On Tuesday, January 14, 2025, Georgians for a Healthy Future (GHF) hosted its 15th Annual Health Care Unscrambled at the Georgia Freight Depot. The event brought together over 200 health advocates, policymakers, and stakeholders for bipartisan discussions on Georgia’s health care challenges and opportunities.

The event served as a platform for expert insights, legislative updates, and collaborative solutions aimed at advancing health equity and access for all Georgians.

Key Highlights

Keynote Address

Hemi Tewarson, JD, MPH,

Hemi Tewarson, Executive Director of the National Academy for State Health Policy, provided a national perspective on advancing health care innovation, equity, and access, and highlighted how other states’ strategies can inform Georgia’s approach. Tewarson emphasized the critical need for strengthening Medicaid systems and addressing youth mental health challenges, with actionable insights tailored to Georgia’s unique health care landscape.

About Hemi Tewarson:

Hemi Tewarson, JD, MPH, is a renowned expert in health policy. As the Executive Director of the National Academy for State Health Policy, she leads a team dedicated to improving health and well-being across the nation. With a wealth of experience in Medicaid, health care costs, and public health, Hemi is uniquely positioned to provide valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing Georgia's health care system.

Legislative Panel

A legislative panel featuring Georgia’s health policy leaders explored the state’s most pressing health care issues and policy priorities for 2025:

• Sen. Kim Jackson (D–Stone Mountain): Democratic Whip and advocate for equity and inclusive health care policies.
• Rep. Darlene Taylor (R–Thomasville): Chairwoman of the Appropriations: Health Subcommittee and champion of rural health care solutions.
• Rep. Lee Hawkins, DDS (R–Gainesville): Chair of the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight Committee, focusing on improving health care delivery systems.

Panelists addressed topics such as Medicaid reimbursement rates, mental health access, rural health care quality, and the ongoing debate around Medicaid expansion.

Looking Ahead

Health Care Unscrambled 2025 underscored the importance of collaboration in tackling systemic health care challenges in Georgia. The event also marked the unveiling of GHF’s new tagline: Healthier future, powered by people. This reflects the organization’s commitment to prioritizing people-centered policies and empowering communities to drive meaningful change.

“We’re reprioritizing efforts to reach and connect personally with more Georgians across the state, and to help them feel empowered to humanize and simplify the systems and policies that we all struggle with,” said GHF Executive Director Laura Colbert. “The right type of change should be simple and people-centered. It should focus on those who are under-resourced and aren’t being treated fairly by the system. And putting those people back at the center of the work.”

The discussions aligned closely with GHF’s 2025-2026 Policy Priorities, which focus on reducing the number of uninsured Georgians, strengthening behavioral health systems, and improving Medicaid efficiency. These priorities are designed to create lasting change for Georgia’s communities, and GHF remains committed to collaborating with policymakers and advocates to achieve them.

Want to support our work?

Sponsorship opportunities are still available for GHF's 2025 events. For more information, please visit our 2025 sponsorship page. 

Access Event Materials

• View Presentation Slides: Program.Discussion.Slides_HCU2025.pptx
• Video Recording: