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Today, Georgians had their last opportunity to speak out in a public hearing on the state’s Pathways to Coverage program, Georgia’s limited Medicaid expansion. The hearing, hosted by the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) in Cordele, drew testimony from community members, health advocates, and policy experts—many of whom voiced frustration with the program’s restrictive eligibility rules, as well as its administrative and accessibility burdens.

According to the Kemp administration, Pathways was designed to provide health coverage to tens of thousands of uninsured Georgians, but it has fallen far short of expectations. While the state originally projected between 30,000 – 100,000 enrollees in the program’s first year, only about 6,500 people have successfully signed up. The program’s work and activity requirements—including mandates for employment, student status, or volunteer work—have proven to be significant barriers to Georgians enrolling in the program and gaining health insurance.

Sixty percent (60%) of uninsured, low-income Georgians live in a working household, and yet the vast majority have not been able to successfully enroll in health insurance through Pathways. The program covers only some full-time caregivers, and does not include flexibilities for people with serious medical conditions (like those who need cancer treatment and cannot work as a result),  and workers with inconsistent schedules.

Laura Colbert, Executive Director of Georgians for a Healthy Future, released the following statement after the hearing:

“Every Georgian–regardless of how little money may be in their bank account–deserves access to health care. Yet Pathways’ restrictive rules have blocked thousands of Georgians from getting the coverage they need. We’ve heard from parents and caregivers who can’t qualify, workers with inconsistent hours who are left out, and people with serious health conditions who still don’t meet the state’s rigid criteria. The message from today’s public hearing was clear: Pathways isn’t working, and Georgia must do better. Instead of maintaining an inefficient and costly program, state leaders should take the most effective path forward—fully expanding Medicaid to cover hard-working uninsured Georgians.”

While today was the last opportunity for in-person and virtual public testimony, Georgians still have until March 19 to submit written comments on the future of the Pathways program. Advocacy groups continue to push for a broader solution, urging state officials to remove restrictive eligibility requirements and fully expand Medicaid to close Georgia’s coverage gap.