Peach Pulse Archive 2024
JUNE 2024
Read the full blog to discover how a recent court ruling impacts health coverage in Georgia, support parents’ health care, and explore updated Medicaid and insurance resources for 2024.
Braidwood v. Becerra: What Georgians Need to Know
A recent decision by the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals for the Braidwood v. Becerra case has upheld a popular and important part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This ruling affirms that health insurers must continue to cover no-cost preventive services such as cancer screenings, vaccinations, and mental health checks. This decision directly impacts 4.6 million Georgians and over 150 million Americans who rely on these services to stay healthy without financial strain.
“We are pleased with the Court’s decision to uphold the ACA’s protections of no-cost, life saving preventive services. This ruling is a relief for Georgians who rely on these benefits to understand their risks for serious and chronic conditions, and to prevent or identify health issues early when they’re treatable and manageable,” said Georgians for a Healthy Future Executive Director Laura Colbert. “While these services appear to be secure for now, the court’s decision has left a door open for future challenges. In light of this uncertainty, GHF will continue to monitor this issue and remains committed to advocating for policies that ensure all Georgians have access to the preventive care they need to lead healthy lives.”
Preventive services allow for the prevention and early detection of health conditions and diseases. These services save lives and reduce the costs of care for individuals and the health care system as a whole.
In response to the court’s decision, GHF is urging Georgia’s health insurers to publicly commit to maintaining their coverage of no-cost preventive services, regardless of future legal outcomes. We’re also calling on our state lawmakers to add these protections into state law, so that Georgia families can count on these essential benefits in the future. This guarantee would promote better health across the state and support the future success of Georgia’s new health insurance marketplace, Georgia Access.
For more information, read GHF’s full statement on the decision here.
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May 2024
ADVOCATING FOR MENTAL HEALTH ACCESS IN GEORGIA
As Mental Health Awareness Month comes to a close, it’s important to remember that our commitment to raising awareness and improving mental health care doesn’t end here.
GHF proudly attended the 28th Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum earlier this month. The event convened many professionals dedicated to improving mental health for Georgians across the state. Key highlights were the engaging bipartisan discussions and thought-provoking presentations throughout the forum. These conversations are crucial for advancing mental health access in Georgia.
Nearly half (46%) of Georgia adults believe mental health is the most pressing issue facing the state today. However, Georgia has yet to take a fundamental step to increase access to mental health care: closing the coverage gap.
Closing the coverage gap means enabling uninsured, low-income adults to enroll in health insurance, ensuring they have access to necessary medical care. This would allow Georgians to receive preventive health services before developing a mental health condition or substance use disorder.
Two years ago, Georgia passed the Mental Health Parity Act, landmark legislation that improved access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment for Georgians with health insurance. This bill strengthened the state’s mental health infrastructure by requiring insurers to cover mental health services the same as physical health services, creating a system to report unfair coverage denials, and increasing access to trained professionals and care coordination for insured Georgians in crisis. However, Georgians in the coverage gap remain without access to most of these benefits.
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APRIL 2024
THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION MAY HAVE ENDED,
BUT OUR WORK IS YEAR-ROUND!
The legislative session may have wrapped up, but GHF’s efforts to enhance health care in Georgia are far from over.
As we move into May, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the outcomes of the 2024 session and plan for future advocacy.
In our final 2024 legislative session update, we shared some noteworthy health investments in the state budget and highlighted some significant bills that have been passed, including but not limited to:
- HB 1339, which establishes a Comprehensive Health Coverage Commission;
- HB 1010, which extends parental leave for state employees; and
- HB 404, also known as the Safe at Home Act, which establishes tenant protection for renters in Georgia.
We are pleased to share that the Governor has already signed these three bills into law.
MORE >GEORGIA’S LEGISLATIVE SESSION ENDS TOMORROW
Stay Informed with GHF Updates.
Tomorrow, March 28th, marks the end of the legislative session, known as Sine Die. This week will be busy at the Capitol with lawmakers working long hours to finish bills and budget changes before midnight on Thursday.
GHF is closely monitoring several pieces of legislation, including proposals that would make it easier for mental health and substance use providers to serve Georgians; damage access to evidence-based medical care for transgender youth; and slash Georgia’s Housing Tax Credit.
Stay updated by following GHF and #gapol on social media. Next week, we’ll share a legislative update summarizing what was achieved and what wasn’t during this year’s session.
MORE >CROSSOVER DAY IS HERE!
Today marks Crossover Day, a pivotal point in Georgia’s legislative session where bills must be approved by their originating chamber. Once approved, the bills move across the Capitol to the other chamber. Bills that fail to pass out of their chamber of origin by the end of Crossover Day are unlikely to become law this session. (There are occasional exceptions to this rule.)
In the remaining days of the session, GHF will continue to advocate for closing the coverage gap, among other issues. Earlier this week HB 1339 was passed by the House and has moved on to the Senate chamber. This legislation – while primarily focused on the state’s certificate of need program for hospitals – includes a provision that would establish a Comprehensive Health Coverage Commission to explore closing Georgia’s coverage gap in the 2025 or 2026 legislative session.
While HB 1339 signals legislative interest in finding a solution, lawmakers have the power to close the coverage gap right now. Delaying access to health care for hardworking Georgians is costly for families, harms the state’s workforce, and strains rural hospitals. Rather than agreeing to study the issue, lawmakers should work together to pass legislation that allows Georgia to close the coverage gap this year. Contact your Senator today and urge them to close the coverage gap now! (See our full action alert in the next section below.)
With four weeks remaining in the session, committees are working quickly to hear and vote on legislation. Expect a lot of activity today, and be sure to look out for updates about health and housing legislation in our email update this Monday.
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