THE 2017 GEORGIA LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS UNDERWAY!
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| Georgians for a Healthy Future will be at the Capitol throughout the forty-day session to monitor health-related legislation, serve as a voice for health care consumers, and keep you informed about opportunities to engage and take action. For the past four years, our top policy priority has been closing Georgia’s coverage gap by expanding Medicaid. In the wake of 2016 elections, the national policy landscape has shifted considerably, knocking that off the table this year and placing existing coverage, care, and consumer protections at risk. Despite the backdrop of uncertainty and a critical need for federal advocacy, there will be important decisions made over the next three months at the state level that impact the health of individuals, families, and communities.
While it is early, here are the major health care issues that we expect legislators to tackle in 2017:
- Renewal of the provider fee, commonly known as the “hospital tax” or “bed tax” to help fund Medicaid and keep hospital doors open
- Development of a set of reforms to improve mental health services based on recommendations from a legislative study committee
- Creation of a Health Reform Task Force to assess the impact of change to or repeal of the Affordable Care Act on Georgia
- Addressing the practice of surprise medical billing, which can leave insured consumers with unexpected bills when a health care provider is out-of-network
- Increasing reimbursement rates for primary care services for health care providers participating in Medicaid
- Improving access to dental care for children, seniors, and people with disabilities
Georgians for a Healthy Future has several ways for you to stay up-to-date on what’s happening under the Gold Dome this year:
Stay tuned for updates throughout the Legislative Session!
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Join us for a webinar previewing state & national health policy in 2017
It’s a time of uncertainty for health care. Congressional leaders have already begun the process of repealing the Affordable Care Act. With the legislative session already underway, state leaders have acknowledged that something must be done about Georga’s high number of uninsured, the state’s struggling rural health care system, and impending funding cuts to hospitals. With so much uncertainty and change, it may be hard to keep track of what’s going on in health policy.
We will help sort out the confusion, and discuss expected & proposed changes at both the state and national levels. Join us for a look ahead at health policy 2017.
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TAKE ACTION TO #PROTECTOURCARE
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| Coverage, care, and consumer protections hang in the balance for millions of Georgians as Congress considers major changes to health care policy. If the Affordable Care Act is repealed without an adequate replacement, one million Georgians would lose coverage and more than70,000 jobs would be lost in Georgia. Learn more by downloading our new fact sheet here and contact Senators Isakson and Perdue today! |
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LAST CHANCE TO GET YOUR TICKETS!
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| Tickets to Health Care Unscrambled are still available but time is running out. This annual event provides a special opportunity for health care advocates and stakeholders to hear from state policy makers about what they plan to address in the year ahead. We’ll also take a step back and look at the national context. We’ll have a conversation with our panel of national advocates about what is ahead and what advocates should be thinking about in this time of change for health care consumers. Join us!
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COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR GREATER ATLANTA AT GHF BOARD MEETING
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| We previously announced that GHF has been awarded a grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta. The Foundation works to connect the passions of philanthropists with the purpose of nonprofits. GHF’s board welcomed Kathy Palumbo of the CFGA at the December board meeting to recognize and celebrate the award. Thank you to the CFGA for this opportunity and your partnership.
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