Georgia Legislative Update

Highlights from the FINAL Week of April 4, 2008|

A number of programs benefiting women and their families fared well in the 2009 final budget. Advocates are especially thrilled about the $20.3 million increase in childcare! Another WPG priority, the Regional Assessment Center serving prostituted adolescent girls, received more than a half million dollars and a raise in reimbursement rates for Medicaid and PeachCare provider networks should help improve access to care.  Details on Budget Funds allotted to each of the following issues can be reviewed by clicking here:
Expansion of Medicaid for Foster Care children up to the age of 21, recommendation to provide coverage for digital mammography services to Medicaid consumers, increase reimbursement rate for maternity deliveries by 5% in the Medicaid and PeachCare programs. Nearly 60% of the births in Georgia are publicly funded deliveries. Increased Medicaid provider reimbursement rates, increased cost reimbursement for inpatient services at Levels I-III trauma hospitals and a smaller increase for non-trauma hospitals, House recommends the increase in cost reimbursement for outpatient services at Levels I-III trauma hospitals but percentages vary slightly also raised it slightly at non-critical access hospitals. Triage fees for non-emergency use of the Emergency Room go up from $50 to $60.  Increased Dental reimbursement rates by 2.5%. Restoration of 75 Independent Care Waiver Slots to address the community waiting list. Increased Independent Care Waiver Program personal support rate 3%.  Funding for a new, specially equipped bus to perform sickle cell anemia testing statewide to maintain staff necessary to ensure continued protection and care is provided for elderly victims of abuse and neglect.  

Disappointingly, the final budget did not include funding for tobacco cessation therapy for Medicaid consumers. It did however chip in $50 M to reduce the education austerity cuts by approximately a third. For more view the 2009 Final Budget Conference Report.

Two of the four big ideas floated to tackle Georgia's health care woes made it as far as the Governor's desk: HB 977 the Governor's plan offering insurance companies major tax credits on high deductible health premiums collected to new accountability measures. It passed despite consumer health advocates vocalizing concerns that it actually does very little to improve affordability of health care and may well hinder access for low income families. The bills provides Insurance companies selling high-deductible health plans with a minimum $2,200 deductible per year out of pocket for a family will benefit to the tune of $146 million in tax exemptions over the next five years.  HB 1234 sponsored by Rep. Mickey Channell addressing the problems with Georgia's Medicaid Care Management Organizations passed. It holds the CMOs to new requirements that should improve the delivery of care to individuals. Among other things it requires coverage for newborn infants until discharged from the hospital.
SB 404 the Lt. Governor's initiative to create a state sponsored web portal known as the Georgia Health Marketplace did not pass the House. It would use taxpayer dollars to market and sell high deductible health plans covering catastrophic care only alongside PeachCare and other high value, comprehensive coverage plans.SB 395 the Lt. Governor's initiative to fund a network of new Emergency Room diversion clinics also did not pass the House. Note: HB 1222, a companion piece of legislation licensing retired and out of state practitioners to offer free care to eligible low income individuals did pass.
HB 535 creates the Office of Disability Services Ombudsman and a medical review group to conduct medical reviews of all deaths of consumers in state hospitals or state operated community residential services. HB 1277 provides charter school employees with health insurance. SB 507 streamlines bureaucracy for children who need ongoing Medicaid therapy services for disabilities. SR 1187 and HR 1746 create Study Committees to look at Children's Mental Health in Georgia. SR 445 creates a Joint House and Senate Commission on the problem of commercial and sexual exploitation of children.
Trauma care: while $62 M was added to the 2009 budget to up reimbursement rates to trauma facilities, the search for a dedicated revenue stream to cover this need fell short again this year.

Highlights from the Week of March 28, 2008|

SR 1187 was introduced this week in the Senate by Senator Don Thomas and immediately referred to Senate Rules.  This would create a Senate Study Committee to look at Children's Mental Health in Georgia. HR 1746 creates a House only study committee along the same lines.

 Opposition to HB 977 grows by the day. It would provide 146 million dollars in tax exemptions for private insurance companies that sell high-deductible health plans with a minimum $2,200 deductible per year out of pocket for a family. HB 977 passed out of the Senate Finance Committee Thursday. Friday it was sent to the Committee on Government Oversight by the Senate Rules Committee. HB 977 has been attached to several other moving bills including HB 1328 on the Senate floor and HB 670, an income tax credit for wood residuals, in the Senate Finance Committee.

