A new federal initiative on Medicaid could wind up altering Georgia’s waiver proposal on extending coverage to low-income adults. The Trump administration said Thursday that it’s encouraging states to seek a cap on federal Medicaid funding for covering working-age adults, in exchange for more state autonomy in running that program. The new option would not…
The merger of insurers Centene and WellCare will create a company with a dominant position in Georgia’s managed care market for Medicaid. The $17 billion deal, which closed Thursday, will give the resulting entity roughly two-thirds of the Medicaid HMO business in the state. And that market power has medical providers worried about the company…
Gov. Brian Kemp’s tough budget plan spares two giant health care programs from cuts: Medicaid, and the Georgia health plan covering teachers and state employees. But in a Thursday hearing, state lawmakers were briefed on funding cuts in other state health programs, including behavioral health services and physician training programs. State agencies are tasked to meet Kemp’s directive to…
Gov. Brian Kemp pushed for a legislative remedy for the problem of surprise medical billing in his Thursday address to Georgia lawmakers. Kemp, a Republican, also touted his waiver proposals, passed last year by the General Assembly, as solutions to lower health care costs and add a pathway for uninsured Georgians to access medical services….
A key state senator said Tuesday that he is optimistic a compromise plan on easing the problem of surprise medical billing will finally pass the Georgia General Assembly this year. Sen. Ben Watson (R-Savannah), who chairs the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, told a breakfast gathering that the Governor’s Office has been involved in…
The week before Christmas usually isn’t packed with health care news. ‘Tis the season for health care experts – and journalists – to ease off the gas and prepare for the holidays. Not so this year. Friday alone brought some major developments in Georgia. The afternoon began with a state board’s expected passage of Gov….
It’s the last Friday before Christmas, but even in this holiday season, some major official business continues. Today, a state agency’s board is expected to approve Gov. Brian Kemp’s proposal for changing Medicaid in Georgia. In a GHN Commentary, Kemp says this waiver plan, and another to revise rules for the health insurance exchange, would…
By Gov. Brian Kemp Georgia is experiencing historic job growth and unmatched economic opportunity in every corner of the state. Participation in the job market is at record highs, unemployment recently dropped to a 20-year low, and we were named the “#1 State for Business” for the seventh year in a row. But even with…
Story updated A state agency’s board is expected to vote soon on Gov. Brian Kemp’s waiver proposal to give more Georgians health coverage. The plan has generated many comments during the run-up to the vote, with most of them favoring Medicaid expansion rather than what the governor is seeking. In a new GHN Commentary, Dr….
By Dr. Harry Heiman Last month, Gov. Brian Kemp revealed two new health care waiver proposals. While they were presented as Georgia-focused solutions to improve health care access and affordability, the current proposals fail to meaningfully address either problem. Unfortunately, our state leadership is missing an opportunity to expand access to care, stabilize rural and…