Peach Pulse Archive 2026

Here’s what’s inside this month’s Peach Pulse:

• Legislative Updates: We’re tracking early bill movement, committee activity, and what it all means for health care access in Georgia. Catch up on the first two legislative updates of the session to stay in the loop. Read the latest legislative updates on our blog.
• Read, Reflect, Act: GHF’s Latest Publications & Resources:
  This month, we’re sharing:
  • A recap of Health Care Unscrambled 2026, including highlights from our legislative panel and keynote discussion with Katie Keith
  • How rising health insurance costs are affecting Georgia families and why your story matters
  • New insights into the challenges family caregivers are facing and why caregiver support matters now more than ever
  • How to stay connected with Cover Georgia and join the push to close Georgia’s coverage gap
• Advocacy Days at the Capitol: Advocacy days are happening throughout the session. Check out upcoming opportunities to show up, speak out, and meet with lawmakers about the health care issues that matter most.
• Power our work this session: Your support helps us track legislation, share timely updates, and advocate for policies that expand access to care across Georgia. Every gift makes a difference during this critical time.
• GHF in the News: Recent coverage from Capital B ATL, GPB, HealthBeat, and more!

The 2026 Georgia legislative session is underway, and we’re already seeing important developments on health care policy and funding.

Session kicked off with big questions about affordability. Lawmakers returned to the Capitol on January 13th, facing a changed health care landscape due to last year’s federal tax and budget bill (H.R.1). Governor Kemp delivered his State of the State address and released his budget proposals, which included investments in medical workforce training but left other major health care and coverage challenges unaddressed. We also hosted Health Care Unscrambled 2026, bringing together national experts and state lawmakers to discuss these challenges and consider state-led solutions. See more about HCU 2026 below!

Key bills from last session are back in play, including HB 291, legislation to certify community health workers, and SB 131, which would strengthen mental health parity enforcement. Read the Week 1 legislative update.

Budget week revealed health spending priorities. State agencies presented their funding requests during joint appropriations hearings, giving us early insights into health spending priorities for the year ahead. The Governor’s budget proposals show modest growth in health care spending, with new investments in behavioral health housing vouchers and crisis services, but notable gaps remain, particularly around coverage affordability and rural hospital support. Read the Week 2 legislative update.

Our team is tracking committee activity, monitoring new legislation, and breaking down what it all means for Georgians. These weekly updates are your go-to resource for understanding what’s happening under the Gold Dome and how it connects to health care in your community.

On January 15th, we brought together advocates, policymakers, and community leaders for Health Care Unscrambled 2026. The event came at a critical moment as Georgians faced steep premium increases and the final marketplace enrollment deadline for 2026.

Katie Keith, one of the nation’s leading Affordable Care Act experts from Georgetown University, delivered the keynote address. She analyzed how federal policy changes are threatening coverage gains in Georgia, with nearly 500,000 Georgians at risk of becoming uninsured by 2034. Katie also outlined concrete tools state policymakers can use to protect affordability, including leveraging Georgia Access’s flexibility and streamlining enrollment processes.

Our bipartisan legislative panel featured Senate Democratic Leader Harold Jones and House Appropriations Chair Mark Newton, both representing the Augusta area. They engaged in frank dialogue about Medicaid expansion, state premium assistance options, and rural hospital sustainability. The conversation was honest, timely, and focused on solutions.

The event also included powerful video testimonials from Georgians sharing how premium increases are forcing impossible choices between health coverage and financial security.

Watch the full event on YouTube or read the full recap to learn more about the policy solutions discussed and what’s at stake for Georgia families.

If your health insurance costs went up this year, you are not alone. Thousands of Georgians are paying more for their Georgia Access coverage right now. Some have seen their monthly premiums double or even triple. Others have had to choose cheaper plans with higher deductibles or drop coverage completely.

Georgia leaders have options to help make coverage more affordable again, but they need to hear directly from people who are affected by these higher costs. Whether you renewed your plan and are paying more, switched to a cheaper plan, or had to drop coverage, your story matters.