Staffing up Georgia's charity care network is the goal of the reforms contained in HB 1222. The Health Share Volunteers in Medicine Act passed the Senate Thursday. This bill requires all medical personnel volunteering in non-profit clinics serving the low-income have a license in good standing and not be under professional sanction. The Senate substitute expands the definition of healthcare provider to include speech-language pathologists and audiologists, optometrists, professional counselors, socials workers, licensed marriage and family therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, dieticians and pharmacists. Under the bill dentists and physicians can only qualify for a special volunteer license to practice if they have no sanctions or disciplinary actions on their board license. The House agreed to the Senate substitute on Friday.
To read about last week's health related budget updates, click here.

Highlights from the Week of March 21, 2008

Thursday the House passed the 2009 budget (HB 990). Highlights include:

  $3 M                House add to expand Medicaid for Foster Care children up to the age of 21

$989,001         House supports Governor’s recommendation to provide coverage for digital mammography services to Medicaid consumers

$5 M                House doubled reimbursement rate for maternity deliveries (from the Governor’s 2.5% increase to 5%) in the Medicaid and PeachCare programs. Nearly 60% of the births in Georgia are publicly funded deliveries

$28.9 M           House supports the Governor’s recommendation to increase Medicaid provider reimbursement rates but allocates it differently and eliminates dialysis

$43.6 M           House supports the Governor’s recommendation to increase cost reimbursement for inpatient services at Levels I-III trauma hospitals and a smaller increase for non-trauma hospitals

 $7.3M             House recommends the increase in cost reimbursement for outpatient services at Levels I-III trauma hospitals however instead of paying 100% of cost the House recommends increasing the percentage of costs covered by 5% and also wants to raise it slightly at non-critical access hospitals. Triage fees for non-emergency use of the Emergency Room go up from $50 to $60

$3.6 M             House add to increase Dental reimbursement rates by 2.5%

$2.18 M           Restoration of Independent Care Waiver Slots to address the community waiting list

$824,225         House add to increase Independent Care Waiver Program personal support rate 2.5%

$6.9 M             House add for tobacco cessation meds to all Medicaid consumers interested in quitting

$726,798         House add to provide for a 1% operations increase for public and private pre-k providers

$2.3 M             House add to ensure continued protection and care is provided for elderly victims of abuse and neglect (the Governor’s original funding recommendation jeopardized approximately 150 elder abuse case manager positions)

$1 M                House add to replace decreased federal funding providing 214,285 through the Meals on Wheels and congregate nutrition sites for at-risk seniors

$300,000         House add for a new, specially equipped bus to perform sickle cell anemia testing throughout the state

Highlights from the Week of March 14, 2008

The House overwhelmingly passed the Speaker's revised tax plan eliminating the car tag tax by a vote of 166 - 5. By passing HR 1246 and HB 1158 on Tuesday, the House voted to eliminate motor vehicle tag taxes for cars registered to an individual, reimburse local governments for the lost revenues, and implement a $10 vehicle fee on all vehicles, which would go to trauma care.  

When fully implemented HR 1246 will cause an estimated $772.8 million decrease in state revenues, according to the official fiscal note (full implementation is in FY2011).  HB 1158 would provide an estimated $83.5 million for trauma care, contingent upon approval of HR 1246 by voters in November.  The resolution is now in the Senate Finance Committee. 

March 11th marked the 30th Day of the legislative calendar. WPG is following a number of bills that crossed the hall into to the second chamber and therefore remain viable this session:

HB 535 creating a Mental Health patient advocacy board

HB 1297 sexual assault protocol, more protection to victims

SB 461 bullying; standardizing protections for kids and notifying parents

to only name a few (health-related topics).

Leadership health care reforms based on recommendations of an uninsured working group convened by Newt Gingrich's Center for Health Transformation are proceeding. Proposals dealing with high deductible health policies may assemble in a conference committee:

HB 977 incentivizing high deductible health plans with employer tax credits ($250 per enrollee) and state premium tax exemptions is now in the Senate Finance Committee for consideration

SB 404 using taxpayer money to subsidize the marketing of high deductible health plans and non insurance products (i.e. bundled, pre-paid discount medical services sold directly from provider to patient) to Medicaid and PeachCare consumers

SB 395 and HB 1222 together will fund free primary care clinics staffed with retired physicians exempt from liability. The goal is cutting costs on unnecessary ER visits by diverting patients with primary care needs into this new safety net clinic system

