ATLANTA (September 25, 2013) – Senator Renee Unterman (R- Buford) attended the second meeting of the Joint Study Committee on Medicaid Reform on Monday, September 23 at Wiregrass Technical College in Valdosta. Directly following the meeting, interested committee members were invited to participate in a tour of the Valdosta State University Science Center as well as the South Georgia Medical Center.
“Georgia Medicaid funding and the long-term implementation of this program face considerable challenges, especially as Georgia rolls-out key provisions of the new health care law,” said Senator Unterman. “As health care costs continue to rise, we must make every effort to ensure adequate funding for Georgia Medicaid while also improving the program’s overall efficiency.”
The study committee on Medicaid Reform covered a variety of topics, including:
- Training the health care workforce to meet Georgia’s needs
- Telemedicine
- Provider network access, Medicaid FFS & CMO quality measures and rural health
- Medicaid best practices
- Georgia Medicaid Program input and feedback
The Joint Study Committee on Medicaid Reform was created by the passage of House Resolution 107 during the 2013 legislative session. As stated in the resolution, the committee will also include eighteen total members: five other members of the Senate as appointed by the Lieutenant Governor and six members from the House of Representatives as appointed by the Speaker of the House. The Governor will also appoint six representatives; one member of the Department of Community Health, one member representing hospitals, one member representing insurance providers, one member representing nursing homes, one physician and one consumer member.
The committee will specifically study current policies and procedures of Medicaid and determine whether current programs are being implemented in the most efficient and effective manner. Over the next several months, this study committee will discuss appropriate plans for Medicaid reform in Georgia and report its findings on or before December 31, 2013.
RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
September 25, 2013
For Information Contact:
Jennifer Yarber, Director
Shawna Mercer, Sr. Communications Specialist
Shawna.Mercer@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028