The Medical Association of Georgia (MAG) believes the pending Aetna/Humana and Anthem/Cigna mergers would have disastrous results for patients and physicians in this state. The new companies would control nearly 90 percent of the individual health insurance market in Georgia – the kind of monopoly that undermines our free market system. What’s more, they would…
This is the first in a series of articles about health care in Southwest Georgia, an area of the state that has great health needs and challenges, but also some innovative approaches to such problems. The series is the product of a collaboration between Georgia Health News and the health and medical journalism graduate program at UGA…
Open enrollment can bring a big decision for consumers: Which health coverage plan do I choose? And much of that decision is based on whether the consumer’s favorite doctor or hospital is part of a plan’s network. But if the available listings of health plan providers are not accurate, consumers could end up making bad…
State lawmakers’ move to inject $26 million into the Medicaid budget for doctor pay raises would help strengthen Georgia’s medical safety net, physicians say. The House recently voted for the pay hike in the fiscal 2017 state budget. If the Senate and Gov. Nathan Deal agree with the House action, the rates that Medicaid pays…
A bill just introduced in the General Assembly would scrap the state’s current health care regulatory apparatus, known as certificate of need or CON. Georgia’s CON laws play a crucial role in health care facility construction and services across the state. House Bill 1055 has sent tremors through Georgia’s hospital industry, which has been a…
Editor’s note: Five and a half years ago, Hammad Aslam started medical school in Athens, and his story appeared then in Georgia Health News. This is an update of his medical journey. A video is included below. Hammad Aslam has always wanted to be a doctor. He knew that medicine was the profession in which…
Emory’s Winship Cancer Institute in Atlanta has announced the first community hospital partner for its new cancer network: Archbold Memorial Hospital in Thomasville. The affiliation means that physicians with the South Georgia hospital will have access to Emory cancer specialists for care consultations, the latest protocols and research, and a route for patients to participate…
The owner of North Georgia Medical Center in Ellijay plans to close the hospital’s inpatient services and lease its emergency room and medical offices to Piedmont Healthcare. Piedmont Mountainside Hospital in Jasper, about 20 miles away, would take over operation of the Ellijay hospital’s ER, doctors’ offices and imaging and outpatient surgery centers, under a…
April Williams wants to keep her children safe. That feeling is not unusual, of course, but Williams’ job probably gives her an enhanced perspective on the issue. She’s the special events and marketing manager at Athens Regional Medical Center, one of the biggest regional hospitals in northeast Georgia. She’s keenly aware of the health threats…
For years, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia has maintained its dominance as the state’s No. 1 health insurer. Its membership now approaches 3 million members — in a state with slightly more than 10 million people. The company has also built a reputation as a bruising adversary in contract negotiations and pay disputes…