HB 1234 the Medicaid Care Management Organization Act codifying rules all state care management organizations (CMOs) providing outsourced Medicaid services must follow. Consumers and providers have both been unhappy with the CMO system. HB 1234 will prohibit CMOs from requiring prior authorization for emergency services and establishes payment procedures to assure that the CMO covering a pregnant woman also pays for the newborn until the baby's discharge or that DCH pays for infants born to Medicaid mothers in fee-for-service. It also requires CMOs to maintain an up-to-date, searchable, internet-based list of in-network providers and reimburses care when a provider verifies a patient's eligibility but a patient is later found to be ineligible or not actually enrolled

HB 1277 providing health benefits to charter school employees (see HB 599 from 2007)

HB 279 requiring notice to Katie Beckett waiver families when services are denied, what more information is needed and the specific reason services were denied

SB 507 simplifying access to basic therapy for kids with disabilities (see HB 549 from 2007)

Highlights from the Week of March 7, 2008

Legislation offering tens of millions in off budget tax subsidies for enrolling people in health savings accounts paired with high-deductible health insurance packages have been a major concern this session. In particular:

SB 404: passed the Senate on 3/6 by a vote of 42-12. It promotes the use of Health Savings Accounts and high-deductible health insurance plans through the Georgia Health Marketplace (GHM). Tax payer dollars underwrite half the cost of marketing the GHM. Two amendments requiring all health insurance policies sold through the GHM to cover Chlamydia screening, coverage for complications of pregnancy, coverage for hospital stays after delivery, coverage for prescribed female contraceptive drugs or devices, direct access to OB/GYNs, and coverage for prescription inhalers were defeated. The final Senate version does cover pap smears, mammograms, ovarian cancer screening, colorectal cancer screening. Insurance policies that offer primary care sold through the GHM website will offer patients the choice to designate their obstetrician or gynecologist as a primary care provider.

HB 977: the House will vote on this measure Tuesday (Crossover Day). HB 977 threatens preventive health care for women and their families. These policies need not cover preventive care before a patient satisfies a minimum deductible of $1,100 for self-only/$2,220 for a family. More than half of uninsured families have incomes below 200% of poverty ($42,400 for a family of 4) and would not be able to afford these policies. Another bill seeking to encourage health savings accounts, HB 1087, was folded into HB 977 with tax incentives that will largely benefit the insurance companies. Steep out of pocket maximums ($5,000 for self-only coverage and $10,000 for a family) are another cost prohibitive feature of these policies.
Trauma care's last shot, since the Speaker's trauma funding proposal died with his tax plan this week, is HB 1158.  When presenting his tax plan on the floor the Speaker indicated that his bill was the only chance the representatives would have to vote on trauma care funding.  But with HB 1158 in House Rules, some are holding out hope.  HB 1158 adds a $10 fee on to car tag fees to provide funding for the Georgia Trauma Trust Fund.

Highlights from the Week of February 29, 2008

SB 383 promotes the use of Health Savings Accounts and grants the Commissioner of Insurance power to adopt policies to promote, approve, and encourage health savings account eligible high deductible plans in Georgia. SB 383 passed the Senate 36-12 on February 26th.
HB 1234 the Medicaid Care Management Organizations Act passed out of a House Insurance Subcommittee on Thursday.
HB 1222 the Health Share Volunteers in Medicine Act.  It passed the House on Thursday and was assigned to Senate Health & Human Services Committee.  The intent of the bill is to establish a program to provide for health care services to low-income recipients through a volunteer-based provider network under special licensing for volunteer providers.

SR 388 urging Congress to enact the Prevention First Act expanding federal funding for preconception care was heard in Senate Health & Human Services. No action was taken.

HB 1358 this legislation would have broad ramifications around in vitro fertilization. It is in the House Judiciary committee.

SB 88 dealing with assistance and legal authority for grandparents raising grandchildren and HB 540 dealing with post majority child support for a custodial parent raising a child with a disability are still in House Rules.

Highlights from the Week of February 22, 2008

SB 404 passed out of Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Friday.  It permits the sale of high deductible health plans that do not cover a 48 hour hospitalization after newborn delivery, well child visits or contraceptives (among other things) and authorizes tax payer money to promote prepaid non-insurance contracts for medical services alongside more comprehensive, high value tradition coverage and PeachCare for Kids on a state run website.  In Senate Rules.

On Tuesday  SB 383, will come to the Senate floor. Both this bill and HB 1087 make insurance law changes to fast track and encourage high deductible health insurance plans, and allow consumer “rebates” or rewards for consumers participating in wellness programs only under high deductible health plans. Both bills shift responsibility for designing health benefits under this new breed of high deductible plans out of public view and inside the Department of Insurance.

