Kaiser: Ga. acts on health care despite opposition to law

While Georgia's opposition to Obama's health care reforms runs deep, the State is preparing for the health insurance exchange since, if the law is not overturned by the legal challenge of 25 States - it faces the prospect of being forced to comply.

According to Kaiser Health News:

The opportunity to address the dysfunction in state health care systems, has tempered opposition to the Affordable Care Act, not only in Georgia but also in some other Republican-led states.

In Georgia more than 20 percent of its population lacks health coverage of any kind, ranking Georgia 45th out of 50 states in this dubious category. Only 29 percent of Georgia firms with fewer than 10 employees are offering health coverage. Many small businesses are so crippled by insurance costs that they say they either cannot hire new employees, are losing the ones they have or are unable to expand because they cannot afford it.

Republican State Rep. Richard H. Smith is the chair of Georgia's House Insurance Committee, and he says that an insurance exchange could work whether or not it's Federally mandated.

"We've got to do something to give people access to healthcare"

If you're confused as to what a health insurance exchange might comprise, please see this post.

The Georgia State goverment committee charged with looking at the health insurance exchange includes members from both parties in the General Assembly, the health insurance industry, health care providers, business and small business, consumer groups and other interest groups.

While the conservative right is fiercely opposed to the Obama plan, there is a readiness to "do something" about health reform - even if it's simply getting ready to comply with the law.

The findings of the committee are due December 15th.