Stay ahead of the curve as a political insider with deep policy analysis, daily briefings and policy-shaping tools.
Request a DemoMedicaid described in 150 words or less
Editor’s note: There’s a lot going on in the news. State Affairs wants to help you understand and keep up with the various terms, policies and programs affecting your state government. This is the first in an occasional series that will take one issue or term and explain it to you, our readers, in 150 words or less.
What is Medicaid?
In the simplest of terms: A joint federal-state program for low-income health insurance signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in July 1965. Georgia’s Medicaid was adopted two years later.
It is the nation’s largest source of health care coverage, enrolling over 74 million people. Eligibility varies by state but generally includes low-income children, pregnant women, people with disabilities and the elderly. Coverage includes doctor visits, hospital stays, prescription drugs and long-term care. People apply for coverage through the state.
Why it’s in the news: Many Americans were able to stay on Medicaid during the pandemic. In April of this year, however, states began purging people no longer eligible for the coverage. “Unwinding,” as it is called, is expected to last through late-summer 2024. Millions are expected to be removed from the rolls. So far, over 170,000 Georgians no longer get Medicaid since unwinding began.
Header image: Stay Informed. Stay Covered. The Georgia Department of Human Services’ campaign to raise awareness of the Medicaid unwinding process.
Know the most important news affecting Georgia
Get our free weekly newsletter that covers government, policy and politics that impact your everyday life—in 5 minutes or less.
Professionals still face licensing delays amid state’s transition to online system
The Gist Georgia’s professionals and business owners are still struggling to obtain professional licenses in a timely manner. As the Secretary of State’s Office rolls out its new Georgia Online Application Licensing System to expedite the process, the efficiency of this new process is being put to the test. What’s Happening Thursday morning at the …
Controversy over AP African American Studies class grows
Rashad Brown has been teaching Advanced Placement African American Studies at Atlanta’s Maynard Jackson High School for three years. He’ll continue to do so — even though the state’s top education official removed it from the list of state-funded course offerings for the upcoming school year. While Brown prepares to start teaching his class on …
Students, teachers, lawmakers blast decision to end AP African American history classes
ATLANTA — A coalition of lawmakers, civil rights leaders, clergy, educators and students Wednesday called on the state’s education czar to rescind his decision to drop an advanced placement African American studies class from the state’s curriculum for the upcoming school year. “This decision is the latest attack in a long-running GOP assault on Georgia’s …
Kamala Harris’ presidential bid reinvigorates Georgia Democrats
Georgia Democrats have gained new momentum heading into the November election, propelled by President Joe Biden’s decision to bow out of his reelection bid and hand the reins to Vice President Kamala Harris. The historic decision, announced Sunday, is expected to prove pivotal in the national and state political arenas and breathe new life and …