Senior Policy Analyst, Health Care

Laura Harker

Laura Harker is a senior policy analyst at GBPI where she is responsible for researching and reporting on Georgia’s health policies and related spending.

Prior to joining GBPI in 2016, Laura conducted public health research, policy analysis, and advocacy on food insecurity and poverty issues as a fellow with the Congressional Hunger Center in Washington, D.C. She produced policy briefs and reports to provide evidence-based recommendations for state and national lawmakers. She worked with the Office of the Associate Director for Policy at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a graduate student to conduct policy assessments and impact analysis in support of the National Prevention Strategy.

Laura graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and holds a master’s degree in public health policy from Emory University.

Recent Posts by Laura

baby Cover GA

Medicaid is Now an Even Better Deal for Georgia

    Georgia’s pending Medicaid waiver plan partially expands Medicaid coverage to adults with incomes below the poverty ...
healthblog Blog

Expand Medicaid Fully; Reject Risky and Expensive State Plan

Key Takeaways: The federal Medicaid agency is starting the process of revoking the work requirement on Georgia’s Medicaid ...
web-dbhadd Budget and Taxes

Overview: 2022 Fiscal Year Budget for Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities

    Gov. Brian Kemp’s fiscal year (FY) 2022 budget proposal increases funding for the Department of Behavioral ...
vaccine Budget and Taxes

Overview: 2022 Fiscal Year Budget for the Department of Public Health

    Gov. Brian Kemp proposed a 2022 budget of $269.8 million in state general funds for the ...
doctor Budget and Taxes

Overview: 2022 Fiscal Year Budget for the Department of Community Health

    Gov. Brian Kemp proposed a 2022 budget of $3.48 billion in state general funds for the ...
ECE cover Fact Sheets

Fact Sheet: Supporting Early Childhood Education Programs for Health and Well-Being of Georgia Children and Families

    Early care and education (ECE) centers play an integral role in the health and well-being for ...
Header Health Justice

Support Early Childhood Education Programs for Health and Well-Being of Georgia Families

This report was written in partnership with Jyll Walsh, GBPI doctoral intern. Early care and education (ECE) centers ...
Health cover 2021 Budget Primer

Georgia Health Care Budget Primer for State Fiscal Year 2021

Georgia’s 2021 Health Care Budget Three state agencies are primarily responsible for health care services in Georgia: the ...
health access Bill Analysis

GBPI Submits Public Comment on New 1332 Waiver Application

July 23, 2020 Ryan Loke c/o The Office of the Governor 206 Washington Street Suite 115, State Capitol ...
doctor and baby Coronavirus

Make Public Health a Priority in Georgia During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond

The state of Georgia plans to spend about $4 billion in state funds on health care programs in ...
web-healthyhousing (1) Coronavirus

Georgia’s COVID-19 Public Health Response Must Include Support for Stable, Quality Housing

The COVID-19 pandemic is making it even more clear how interconnected health is with other areas of life ...
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Fast Facts on Medicaid Expansion

Key Takeaways The COVID-19 pandemic is disproportionately affecting Black Georgians, who are more likely to contract and pass ...

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