Former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan expressed concern about the potential loss of healthcare services in Georgia during the launch of his “Protect Georgians’ Health Care Tour” in Savannah.

“Politics has no place in healthcare. It’s simply policy,” Duncan said.

As a gubernatorial candidate, Duncan committed to opposing the Trump administration and reducing healthcare expenses, especially in light of Medicaid-related shutdowns affecting a Lavonia hospital’s labor and delivery unit and a Claxton hospital’s intensive care unit.

“Savannah rapidly transitions from urban to rural,” Duncan observed, highlighting the impact on rural healthcare providers if local industries decline. “Savannah is dealing with this issue on multiple fronts.”

During his time as lieutenant governor, Duncan strived to enhance rural healthcare access, notably through a 2017 rural hospital tax credit initiative. This program currently supports hospitals with $100 million in tax incentives, which he intends to increase to $200 million if he wins the governorship.

Health care providers joined Duncan in Savannah to share their perspectives on the effects of Medicaid cuts.

“I encountered a patient on dialysis due to lack of insurance access, having been diagnosed with diabetes and high blood pressure at 20 but unable to afford care for two decades,” shared nurse practitioner Christen Standiford, emphasizing the dire choices people face between healthcare and other expenses.

Duncan cautioned that a potential cut in Affordable Care Act funds by President Trump might lead to a $3.7 billion revenue loss for Georgia and result in increased healthcare costs for state families.

“Nobody’s going to open up a new business or invest millions of dollars if they don’t think their families and their employees can have access to health care,” Duncan said. “We have to stabilize this health care system.”