Healthcare

Hospitals — I have a strong desire to have a first class hospital in South Fulton. Unfortunately, there is a lot more to opening up a first class hospital. Healthcare in America is privatized. Grady Hospital, which is privately owned, has a long term contract with Fulton and Dekalb Counties to provide service to residents of those counties. In return, those counties agree to appropriate money in their budgets to subsidize the hospitals cost. It is estimated that it takes an investment of 3 billion dollars to get a hospital up and running. The likelihood of investors putting this large amount of money into a venture that does not make money without subsidies, like Grady, is very slim. As a result, hospitals all over the state are struggling. Even the hospital in Buckhead , along I-75, closed several years ago.

It makes for a good sound bite to say “vote for me and I will get you a hospital.” But, if someone tells you that, you need to ask how they will get 3 billion dollars to do so and what local government has committed to subsidize it and are you willing to add that cost of the subsidy to your property tax bill. This is where experience and not campaign hype is important. I and others are looking for alternate ways to provide the services hospitals provide in a different format which is what is happening with the Well Star facility on Cleveland Ave.

What I commit to you is that I will continue to push for Medicaid expansion, continue to search for investors to open and operate businesses in South Fulton (so when we do get medicaid expansion and we need local government subsidies) citizens will not have to bare the entire cost with property tax. Experience matters, new ideas can come from anywhere. If you have an idea related to this topic or any other topic call me, text me, or email me.