It looks as though Gov. Brian Kemp will indeed pursue a Medicaid “waiver’’ proposal to expand health coverage in Georgia.

Kemp, in his State of the State speech Thursday — three days after he was sworn in as Georgia’s new chief executive — said he will seek “to expand access [to care] without expanding a broken system.’’

“We have included $1 million in the Department of Community Health’s budget to craft state flexibility options for Georgia’s Medicaid program,’’ declared Kemp, a Republican. “We will drive competition and improve quality while encouraging innovation.’’

He also said ...

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A surge in cases of flu and other illnesses has led Grady to return a mobile ER to its downtown Atlanta campus.

The mobile unit, which is about the size of a tractor trailer and is owned by North Carolina-based Atrium Health, is the same one that served Grady last winter. It will open Thursday morning to Grady patients.

“We are seeing a number of patients with flu and colds,’’ at levels similar to those last winter, said Dr. Hany Atallah, chief of emergency medicine at Grady, which typically averages 435 emergency patients a day.

Atallah said other Atlanta hospitals are also seeing ...

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As Georgia lawmakers push to revamp health care regulations, two major hospital groups have proposed some revisions to the state certificate-of-need system.

Those proposals stemmed from months of hospital officials’ discussions on CON, which the industry has relentlessly defended for years in the Georgia General Assembly.

But the hospital recommendations fall far short of the sweeping CON reforms that two legislative committees have recently formulated.

Given that difference, the 2019 General Assembly session is shaping up to see a bruising battle over the state regulations.

Sen. Ben Watson (R-Savannah), who led a Senate study ...

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Like many U.S. workers, thousands of Georgia teachers and state employees are being offered financial incentives for reaching wellness goals this year.

The State Health Benefit Plan (SHBP) covers more than 660,000 state employees, teachers, other school personnel, retirees and dependents.

One SHBP wellness plan, launched by Atlanta-based digital health company Sharecare, would reward members who meet goals this year with a $150 Walmart gift card, and Walmart will contribute an additional $75 for members to use on prescription medications and vision products. Another potential reward is a $150 Visa gift card, in a plan also administered by Sharecare.

Employees who have Anthem Blue ...

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