Our new blog explains why costs went up, how you can share your experience with policymakers, and what options may still be available if you missed Open Enrollment or need help navigating your coverage.

Millions of Americans provide unpaid care to family members, and the challenges they face are growing. Caregiving affects who can work, under what conditions, and for how long. It shapes mental health, job retention, and economic security for families across Georgia.

Our latest blog explores recent trends in family caregiving and why caregiver support should be a policy priority. We look at the mental health toll on caregivers, what employers can do to support caregivers in their workforce, and what policymakers can do to recognize caregiving as essential work.

The blog also includes a list of Georgia-based resources for caregivers, including the Georgia Department of Human Services Division of Aging Services, local Area Agencies on Aging, and the statewide Aging & Disability Resource Connection.

Caregiving is love in motion, and love needs support.

Hundreds of thousands of Georgians still fall into the coverage gap. They earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford private insurance. Medicaid expansion would provide a pathway to affordable coverage for working Georgians who currently have no options.

Cover Georgia is the statewide coalition working to make it happen. You can stay connected by signing up for updates, learning more about the issue, and joining advocacy efforts as opportunities arise throughout the legislative session.

Legislative sessions are when advocacy happens. Advocacy days give community members a chance to visit the Capitol, meet with lawmakers, and share their stories about why health care access matters.

Several partner organizations are hosting advocacy days throughout the session. These events are open to anyone who wants to get involved, learn more about the legislative process, and make their voice heard.

Here’s what’s coming up:

• February 2 – Moral Mondays at the Capitol: Healthcare & Medicaid Cuts hosted by Georgia Poor People’s Campaign
• February 3 – Mental Health Parity Day at The Capitol, co-hosted by the Georgia Parity Collaborative, the Carter Center, and Georgians for a Healthy Future
• February 4 – Cancer Action Day hosted by American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
• February 4 – K-12 Education Advocacy Day hosted by Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD)
• February 4 – SNAP Advocacy Day hosted by Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) in partnership with the Georgia Budget & Policy Institute
• February 5 – Georgia AIDS Watch hosted by Georgia Equality
• February 5 – American Heart Association Lobby Day at the Capitol hosted by the American Heart Association
• February 17 – 9to5 Georgia’s Advocacy Day hosted by 9to5
• February 19 – Georgia Community Health Worker (CHW) Awareness Day 2026 hosted by The Georgia CHW Advocacy Coalition and Georgia CHW Network
• February 23 – Moral Mondays at the Capitol: Housing & Voucher Cuts hosted by Georgia Poor People’s Campaign
• March 4 – No Cuts to Care: Medicaid Advocacy Day hosted by Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD)

Advocacy days are powerful opportunities to connect policy to real life. Whether you’re new to advocacy or have been doing this work for years, showing up matters.

If you have an advocacy event you’d like included in GHF’s emails, contact Anthony Hill at ahill@healthyfuturega.org.

The legislative session is when health policy decisions get made. Bills move quickly, committee hearings pile up, and staying on top of it all takes time, attention, and resources.

Your support helps GHF track legislation, provide timely updates, educate the public, and advocate for policies that expand health care access across Georgia. It helps us show up at the Capitol, amplify community voices, and push for solutions that work for all Georgians.

If you’re able to give this month, your donation directly supports our work during this critical time.

Catch up on recent media coverage featuring GHF’s work, team, and storytellers:

• Georgia Recorder | December 31, 2025: Wild Hog Supper, Eggs and Issues and More: It’s Another New Year Under the Gold Dome
• Capital B Atlanta | January 9, 2026: Rising ACA Premiums Could Leave More Black Georgians Uninsured
• WJBF (ABC) | January 13, 2026: Renewed Push at Georgia Capitol to Expand Affordable Healthcare Access
• Healthbeat | January 22, 2026: Talking across the aisle on Georgia’s health needs
• Georgia Public Broadcasting | January 23, 2026: State lawmakers talk budget priorities: What’s on the table for Georgia’s health care