The Advocacy Update below is provided to members of the Georgia Association of Orthopaedic Executives (GAOE) through our partnership with Capitol Strategy Group in Atlanta, and c ourtesy of Travis Lindley at Capitol Strategy Group.
Lawmakers were out of session this week for budget and appropriations hearings. The Georgia General Assembly is set to reconvene for Legislative Day 5 on Monday, January 28, 2019.  
The state budget was the legislators focal point just one week after the start of the session.
 
Highlights of Governor Kemp's AFY 2019 and 2020 Budget 
 
Amended Budget for FY 2019 included the following:
  • $54 million for the state’s Indigent Care Trust Fund and Medicaid program. 
  • $8.4 million to provide mental health services in high schools in the state through the Georgia Apex Program (GAP)
 
Fiscal Year 2020 Budget includes the following: 
  • $3.2 million to add long-term acute care hospitals (LTACs) and intermediate rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) as Medicaid providers 
  • $2.8 million for the Georgia Board for Physician Workforce, including $2.3 million for additional GME slots and $500,000 for the rural loan repayment program
  • $5.9 million for gene therapy drug coverage 
Access to Quality Healthcare Study Committee
Committee Members
Rep. Sharon Cooper - Vice Chair
Rep. Mark Newton
Rep. Patty Bentley
Rep. Randy Nix
Rep. John Corbett
Rep. Butch Parrish
Rep. Spencer Frye
Rep. Clay Pirkle
Rep. Matt Hatchett
Rep. Brian Prince
Rep. Penny Houston
Rep. Ed Rynders
Rep. Todd Jones
Rep. Calvin Smyre
 
As we understand it, the main focus of the Access to Quality Healthcare Study Committee will be Certificate of Need Reform (CON) with a secondary focus on Medicaid waivers. Some scope of practice and insurance reform issues could go there but seemingly unlikely at the moment. CON will be the top issue, combined with a look at rural healthcare. 
Key House Committee Committee Assignments
House committee announcements were announced over the MLK weekend.
Below are the key house committee assignments. 
House Health & Human Services
Committee Members
Cooper, Sharon  - Chairman
Newton, Mark  - Vice Chairman
Rynders, Ed  - Secretary
Barr, Timothy                
Bennett, Karen              
 
House Regulated Industries
Committee Members
Powell, Alan  - Chairman
Jones, Jeff  - Vice Chairman
Hawkins, Lee  - Secretary
   
House Insurance Committee Members
Smith, Richard H . - Chairman
Tarvin, Steve  - Vice Chairman
Carson, John  - Secretary
 
House Judiciary
Committee Members
Fleming, Barry  - Chairman
Jones, Todd  - Vice Chairman
Kelley, Trey  - Secretary
Action in the Coming Weeks
 
As expected, the session will get off to a slow start as we move towards the end of the month. The legislative calendar  SR 14  is as follows through legislative day 11:

Monday, January 28th (Day 5)
Tuesday, January 29 (Day 6)
Wednesday, January 30 (Day 7)
Tuesday, February 5th (Day 8)
Wednesday, February 6th (Day 9)
Thursday, February 7th (Day 10)
Friday, February 8th (Day 11)
 
Due to Super Bowl LIII and the high volume of traffic in Atlanta, the Capitol will remain closed beginning January 31st through February 4th.
Watch the General Assembly LIVE! Each day that the General Assembly is in session, you can watch the proceedings live via the internet at: http://www.legis.state.ga.us/. Click the Live Broadcast option. You can also watch the Prime Time Lawmakers daily broadcast on Georgia Public Broadcasting each evening the General Assembly is in session. 

If you have personal relationships with any state elected officials, please help us by making us aware of these crucial relationships.
 
More Information - Call Travis Lindley & Devin Krecl, our lobbyists, at 770.435.5586 or Travis’ Cell 404.886.5058 or Devin’s Cell 770.655.9545.


THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY SCHEDULES
TO HELP PROTECT OUR INTERESTS AND OUR PATIENTS!


Travis P. Lindley | Capitol Strategy Group, Inc
2700 Cumberland Parkway, Suite 150, Atlanta, Georgia 30339
Office: (770) 435-5586 | Cell: (404) 886-5058