 JUNE 2021 |
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| Learn how to advocate for mental health & substance use equity
The Georgia Health Action Network (GHAN) is BACK for a summer conversation! Join us this Tuesday, June 29th, 2021 at noon as we discuss how mental health & substance use have been covered unfairly by health insurers. You will learn why these inequities are important, and how they can be improved in Georgia. We will also discuss how health advocates like you can urge Georgia policy makers to hold insurance companies’ accountable for inequitable and unfair coverage of mental health & substance use needs.
RSVP here this important conversation! |
| Health officials ask for more public input on Gov. Kemp’s plan to block Georgians from the ACA’s health insurance marketplace
As GHF’s health policy analyst, Whitney Griggs, explains in a recent blog, a lot has changed since Gov. Kemp plan to cut ties with the ACA’s health insurance marketplace (healthcare.gov) was approved by the Trump administration. These recent changes have prompted federal health officials to ask for more information from Gov. Kemp about his plans. After Gov. Kemp provides the requested information, officials have said there will be a new public comment period so that Georgians and Georgia stakeholders can provide their feedback about the plan. That’s where you come in!
Health officials need to hear from you and Cover Georgia has made it easy to participate in the comment period. Click here to submit a comment now! We’ll hold on to your comment until the comment period opens (likely in early July) and then send it to health officials. Speak up for health care today!
Confused about what’s happening with Gov. Kemp’s two health care waivers? Cover Georgia has the latest on this handy timeline. See the latest developments on the Governor’s partial Medicaid expansion plan or his proposed changes to private health insurance. |
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RSVP FOR GIVE ‘EM HEALTH TRIVIA NIGHT!
& MEDICAID EXPANSION
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| Join us as a sponsor, with a team, or on your own on Thursday, Aug. 26th!
GHF’s second annual Give ‘Em Health trivia night is coming on August 26, 2021! If you weren’t able to join us last year, you won’t want to miss out on the fun again this year. There are three great ways to participate so you can pick the one that works best for you:
- Sponsor the event! Sponsors generously support GHF’s mission, lead and participate with a trivia team, and benefit from the recognition of their support in GHF’s communications & event materials!
- Be a team captain! Invite 4 friends and register your team of 5 here today. Teams that register early will get a special “party pack” to enhance their trivia night fun.
- Participate on your own! RSVP and GHF will place you on a team with other individuals. You’ll have a great time meeting new health advocates!
No matter how you choose to participate, we can promise that you’ll enjoy the party, learn something new, and get re-connected with Georgia’s health advocacy community. RSVP today for Give ‘Em Health trivia on Thursday, August 26th at 7 pm! |
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JOIN THE GHF TEAM!
& MEDICAID EXPANSION
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| GHF is hiring!
GHF is looking to fill two staff positions: Strategic Communications Manager and part-time Administrative Assistant. The Strategic Communications Manager will lead GHF’s communications, marketing, and public relations efforts. The Administrative Assistant will support day-to-day operations, office management, accounting, human resources, and other administrative functions. Both positions will work closely with the rest of the GHF team to build a healthy, equitable Georgia through policy change.
Please visit GHF’s Employment Opportunities page for more information about these positions and how to apply. |
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ABOUT GEORGIA’S NEW SURPRISE BILLING LAW &
THE ACA IS HERE TO STAY!
& MEDICAID EXPANSION
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| Find out how Georgia’s new surprise billing protections apply to you!
Georgia’s new Surprise Billing Consumer Protection Act went into effect in January. Georgia is just the 16th state to have adopted comprehensive protections against surprise medical bills. GHF and Georgia Watch advocated for five years for this law that will protect an estimated 2.5 million Georgia residents from burdensome surprise medical bills. Learn more about how the new law protects you in our new factsheet here.
La Ley de Protección al Consumidor de Facturación Sorpresa entró en vigor en enero, lo que convierte a Georgia en el decimosexto estado que ha adoptado protecciones integrales contra facturas médicas inesperadas. Georgia Watch y Georgians for a Healthy Future abogaron durante cinco años por esta ley que protegerá a aproximadamente 2,5 millones de residentes de Georgia de costosas facturas médicas inesperadas. Si desea obtener más información sobre cómo lo protege la nueva ley, consulte nuestra nueva hoja informativa a continuación. |
| SCOTUS says: The ACA remains the law of the land!
One week ago, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act for the third time! The opinion applied to a lawsuit filed by Texas, Georgia, and 16 other states that aimed to strike down the entire law.
GHF celebrated the ruling and urged Georgia leaders to turn their attentions to making health care more affordable and closing Georgia’s coverage gap with Medicaid expansion:
“While we lament Gov. Kemp’s & Attorney General Carr’s support of and participation in this effort to overturn a law that benefits so many Georgians, we need to look forward. We hope that today’s decision will embolden Georgia lawmakers to build upon the success of the ACA and make improvements at the state level, such as fully expanding Medicaid to hundreds of thousands of hard-working Georgians who currently have no pathway to coverage. Deep inequalities and structural racism continue to exist in our health care system and the state must act now to ensure all Georgians have access to quality, affordable health coverage.”
Read our full statement here. |
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