ATLANTA – Today, Georgians for a Healthy Future (GHF) shared a briefing memo that contextualizes statements made during this morning’s Patients First Round Table Discussion hosted by the Governor’s office. Governor Kemp described Georgia’s new health care programs, specifically the Georgia Access health insurance marketplace and the Pathways to Coverage program under Medicaid.

While more low-income adults have been able to enroll in health insurance over the last several years, the reasons are more nuanced than the current state administration has allowed, and the additional context has important implications for Georgians’ access to care.

Originally published in May, GHF’s briefing memo details each of the Kemp administration’s health care programs (some are called “waivers”), their respective effects on access to health coverage in Georgia, and how Georgians are impacted by each. This memo provides essential, accurate, and sourced background information to reporters covering health care issues in Georgia.

Reporters will find understandable information and helpful illustrations that respond to the following questions: 

• What is the Pathways to Coverage program? Who does it cover? Compared to Medicaid expansion (or closing Georgia’s coverage gap), how many Georgians are covered?
• What is reinsurance and how does that impact health insurance premiums in Georgia?
• What is the Georgia Access marketplace? Are uninsured and low-income Georgians able to enroll in marketplace coverage instead? What has driven recent enrollment increases?
• What is the context around the Governor’s remarks when referencing that 714,000 Georgians have become newly insured through his health insurance programs? How do federal policies impact this enrollment increase?
• Do these programs, when combined, replace the need to expand Medicaid in Georgia?

ATLANTA –The Cover Georgia coalition applauds the appointments made by Governor Kemp and legislative leaders to the Comprehensive Health Coverage Commission. Established by HB 1339, the Commission will spend the next 18 months advising state leaders and policy makers about issues related to access and quality of health care for low-income and uninsured Georgians.  The Cover Georgia coalition looks forward to the Commission’s work to study opportunities and find solutions that improve the health and well-being of all Georgians, particularly those with limited resources.

With such experienced and diverse members, the Cover Georgia coalition is confident that the Commission will carry out a community-driven process that engages the Georgians at the center of their charges.

“We stand ready to support the Commission in connecting with and hearing from low-income and uninsured individuals and families across the state through public-facing meetings and community input sessions,” said Georgians for a Healthy Future Executive Director Laura Colbert. “Hearing the voices of those directly impacted is an essential component of developing relevant findings and recommendations to share with state leaders.”

ATLANTA –July 1st marked the first anniversary of the Pathways to Coverage program. Advocates are urging state leaders to acknowledge that the current design has not met the critical needs of Georgia’s uninsured population.

Initially expected to enroll between 31,000 to 100,000 Georgians in its debut year, the program has 4,323 individuals actively enrolled as of mid-June 2024. This shortfall highlights the gap between the program’s objectives and its actual impact on the community’s health care access.

Data indicate that the complexities of the program’s administration, along with the backlog generated by the Medicaid unwinding, may have contributed to its underperformance–with about 38% of applicants still awaiting processing. The cumbersome enrollment and monthly reporting process and the substantial state and federal taxpayer funds directed towards managing the online enrollment and eligibility portal–almost $12 million from July 2023 to March 2024 alone–reflect a misalignment of priorities and resources.
Furthermore, Pathways to Coverage’s work and other qualifying activity requirements may have limited the program’s reach and effectiveness. Only 20% of the applications processed have resulted in coverage, and about 21% of denials are due to stringent qualifying hours and activity requirements.

ATLANTA — Georgians for a Healthy Future released a statement in response to Friday’s U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals decision on Braidwood v. Becerra. The court’s decision largely preserved the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) requirement for health insurers in Georgia and nationwide to provide coverage of certain preventive services like colorectal and breast cancer screenings, vaccinations, and mental health screenings at no cost. For now, this decision affirms that over 150 million Americans, including 4.6 million Georgians, will continue to have access to essential preventive care without out-of-pocket costs.

“We are pleased with the Court’s decision to uphold the ACA’s protections of no-cost, life saving preventive services. This ruling is a relief for Georgians who rely on these benefits to understand their risks for serious and chronic conditions, and to prevent or identify health issues early when they’re treatable and manageable,” said Georgians for a Healthy Future Executive Director Laura Colbert. “While these services appear to be safe for now, the court’s decision has left a door open for future challenges. In light of this uncertainty, GHF will continue to monitor this issue and remains committed to advocating for policies that ensure all Georgians have access to the preventive care they need to lead healthy lives.”

While this decision preserves critical preventive care access for now, it paves the way for future legal challenges that could threaten these protections.

ATLANTA (Dec. 14, 2023) – The Carter Center, in partnership with Georgians for a Healthy Future and the Georgia Parity Collaborative, hosted roundtables on mental health insurance coverage Dec. 11-12 at the Gateway Community Service Board Crisis Center in Savannah and Albany State University in Albany. The roundtables aimed to gather input from diverse stakeholders to better understand the most effective ways to raise awareness about their rights to mental health care in Georgia.

Statement From GHF’s Executive Director Laura Colbert:  

“Georgians heard promises from state leaders about a new program that would expand access to care, cover between 31,000-345,000 uninsured adults, and lower costs for families. Pathways to Coverage is falling well short of these commitments to uninsured Georgians. Medicaid expansion would be a more effective way to meaningfully cover state residents and connect them to care, as South Dakota’s early success demonstrates.”