Peach Pulse Archive 2011

At Georgians for a Healthy Future, we envision a day in which all Georgians will have the quality, affordable health care they need to lead healthy lives and contribute to the health of their communities. Working towards this vision takes many forms: talking directly with local community members throughout Georgia about the health care issues they’re facing; partnering with other organizations to form coalitions to build and mobilize support for better health care policies to address these needs; and engagement with policymakers to extend health care coverage to more Georgians, expand access to care, and ultimately improve health outcomes. We couldn’t do any of this without YOU! Thank you for telling us your health care stories, for collaborating with us on shared goals, for volunteering with us, and for contributing your time and dollars to our health care advocacy efforts.

Please consider supporting Georgians for a Healthy Future with a financial contribution. As a nonprofit organization, our work is funded through foundation grants and contributions from supporters like you. Please provide your support and stand with us as we fight to improve health care for Georgia consumers.

Have a happy and healthy Holiday Season!

What’s New in Georgia

Georgians for a Healthy Future Executive Director Named as NAIC Consumer Liaison Representative

Our Executive Director, Cindy Zeldin, was named by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) as one of 28 consumer liaison representatives from across the country for 2012. The NAIC/Consumer Liaison Committee assists the NAIC in its mission to support state insurance regulation by providing consumer views on insurance regulatory issues and provides a forum for ongoing dialogue between NAIC Members and Consumer Representatives. This appointment comes at a critical time, as the NAIC has been delegated a central role in the implementation of the Affordable Care Act by establishing standards, definitions, and consulting on model regulations—policy choices that will have a big impact on health care consumers here in Georgia and around the country. The NAIC news release is available here.

Georgia Health Insurance Exchange Advisory Committee Issues Final Report

The Health Insurance Exchange Advisory Committee issued its final report this week, calling for the development of a small business health insurance marketplace outside the context of the exchange framework authorized by the Affordable Care Act but failing to explicitly recommend the establishment of a health insurance exchange for individual consumers. Georgians for a Healthy Future’s Executive Director, a member of the committee, wrote a minority report calling for Georgia to take advantage of the opportunity to cover the uninsured and improve our health insurance marketplace by building a Georgia exchange in 2012. You can read the committee report, the minority report, and all other supplemental materials here.

Healthcare Unscrambled

Georgians for a Healthy Future’s 2nd Annual Policy Breakfast

Health Care Unscrambled, Georgians for a Healthy Future’s annual policy breakfast, brings together health care policymakers, stakeholders, experts, and advocates for an energizing look ahead at the top health issues facing our state as the 2012 Legislative Session gets underway. Please be sure to register today! This year’s breakfast will be on Thursday, January 12th from 8 AM to 10:30 AM and boasts:

• A panel discussion with Georgia legislators and state officials, including Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens, Representative Pat Gardner, Representative Richard Smith, Senator Renee Unterman, and Senator Nan Orrock

• A keynote presentation from Dr. Len Nichols, one of the nation’s leading health economists

• Highlights from GHF’s forums and workshops with community leaders across the state

• GHF’s 2012 policy priorities announced

To purchase tickets or to become a sponsor of the event, click here. We hope to see you in January!