Author: Anthony Hill

Georgia Health Coverage Advocacy Organizations Welcome New and Returning Leaders

Joint Statement

As organizations dedicated to protecting and advancing access to health coverage and care, we collectively congratulate the winners of the recent election. During this election cycle, we saw health care access front and center in campaigns and across the state. This is a promising sign of the work to come, and assures us that the leaders elected last week are deeply committed to ensuring our health care coverage system works for all Georgians.

The work ahead for these leaders will not be easy—they will be sworn in amid a dire reality for many in Georgia facing health coverage challenges. Georgia has one of the highest uninsured rates in the nation, with over 1.3 million people estimated to be without health care coverage. Coverage for those who have it is becoming increasingly expensive because of recent federal policy changes.

Our organizations stand ready to work with the incoming Governor, executive branch officials, the state Senate, the state House of Representatives, and all of their staff as they design and execute plans for a brighter future for Georgia. We look forward to working with these leaders to build a system in which all Georgians get the care they need to thrive.

Signed,

  • American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
  • American Heart Association
  • Black Voters Matter Fund
  • Blood Cancer United
  • GEEARS
  • Georgia Budget and Policy Institute
  • Georgia Equality
  • Georgia First
  • Georgians for a Healthy Future

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Open Enrollment Starts Nov. 1: Here’s What Georgians Need to Know Before They Shop

Family with small dog

Open enrollment on Georgia Access runs Nov. 1 through Jan. 15. Our free Health Insurance 101 guide and enrollment team can help you find coverage that fits your budget.

If you buy your own health insurance, mark your calendar now. Open enrollment on Georgia Access runs Nov. 1, 2026, through Jan. 15, 2027. It is the one time each year most Georgians can sign up for a plan, switch plans, or make sure the coverage they have still fits their needs and budget. To have coverage start Jan. 1, enroll by Dec. 15.

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Partner Spotlight: No Menthol Movement ATL Is Fighting for Healthier Neighborhoods

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At Georgians for a Healthy Future, we believe real change happens when neighbors work together. That is why we want to introduce you to one of our We Decide Georgia partners: No Menthol Movement ATL.

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GHF Comments on Georgia Pathways Enhanced Federal Match

GHF's public comment flags gaps in health exemptions and public outreach in Georgia's new Medicaid work requirement rule

Earlier this month, GHF submitted comments to the Georgia Department of Community Health on its proposed amendment to the Georgia Pathways to Coverage Section 1115 demonstration waiver, which asks the federal government for a 90 percent federal match for the Pathways population beginning January 1, 2027.

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How the 2026 Elections Could Shape Health Care in Georgia

Most people don’t think about health policy until it affects them personally. That moment might come when a larger-than-expected medical bill arrives, a doctor is suddenly no longer in-network, a prescription becomes too expensive to fill, or hours are spent trying to renew a child’s Medicaid coverage.

Those experiences often begin long before someone walks into a doctor’s office or pharmacy. They are shaped by decisions made by elected leaders about how health care is funded, regulated, and delivered.

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GHF’s Comments to DCH on the New Medicaid Work Requirement

GHF's public comment flags gaps in health exemptions and public outreach in Georgia's new Medicaid work requirement rule

Earlier this month, GHF submitted comments to the Georgia Department of Community Health on the state’s plan to implement Medicaid’s new work reporting requirement under H.R. 1.

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The Caregivers We Don’t See: Men, Health, and the Work of Showing Up

Caregiving Is a Men’s Health Issue

Caregiving is often treated as a woman’s responsibility, but a growing number of men in Georgia are caring for parents, partners, children, and loved ones every day. This Men’s Health Month, Georgians for a Healthy Future is spotlighting male caregivers from GHF’s Caregivers Advisory Group whose stories reframe caregiving as a matter of commitment, not gender, and reveal why supporting caregivers is essential to men’s health.

There are 2.5 million family caregivers in Georgia, representing 30 percent of all adults. By 2050, more than 1 in 4 metro Atlanta residents will be over 60, and 70 percent of older adults will need long-term care at some point. That care will come from families, and increasingly, from men. The more men step into caregiving roles, the clearer it becomes: caregiving is a men’s health issue.

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Georgia Pathways to Coverage Is Not Reaching Enough Georgians. We Want to Hear Why.

Share Your Georgia Pathways to Coverage Experience

Georgia’s Pathways to Coverage program requires participants to document work, school, or other qualifying activities in order to gain and keep Medicaid coverage. But three years in, the numbers tell a complicated story, and the people living inside those numbers tell an even more complicated one.

Quote from Paul Mikell about his experience navigating Georgia Pathways to Coverage

Paul Mikell knows that firsthand. As an essential worker, Paul shared his journey of enrolling in Pathways. Although he was eligible through SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food assistance), the process was far from easy. Even after approval, keeping his coverage meant constantly navigating confusing paperwork and reporting requirements just to prove he still qualified.

His experience reflects a pattern the data keeps confirming.

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Your Story Can Make a Difference

Promotional graphic from Georgians for a Healthy Future and Families USA encouraging Georgians to share personal health care stories. Large text reads, “Your Story Can Help Protect Health Care in Georgia.” The graphic invites people to share experiences with Medicaid, rising insurance premiums, medical debt, or hospital closures, noting that personal stories can inform policymakers and create change. A badge highlights a September 15 submission deadline. The Georgia State Capitol appears in the background, alongside photos of four individuals representing community storytellers. Supporting text emphasizes: “Real Stories. Real People. Real Impact.” Icons and captions at the bottom explain that personal stories can influence policy, amplify voices, educate others, and help protect health care access.

Georgians for a Healthy Future is partnering with Families USA to collect and share stories from Georgians experiencing the real consequences of federal health care cuts. If Medicaid work reporting requirements, rising premiums, medical debt, or hospital closures have affected your life, we want to hear from you. Submit your interest form by September 15, 2026, and your story could reach policymakers, advocates, and the public nationwide.

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Legislative Update: Sine Die

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: SINE DIE

Georgia State Capitol

FY2027 Budget: The Conference Committee’s Final Deal

In the final days of Georgia’s 2026 legislative session, a conference committee made up of three House and three Senate members negotiated the final Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) state budget after the two chambers disagreed on spending priorities across health care, workforce, and rural infrastructure. Both chambers passed the conference committee’s final FY27 budget before Sine Die on the last day of the legislative session. The FY27 budget funds the state from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027.

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GHF In The News

Jun 16, 2026
Georgia residents have some of the highest medical debt in the country, and it could get worse
Ellen Eldridge

LISTEN: On average, Georgia has twice as much medical debt than the rest of the country, according to Georgians for a Healthy Future Executive Director Laura Colbert. GPB’s Ellen Eldridge…

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