Gubernatorial candidate Geoff Duncan hosts healthcare roundtable in Warner Robins

The discussion was part of Duncan's statewide "Protect Georgians' Healthcare" Tour.

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Lindsey Smith says her six-year-old son Oliver was born with Down Syndrome and a heart condition that has required him to have 10 surgeries, many of which were lifesaving. Smith says her family has relied heavily on Georgia’s Katie Beckett Medicaid program to get Oliver the proper care.

“Medicaid has also helped us provide therapies for Oliver so that he can go out into a world that’s not accommodating at all and thrive in that world,” Smith said. 

Smith says she’s concerned about Medicaid cuts at the federal level and the impact it could have on therapy facilities across the state. Another issue highlighted at Wednesday’s healthcare roundtable, hosted by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Geoff Duncan, was the length of the application process. Smith says her most recent Medicaid renewal application took 40 hours to complete. With a single mistake, she says the state would force her to restart the process.

“And then you just wasted a week or two of your time, in addition to all of the money it took to gather the records, to mail the records,” Smith said. 

Duncan went around the table, listening to stories like Smith’s. He says the Trump administration’s attempts to identify fraud in programs like Medicaid are only creating chaos. And with insurance premium hikes caused by the end of Affordable Care Act subsidies, they will soon deny coverage to those who need it most.

“It’s becoming an epidemic, a tsunami, call it what you will, but it’s certainly not helpful,” Duncan said. 

Duncan says having one-on-one conversations with those impacted will help determine how the state can help mitigate these losses if he’s elected.

“They were able to talk through their stories and their difficult diagnosis,” Duncan said. “But they’re upbeat and they’re hopeful that the healthcare system will not push them out but invite them in.”

Roundtable participants sent a clear message to those running for office, as well as those in office.

“I really feel like the elected officials need to focus on caring for people and not making a profit,” Smith said. 

Duncan says his statewide “Protect Georgians’ Healthcare” Tour will take him to Albany and Augusta later this week.