Gov. Deal Signs Bill Boosting Funds To Ga. Rural Hospitals

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal signed into law Tuesday a bill that could funnel nearly $200 million to the state’s struggling rural hospitals over the next three years.

The bill, SB 258, allows corporations and people to claim state tax credits for donating to rural health care centers that treat the uninsured or those with Medicare or Medicaid. It caps the credits at $50 million in 2017, $60 million in 2018 and $70 million in 2019.

The original version capped the maximum amount at $100 million annually. State Rep. Geoff Duncan, R-Cumming, who sponsored the bill, said while the funding is short of what he originally asked for, the new infusion of money is an “important step” for rural communities.