a citizen of that country, I have no health insurance at all and yet they attended me, very high quality for free,” Lassila said. “And this is a country that has a third of the GDP per capita of the United States.”

District 117 Representative Deborah Gonzalez was among those at the event. She says state leaders to commit to continuing protections for Georgians with preexisting medical conditions, which were established under the Affordable Care Act.

“They’re now coming after preexisting conditions, and there’s a whole list of what counts as a preexisting condition,” According to Gonzalez. “I myself have diabetes, that counts.”

Opponents say that Georgia cannot afford its share of the proposed Medicaid expansion.

In addition to the rally at the Arch, protestors held events in Atlanta and Columbus, Georgia earlier this week.