Georgia’s health insurance program for the poor gets one year extension

ATLANTA — Georgia's unique approach to Medicaid was set to expire this month, but the state just got a one-year extension from the federal government.

The Pathways to Coverage program, which requires recipients to prove that they work, volunteer or take classes 80 hours a month, will now run through 2026, with modifications intended to increase the number of people who are covered.

As of May, 23 months into the program, there were 7,463 enrolled, well short of the state's initial projections of 47,000, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services observed in its extension notice to the Georgia Department of Community Health Tuesday.

To "streamline" compliance and expand coverage, Gov. Brian Kemp's administration asked for and received permission to amend the program. Rather than requiring recipients to report monthly about their work and other qualifying activities, they will report annually.

And two new qualifying categories were added: parents of children under age 6 do not have to work or engage in other activities if the child is enrolled in Medicaid; and childless, able-bodied adults can meet the requirements by complying with other programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Kemp's office said the extension "further validates" Georgia's approach to Medicaid, which will soon be a requirement in every state under new federal law.

A recent report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office found that Georgia spent two-thirds of implementation costs on administration rather than on medical assistance, with more than half of the $80 million going to contractors.

Kemp blamed the administration of then-President Joe Biden for driving up costs by obstructing implementation. Kemp praised President Donald Trump.

"Unlike the previous administration which chose to sue, obstruct, and delay, President Trump and his team have worked alongside us to improve Georgia Pathways and ultimately deliver a better program to Georgians who need it most," Kemp said in a statement Thursday. "We look forward to continuing that partnership in the months ahead."

This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Association Educational Foundation.