Peach Tree Times

Atlanta, GA – Governor Brian Kemp, joined by Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King, Department of Community Health Commissioner Russel Carlson, and healthcare stakeholders, participated in a roundtable to discuss the state of healthcare in Georgia. The focus was on the Georgia Access and Georgia Pathways programs.

Governor Kemp addressed the attendees, emphasizing his commitment to improving healthcare access and quality for Georgians. "When I first ran for governor, I promised to put hardworking Georgians first," he stated. He highlighted the Patients First Act as a pivotal piece of legislation that allowed his administration to implement innovative policies tailored to Georgia's unique health needs.

Kemp underscored the state's decision to avoid a "top-down, one-size-fits-all approach" in favor of treating Georgians as individuals with diverse health circumstances. He noted that since its inception, Georgia Access has provided coverage for over 714,000 residents who fall under 138 percent of the federal poverty level.

The Governor contrasted these numbers with traditional Medicaid expansion projections. "To be clear, the rosiest projections for traditional Medicaid expansion estimate 500,000 people under 138 percent of the federal poverty limit would be eligible," he said. Kemp pointed out that Georgia Pathways and Access have surpassed this figure by over 200,000 individuals.

Kemp outlined several benefits of enrolling in private sector insurance through Georgia Access: better coverage tailored to individual needs, more options for enrollees, and higher reimbursement rates for healthcare providers compared to Medicaid.

He reported significant growth in private sector exchange enrollment from 460,000 five years ago to over 1.3 million today. This includes 400,000 former Medicaid recipients who transitioned to commercial plans via Georgia Access during redetermination processes.

"Through Georgia Access, 400,000 Georgians who were previously on Medicaid now have private sector insurance that provides better coverage," Kemp stated. He also highlighted improvements in county-level insurance carrier availability and reductions in premiums statewide and in rural areas due to reinsurance program investments.

Kemp shared additional statistics: Georgia has the fourth largest individual market for healthcare coverage nationally; eligibility numbers for Pathways have decreased due to increased employment and private healthcare coverage among Georgians.

"The goal of Georgia Pathways is not – and has never been – to keep hundreds of thousands of Georgians on government-run healthcare forever," Kemp emphasized. He stressed that the program aims to provide pathways to education, employment, and improved lives without government assistance.

Kemp introduced Luke Seaborn as an example of someone benefiting from these initiatives. He expressed his desire for more families to achieve financial stability without worrying about healthcare costs.

In closing remarks before turning over the floor to Commissioner King, Kemp mentioned SB 65's authorization of a state-based health insurance exchange set to launch later this year. This platform will allow Georgians to compare health insurance options more easily.

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