NEWS & MEDIA
In The News
Georgians for a Healthy Future is frequently cited in news articles about health care issues, ensuring the consumer perspective is heard. Read news stories featuring Georgians for a Healthy Future’s perspective below.
2020
Consumer groups have supported the legislation. Laura Colbert of Georgians for a Healthy Future said Tuesday that the legislation “is a big step forward for Georgia consumers.’’
Patient and consumer advocates, though, argue that the measure as-is would make a significant dent in the problem of surprise medical bills. About 2.6 million people could be helped, according to Georgians for a Healthy Future.
“Any further delay in passing this legislation would really only serve to keep consumers in a place where they’re receiving bills for hundreds or thousands of dollars after they’ve scheduled health care services and have done their due diligence and yet still receive bills that are out of their control,” said Laura Colbert, director of Georgians for a Healthy Future.
Colbert cited a recent study from the Journal of the American Medical Association that found that about one out of five in-network surgeries at in-network facilities result in out-of-network bills.
Laura Colbert of Georgians for a Healthy Future told the Senate Health and Human Services Committee about a Cedartown resident who got a surprise $2,200 bill from an anesthesiologist not in his network.
“We believe these protections (in the Senate bill) are fair and reasonable,’’ Colbert told the panel. “It’s time to protect Georgians.’’
“If CMS were to approve this waiver in its current form, I would expect lawsuits on behalf of Georgia consumers and families,” said Laura Colbert, executive director at Georgians for a Healthy Future, a consumer group based in Atlanta that has called the proposal “terrible for Georgians.” “The proposal would encourage enrollment in substandard plans and likely cause many Georgians to lose coverage. People with preexisting health conditions would be put at risk.”
“We really think it’s time to put this to bed and protect Georgians,” said Laura Colbert, executive director of the nonprofit Georgians for a Healthy Future.
“We really think it’s time to put this to bed and protect Georgians,” said Laura Colbert, the executive director of the nonprofit Georgians for a Healthy Future.
“We really think it’s time to put this to bed and protect Georgians,” said Laura Colbert, the executive director of the nonprofit Georgians for a Healthy Future.
Laura Colbert of the consumer group Georgians for a Healthy Future, when asked to comment on the contents of the letter, said Thursday that the state’s private insurance waiver “has a number of unanswered questions, from a consumer perspective.’’
She said, “It’s reassuring that federal agencies want answers to those questions.’’
Laura Colbert of the consumer group Georgians for a Healthy Future said the CMS move “should worry all Georgians.’’
“Block grants are simply camouflaged cuts to the Medicaid program,” Colbert said. “If Georgia were to adopt this approach, fewer dollars would be available to provide care to Georgians. The so-called limits of these spending cuts to low-income Georgia adults and parents do not protect other groups, like children, people with disabilities and pregnant women. The state would have less money to ensure all Medicaid members have the care and coverage they need.’’