Dear Editor,

As of today, hundreds of thousands of Georgians fall into a health care valley of death. They make too much to qualify for Medicaid and too little to qualify for the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. These are folks that are working at one or more jobs, not sitting around waiting for the welfare check. These are the Georgians who don’t have any options to anything like affordable health insurance, so their only access to medical care is through emergency medical care facilities.

The Governor and the majority of state legislators have decided that it is better to deny these folks access to anything but emergency medical care instead of allowing the federal government to pay for having them covered by Medicare. They claim that Medicare and federal subsidies to the states will not always be available and that expanding the number of Georgians the state has to support through Medicare is a terrible burden on the taxpayer.

First, just who is going to pay for the use of emergency medical services? Who is the THEY who will have their insurance premiums inflated because of the burden of these services? WE are the THEY, that’s who. Obviously, medical insurance and medical care aren’t any burden to the governor and the legislators who don’t want to burden us with the possibility of increased Medicare costs four years from now.

Second, were these folks, who would deny access to health services, sitting in church with their fingers in their ears mumbling lalalalalalala when the story of the Good Samaritan was the subject of the sermon? Have they not heard the message that we are supposed to take care of the sick and afflicted? Is this what Jesus would do? Or Mohammed, or any number of wise men and women whose writing are found in the Torah?

The same people who are denying access to health care are quick to claim that America was founded as a Christian nation, but it seems their understanding of Christ’s teachings doesn’t include caring for, much less loving, our neighbors.

If you happen to be a follower of Christ, Mohammed, or the teaching of the Tribes of Israel, you might point this contradiction out to your local state congressman, or even to Mr. Deal, if you get the chance.

Just say’n.

JJ Hayden

Covington