Managing the Medicaid managed care organizations:  on Tuesday at 2PM a subcommittee of House Insurance Committee will hold a hearing on HB 1234 in Room 415 of the Legislative Office Building. Rep. Mickey Channell’s bill placing new requirements the CMOs comes the same week as a joint hearing where providers and interested parties gave six hours of testimony on problems with the state funded Medicaid CMOs.

GradyHospital: three bills relating specifically to Grady Memorial Hospital overwhelmingly passed the Senate on February 21. They were:

SR 722 creates a Grady Oversight Committee within the General Assembly (46-6).

SR 748urges the Grady Health System, as well as Fulton and DeKalb counties to change their employee health benefits program to encourage or require employees to utilize Grady for primary care services (51-2).
SB 353, the Public Hospital Integrity Act, seeks to eliminate conflicts of interest in the leadership of public hospitals by disqualifying  individuals with certain connections to vendors, hospital employees, hospital contractors or other financial interests from serving in a governing capacity. It passed 51-0.

Other Bills Affecting Women and Children

HB 540 requiring child-support payments in certain circumstances for a mentally or physically impaired child beyond the age of 18 who is incapable of self-support passed out of the House Judiciary Committee on February 19. The bill also provides, at the court or jury’s discretion, for either or both parents to maintain life insurance for the benefit of a mentally or physically impaired child beyond the age of 18 who is incapable of self-support. 

HR 536, the “Personhood” Amendment, sought to create a Georgia Constitutional amendment defining life as beginning at fertilization and ending at natural death. It was tabled in committee after seven hours of testimony this week. Additionally, HB 1 which sought to make it a felony to perform any type of abortion, was defeated in committee.
Keeping on: HB 1277 providing health benefits to employees of charter schools in Georgia was introduced again this week by Rep. Margaret Kaiser. WPG followed the same bill last session through adoption in both chambers. It was later vetoed by the Governor. The House voted on the first day of session to override the Governor’s veto on the original (HB 559).

Highlights from the Week of February 15, 2008

Strong grassroots support for HB 901 surfaced Wednesday as students at the Capitol for

PTA Day delivered apple-grams to legislators.

Each apple carried a message from working moms conveying their personal support for the Parent Protection Act. The bill provides 24 hours of unpaid leave for school conferences and medical appointments. A dozen high school students delivered bushels of apples to the House Industrial Relations Subcommittee members.

The Employment Security and Unemployment Insurance Subcommittee will take up the bill on Feb. 19 at 2:00pm in Room 515 of the Legislative Office Building.

HB 158 changing provisions relating to the legitimation of a child, passed the House on 2/11 by a vote of 156-0. Family economic self-sufficiency often turns on the ability of a single parent to seek child support from a non custodial parent. Under the bill provides the court may order genetic testing on its own motion. HB 158 now moves to the Senate.

Tax Reform: HR 1246 is the latest version of Speaker Richardson’s GREAT plan.  Its cornerstone is still an ad valorem tax (vehicle and property taxes) repeal replaced by sales taxes on groceries, lottery tickets, and services.  Medical, education, child care, and business to business transactions will be exempted.

SB 395 was taken up in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and received a due pass recommendation on 2/14. The bill allows the Department of Community Health to provide grants to qualified safety net clinics providing primary care for free or on a sliding scale to people with incomes below 250% of the poverty level ($26,000/year for one person). In Senate Rules. 

HB 1105 requires hospitals to offer flu and pneumococcal disease vaccinations to patients over 65 years of age before being discharged in flu season. It passed the House (151-9).

High Deductible Health Plans: SB 404 creating the Georgia Health Marketplace website has twice been placed on the Senate Health and Human Services Committee agenda and been pulled both times. WPG supports the creating of a comparison shopping website to assist health care consumers, but has serious concerns about the use of tax payer money to promote the sale of high deductible health policies and unregulated, discount prepaid packages of medical services requiring the consumer to sign a waiver of their right to receive more comprehensive coverage in exchange for a lowered premium. In Senate Health & Human Services.

During 2007-08 legislative biennium a total of 21 bills promoting high deductible plans have been introduced. Nineteen are still viable in five different committees. These bills use a variety of methods to incentivize younger, healthy consumers to purchase high deductible health plans by using state dollars to market and fast track these plans, then artificially reducing the price through preferred tax treatment. These strategies make it less likely consumers will choose comprehensive, high value coverage; they erode the group coverage pool while providing the mere illusion of covering the uninsured and distracting policy makers from more cost effective approaches. 

The bills of greatest concern are SB 404 (in Senate HHS), HB 1087 and SB 153 (both in House Insurance Committee), although any number of bills might become a vehicle for modifying Title 33. Ways & Means also has HB 976 and HB 977 under consideration.

Bills Impacting Women in Committee: HR 127 urges the US Congress to amend citizenship laws to provide that persons born in this country to alien parents become citizens at birth only if the mother is in this country legally.  Although only a resolution “urging federal action”, WPG and other groups are concerned about the impact this policy would have on newborns’ and children’s access to healthcare services.  It is in House Judiciary Committee.

Subcommittee One (Lindsey subcommittee) of the House Judiciary (Civil) Committee will meet Mon. Feb. 18th and Wed. Feb. 20th for hearings on HR 536the “personhood” constitutional amendment outlawing several of the most medically safe forms of birth control and HB 1 which criminalizing all abortions and makes performing an abortion a felony in Georgia.

Highlights from the week of February 8, 2008

Thursday the House Industrial Relations Committee heard public comment on the Parent Protection Act HB 901 (Bruce D-64^th and Kaiser D-59^th). No vote was held. Supporters filled the committee room as legislators discussed the proposal to provide 24 hours of unpaid leave for school conferences and medical appointments for the worker, their spouse, child or an elderly dependent relative.

Speakers testifying in support included a family caregiver, the Georgia PTA, Georgia Association of Educators, a Morehouse pediatrician, a pediatric nurse, the Georgia Commission Against Family Violence, the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta, Georgia DD Council, senior citizens groups, a young woman in college today thanks to strong parental support at her IEP meetings over the years, and Women’s Policy Group.

The Georgia Chamber of Commerce, National Federation of Independent Businesses, Georgia Textile Association, and Americans for Prosperity spoke against the bill on the grounds that it might put small businesses at a disadvantage or hurt the business climate by encouraging frivolous litigation. Alternately, opponents stated HB 901 is unnecessary since 96% of small businesses already offer flexible unpaid leave to their employees and the federal Family Medical Leave Act already permits employees to take unpaid leave in hourly increments as small as routine medical appointments and school conferences (NOTE: it does not).

Following testimony the bill was assigned to the Employment Security subcommittee chaired by Tom Knox (R-Cumming).

HB 1105 introduced by Rep. Donna Sheldon (R-105^th) requires hospitals to offer flu vaccination to inpatients 65 years or older during flu season unless contraindicated and contingent on availability of such vaccine.

SB 395 relating to the care and protection of indigent and elderly patients, so as to establish the safety net clinic grant program; to provide for definitions; to provide for the purpose of the grant program; to provide for eligibility; to provide for requirements; to provide for planning grants and implementation grants; to provide for data on safety net clinics; to provide for rules, regulations, and procedures.

SB 404 is potentially disastrous for women, families and low budget health consumers in general. The bill creates a new agency attached to DCH to operate a health insurance comparison shopping website for consumers. The idea is to help people sort out and compare coverage options by giving approximate nonbinding healthcare quotes from participating health insurers and others instantly. It will no doubt be touted as covering the uninsured, but with what?

The bill authorizes General Treasury dollars to promote the sale of individual high deductible health policies and unregulated, discount prepaid packages of medical services based solely upon a contractual agreement between the insurer and the consumer. That is, no mandatory coverage requirements.

Young people ages of 18-25 would be marketed individual policies offering catastrophic coverage ONLY with predatory features requiring the consumer waive their legal rights to purchase products including state mandated health benefits and regulated protections regarding premiums, issuance, or cancellation of policies in exchange for paying a lower premium. Should the state run Georgia Health Marketplace be promoting predatory health coverage products?

SR 767 creates another Senate Study Committee on Health Transformation.

Highlights from the Week of February 1, 2008

HB 540 (Smith R-168^th) authorizes courts to award post majority child support to custodial parents. Divorced parents struggling to raise adult children with disabilities testified and the bill was reported out of the Judiciary Committee favorably on Tuesday. Constitutional concerns about making parents of children with disabilities a special class have slowed the bill. Friday it was withdrawn from the House Rules Committee and recommitted to Judiciary for resolution of this issue.

