What SB 461 does: Takes the opposite approach from SB 460, proposing to make DHS the single agency responsible for Medicaid administration. SB 460 and SB 461 represent competing visions for how Georgia should organize its Medicaid program.
Consumer impact: Moving Medicaid to DHS would separate coverage policy from health care delivery expertise, requiring DHS to build new capacity in complex areas such as care management contracts, provider reimbursement, and quality oversight, where the agency lacks deep experience. The transition faces uncertain federal approval timelines and significant implementation risks, as Medicaid has grown substantially more complex since Georgia last housed the program within DHS.