On December 23, 2019, the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) submitted Governor Kemp’s Medicaid waiver proposal to federal health officials.
The Governor’s proposed 1115 Medicaid waiver, called Georgia Pathways plan, would allow Georgians with incomes below the poverty line to enroll in Medicaid coverage but only if they can meet monthly work requirements (at least 80 hours per month of work, school, training, or volunteering per month). The plan would cover only a fraction of those who could be covered by a full Medicaid expansion.
DCH’s submission of the proposal to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) comes after a 30-day public comment period, during nearly 1000 Georgians weighed in with their opinions on the plan. Despite the overwhelming opposition to the plan, Governor Kemp and DCH sent their proposal to federal officials with no meaningful changes.
On January 8, 2020, officials at CMS determined Georgia’s application was complete, which kicked off a second 30-day public comment period. The public comment period allows Georgians impacted by this plan, health advocates, and any other interested party to weigh in.
Along with more than 1700 others, GHF submitted comments to communicating our deep concerns about the plan’s shortcomings. You can read GHF’s full comments here.
State Medicaid expansion plan falls short, says policy organization
Martin Matheny
Just over one year after it came into effect, Georgia’s alternative to Medicaid expansion is not living up to its promise, according to an Atlanta-based policy research organization. “Unfair paperwork requirements…
