Evans Memorial Hospital in southeast Georgia recently struggled to find someone to accept the transfer of a very sick COVID-19 patient. After Evans staff called 14 hospitals, one finally agreed to take the patient. That hospital turned out to be two states away — in Bowling Green, Ky. The patient was flown to the Kentucky…
The financial blow from COVID-19 has helped force the closure of a rural hospital in Georgia. Southwest Georgia Regional Medical Center was facing financial challenges even before the pandemic struck, and Randolph County, where it is located, has among the highest per-capita infection rates in the state. “It has become increasingly difficult for small, critical-access hospitals…
Georgia health officials Tuesday reported an increase of 78 COVID-19 deaths from the day before. That’s the largest single-day rise in deaths since 78 were reported May 21, according to the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. Meanwhile, the disease continues to strain the resources of Georgia hospitals, though the total number of COVID patients hospitalized fell in the…
Georgia’s Medicaid and PeachCare rolls continue to grow amid the economic devastation from COVID-19. Newly released June enrollment figures show that Medicaid membership grew by 23,000, while PeachCare, the children’s health insurance program in Georgia, saw enrollment rise by nearly 14,000. That continues a steady increase in each program, though April’s Medicaid growth was much…
A document prepared for the White House coronavirus task force and obtained by the Center for Public Integrity recommends that Georgia and 17 other states in the COVID-19 “red zone” for cases should roll back reopening measures amid the recent spike in infections. The center, a nonprofit newsroom, reported Thursday that the “red zone” is defined as areas…
Georgia’s confirmed COVID-19 cases rose by 3,871 in the 24 hours ending Wednesday afternoon, the state’s second-highest daily increase since the pandemic began. Hospitals’ critical care bed capacity, meanwhile, continues to dwindle, with just 16 percent of beds available. Three hospital regions of Georgia – in the northeast, central and southern regions of the state…
Georgia has streamlined its proposal to the feds for a waiver on health insurance rules, and has postponed its launch till 2022. State officials cited “the unanticipated impact of COVID-19 on the state and its residents’’ in the announcement last week about the changes. The pandemic has required a “prioritization of resources” dedicated to responding…
Georgia remained No. 38 among states in an annual analysis of the well-being of children. The 2020 Kids Count Data Book, released last week, is based on 2018 and 2019 figures and doesn’t reflect the devastation from the COVID-19 pandemic. While the disease is rarely serious for younger people who are infected, its overall impact on…
Hundreds of Georgia health care workers are urging Gov. Brian Kemp to require people to wear face masks in public. Those workers are signing a letter, to be sent Thursday morning, that also calls on Kemp to shut bars and nightclubs and prohibit gatherings of more than 25 people, including at houses of worship. The…
State Rep. David Knight had a triumphant look Friday when talking about his quest for more oversight and restrictions on the PBM industry. Pharmacy Benefit Managers are basically corporate middlemen between health insurers or large employers and drugmakers in handling pharmaceutical benefits. The Georgia General Assembly approved a group of bills in recent days to…