I may be the youngest candidate in Georgia’s Insurance Commissioner race, but even I’m old enough to remember when Republicans were the ones opposed to healthcare mandates.
Just two weeks ago, however, Republicans in Georgia’s State House overwhelmingly passed HB 1013, a bill that would dramatically expand government control over health insurance markets, mandate that insurance companies cover extremely controversial treatments, and drive up insurance costs for all Georgians. Joining them at the podium to demonstrate his strong support for the bill was my opponent—Georgia’s current Insurance Commissioner—John King.
Though the bill is being pushed under the laudable banner of addressing mental health issues, which are real concerns for many Georgians who need professional help, HB 1013 completely misses the mark.
Among its myriad defects, perhaps the most alarming is the bill’s requirement that Georgians hand over their insurance decisions to woke and corrupt public health agencies like the World Health Organization or the American Psychiatric Association. If passed, HB 1013 would mandate that insurance companies – and, by extension, Georgia taxpayers – pay for any mental health services deemed necessary by the WHO or the APA. This would include procedures that shock the conscience of many Georgians and violate their religious beliefs, such as gender reassignment surgeries or gender-altering hormone treatments for children. And, if the APA’s past behavior is any indication, Georgians may soon be on the hook to pay for therapy for pedophiles as well.
By supporting HB 1013, State House Republicans and Commissioner King are not only tacitly giving their approval to these radical treatments, they’re also expecting Georgia taxpayers to foot the bill. In addition to the higher premiums the bill will cause, HB 1013 tucks in a loan forgiveness provision that some estimate could carry a $12 billion price tag for Georgia taxpayers.
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At a time when USA Today’s “Woman of the Year” and NCAA’s Division I women’s swimming champion are both biologically-born males, Americans are suffering from skyrocketing inflation, and Joe Biden’s Supreme Court nominee is facing serious questions about leniency towards child sex offenders, Commissioner King’s decision to support this bill is astounding.
Recently, Commissioner King has taken his support of HB 1013 even further and expressed eagerness to use his office to enforce it. Standing side-by-side with House Speaker David Ralston, Commissioner King told reporters that he is informing insurance companies that a “freight train is coming” and that they “need to get on board” if they want to continue operating in Georgia. Switching from threats to peer pressure, Commissioner King then encouraged insurance companies to submit to the new legislation because “[o]ur speaker, our governor, everybody’s getting behind this.” Curiously absent from the list of people Commissioner King claimed were “getting behind” HB 1013 are the people of Georgia.
To be sure, many Georgians struggle with mental health disorders that require professional care, and improving access to and the quality of that care is a worthy endeavor. But just like hormone blockers for kids is not the answer to gender dysphoria, HB 1013 – or “KingCare” as it should be called – is not the solution Georgia needs to this problem. Commissioner King should know that.
HB 1013 is a sprawling, 70-plus page bill that would balloon government control over healthcare, increase health insurance costs, and empower radicals at the WHO and APA to trample on Georgians’ religious liberties. Perhaps that’s why every single State House Democrat joined Commissioner King in support of HB 1013 and why Democrat candidate for Governor Stacey Abrams recently praised Republicans like him for making the bill’s passage possible. Why wouldn’t she? With Commissioner King so eager to implement the Abrams agenda, that’s one less thing she would have to worry about as Governor.
Republicans often chide Democrats for believing that more government is the solution to problems when many times it is government itself that is the problem. When it comes to HB 1013, however, State House Republicans and Commissioner King seem to have forgotten—or abandoned—that principle.
Patrick Witt is a Republican candidate for Georgia Insurance Commissioner endorsed by President Trump. Find him at www.patrickwitt.com and @patrickjwitt.
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