SB 88 passed out of House Judiciary. Grandparents from Kinship Care Centers statewide have lobbied on this issue for several years. The bill establishes a mechanism for granting a Power of Attorney (POA) so a grandparent can enroll a child in school or extracurricular activities and seek medical/dental care for the child. Part 2 provides cash assistance at 80% of the foster parent rate to grandparents participating in an Area Council on Aging program who are under 200% of poverty. Parents who are seriously ill, dealing with a crisis, incarcerated, or away on active military duty for 24+ months may grant this POA. New language preventing athletes from subverting the system to shop school districts has also been added. The bill is now in House Rules.

A Family Doctor for Every Family

In the weeks ahead this space will be dedicated to unpacking proposed health policy solutions in play under the Gold Dome. Wednesday Gov. Perdue endorsed HB 1087 and SB 383 amid renewed claims that high deductible health policies equal affordable heath coverage for low income families.

Proponents consistently ignore the fact that people with family incomes less than $35,000 a year are rarely financially secure enough to weather an annual deductible of $1,100 – 2,200 (respectively for self-only coverage or family coverage in 2008) and annual out of pocket expenses (deductibles, copays and other mounts but not premiums) ranging from $5,600 - 11,200.

What high deductible health policies combined with sophisticated tax shelters can actually accomplish for low income families needs close examination. Tax incentives that encourage health consumers to move voluntarily into individual health policies are a short sighted attempt cover the uninsured. Ultimately these proposals erode the group health coverage pool for everyone.

Highlights from the Week of January 25, 2008

Last week's newsletter spotlighted Gov. Perdue’s recommendation that $59M in TANF block grant funding be redirected from family economic self-sufficiency programs into child welfare services and an encouraging trend toward Medicaid provider rate increases. Data shows the number of single moms with no employment income and no TANF benefits in Georgia is growing. Given that 50% of Georgia births are underwritten by Medicaid, access to care and network adequacy statewide depends on appropriate reimbursement rates. WPG continues to raise these issues with legislators.

Other budget items of interest:

Governor's '08 Supplemental Budget
Dept. of Community Health is returning $33M to the General Treasury, largely due to dropping enrollment in Medicaid and PeachCare. New bureaucratic obstacles and delays in income and citizenship verification are causing eligible people to fall off the rolls.

Governor's '09 Budget
$6.4M   in the Dept. of Early Care and Learning funds an additional 1,000 4 year old Pre-K slots in line with the expansion trend in recent years. Related legislation HB 939 (Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver 83rd) permits use of lottery funds for 3 year old Pre-K expansion slots.
$1.1M decrease in state funds for Community Care Services Program
$5.1M for 500 DD waiver slots including the Money Follows the Person grant match
$7.7M to annualize 1500 DD waiver slots with half year funding in FY08

Highlights from the Week of January 18, 2008

On the opening day the 2008 General Assembly the House voted to override Governor Perdue's vetoes on a dozen bills passed last session. This shot across the bow may turn out to be merely symbolic however two health-related bills could enjoy a second life.
HB 549 Rep. Mark Burkhalter (R-50^th) removes the prior approval requirement for children with disabilities eligible for state medical assistance covering basic therapy services. The approval process of certain health care programs had become so onerous that children with disabilities were experiencing difficulty receiving speech, occupational, and physical therapies with the recommended frequency within appropriate time periods.
HB 559 Rep. Margaret Kaiser (D-59^th) provides health insurance to charter school teachers and employees. The veto overrides are now in Senate Rules.

Incentivizing individual health policies: HB 976 virtually identical to Rep.Tom Knox's HB 242 passed in 2007 session with one minor change. Recall HB 242 was vetoed by the Governor on grounds that it could cost the state too much lost revenue and needed to be handled as part of a more comprehensive health transformation agenda. HB 976 reduces the state premium tax exemption insurers may claim to 1.25% of the premiums collected on high deductible health products sold (previously 2.25%) but still lacks a cap needed to protect state revenue adequacy. HB 977 is the exact bill vetoed last year with a Jan. 1, 2009, effective date. Both bills are in House Ways & Means Committee.

DHR's top priority this year is covering fixed agency operational costs (IT budgets, 2% increase in the employer's share of health insurance, and annualizing salary adjustments and pay increases given to staff last year) out of existing funds.

Despite documented systemic problems with the state run psychiatric hospitals only $16.4 million in new spending was recommended by Gov. Perdue.

News is better in the Dept. of Community Health budget where strong coalition advocacy is netting results in the form of rate increases for indigent care providers. DCH Highlights:

• 28.9M in rate increases for Medicaid & PeachCare providers
• 43.6M in rate increases for inpatient care at trauma hospitals
• 18.7M in rate increases for outpatient care at trauma hospitals

 To read legislative health updates from previous years, please enter here.