The Georgia Health care Freedom Act failed to pass.
The Georgia Healthcare Freedom Act was a proposal to exempt the state of Georgia from health care reform legislation. In response to federal health care reform, conservatives in many states advocated legislation to exempt states from having to comply with all or part of the reform measures. Virginia, Idaho and Arizona enacted similar health care freedom acts in 2010. Several conservative groups, including the Tea Party, have advocated such legislation.
Health Care Freedom Act
Gerry Purcell, 2010 candidate for Insurance Commissioner of Georgia, proposed the Georgia Healthcare Freedom Act as a ballot initiative. He hoped to gain enough signatures on petitions to have the act put on the 2010 ballot. The act affirms the right of citizens of Georgia to make this own decisions about health care and states, in part. "No law shall interfere with a person's or entity's right to pay directly for lawful medical services, nor shall any law impose a penalty or fine, of any type, for choosing to obtain or decline health care coverage or for participation in any particular health care system or plan."
Gerry Purcell
Gerry Purcell, who sponsored the Georgia Health Care Freedom Act, ran for Insurance Commissioner in 2009 and 2010. He was one of six candidates for the office and was defeated in the primary by fellow Republican Ralph T. Hudgins, who eventually won election as insurance commissioner. Purcell ran on a platform of "free market health care" which proclaimed the right of everyone to make their own choices about insurance, including not having health insurance.
History
The Georgia Health Care Freedom Act is one of several proposals in response to passage of the federal Affordable Health Care Act. The federal act, passed in March 2009, has a provision that requires most people to buy health insurance, beginning January 1, 2014. Conservatives and others have objected to this requirement of health care reform. In addition to the Georgia Health Care Freedom Act, the Georgia Legislature considered legislation in both the state house and senate for a constitutional amendment that would have allowed Georgia to opt out of participation in the federal program. Other states, including Arizona and Idaho, have enacted similar legislation, although the legality of such a move has not been tested.
Health Care Freedom of Choice Constitutional Amendment
Senate Resolution 794, also known as the Health Care Freedom of Choice Constitutional Amendment, stated that "no law shall compel any person to participate in any healthcare system." Sponsored by a number of Georgia Republican senators, the senate voted to reconsider the proposal in March 2010. The proposal failed to garner enough support to make it onto the November 2010 ballot.
Tags: Health Care Freedom, Care Freedom, Georgia Health, health care, health care, care reform
