Budget Primer Health Justice Reports Timothy Sweeney Georgia Health Budget Primer for State Fiscal Year 2017 July 20, 2016 / March 23, 2021 by Timothy Sweeney Georgia Health Care Budget Overview Health care services are primarily delivered through three state agencies, the departments of Community Health, Public Health and Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. State funding for these three agencies totals nearly $4.5 billion in 2017, which is about 20 percent of total state spending. General fund appropriations account for $3.9 […] Read more » Budget Primer FY2017 health medicaid
Health Justice Reports Timothy Sweeney Prescribing Remedies for Georgia’s Medical Provider Shortage June 16, 2016 / February 26, 2021 by Timothy Sweeney Local access to health professionals varies widely across Georgia, from relative availability in populous Fulton County to the daunting challenge found in many rural communities. State trends mask the nuanced differences among Georgia’s regions. Evidence indicates nearly two-thirds of Georgia’s counties fall below the statewide average number for each professional category of nurses, physician assistants, […] Read more » medicaid Medicaid Expansion Rural hospitals
Blog Budget and Taxes Featured Timothy Sweeney More Needed for Schools, Health Care After $23.7B Budget Kicks in July 1 May 10, 2016 / January 16, 2020 by Timothy Sweeney Gov. Nathan Deal just signed the state’s budget for the 2017 fiscal year that kicks in this July and once again we heard that the $23.7 billion spending plan represents a “record budget.” While the recently signed budget promises to move the state forward in many ways, it is important to remember that Georgia is […] Read more » FY2017 State Budget
Blog Budget and Taxes Featured Health Justice Timothy Sweeney Georgia Misses Big Opportunity to Help Struggling Rural Hospitals April 22, 2016 / January 16, 2020 by Timothy Sweeney First published in the SW Georgia Health Beat on page 23. The good news is Georgia lawmakers understand something must be done to help the state’s struggling rural hospitals. Calhoun Memorial Hospital closed in Arlington in recent years, as did Flint River Hospital in Macon County and too many others serving Georgia’s rural communities. The not […] Read more » medicaid Rural hospitals State Taxes Tim Sweeney
Blog Budget and Taxes Health Justice Timothy Sweeney Lawmakers Miss on Health Care, Education, but Leave Flawed Tax Plan Behind April 1, 2016 / January 15, 2020 by Timothy Sweeney | 1 Comment on Lawmakers Miss on Health Care, Education, but Leave Flawed Tax Plan Behind Soon after the traditional paper storm settled on the 2016 legislative session Gov. Nathan Deal’s swift veto of the so-called religious liberty bill grabbed the headlines. It’s understandable if you lost track of the fate of other important legislation at the end of the whirlwind 2016 session. While social issues seemed to dominate this year’s […] Read more » Budget & Taxes Income Tax Sine Die State Taxes
Blog Budget and Taxes Policy Areas Senate Adds $10 M Startup Fund, Boosts Nurse Pay in Revised Budget Today March 10, 2016 / January 15, 2020 by Timothy Sweeney The Georgia Senate passed the latest version of the state’s $23.7 billion budget for the fiscal year that starts in July, with the biggest addition a $10 million injection into the Invest Georgia economic development program. For the most part, senators only tinkered with the spending plan passed by the House of Representatives in February, […] Read more » State Budget
Author Health Justice Library Policy Areas Reports Timothy Sweeney Tax Credit for Contributions to Rural Hospitals: Updated Bill Analysis March 10, 2016 / January 15, 2020 by Timothy Sweeney The Georgia House of Representatives has passed a $100 million tax credit program for individual and corporate donations to hospitals in rural or nearly-rural Georgia communities. House Bill 919 is designed to create private investment incentives for rural hospitals to help shore up their finances. The flawed legislation contains very few reporting requirements or guidelines […] Read more » Medicaid Expansion Rural hospitals
Author Health Justice Timothy Sweeney Tax Credit for Contributions to Rural Hospitals February 24, 2016 / January 17, 2020 by Timothy Sweeney Bill analysis updated on Mar. 10, 2016. Please see updated draft. Georgia lawmakers are considering a $250 million tax credit program for individual and corporate donations to hospitals in rural or nearly-rural Georgia communities. House Bill 919 is designed to create private investment incentives for rural hospitals to help shore up their finances. The flawed […] Read more » Bill Analysis
Author Blog Budget and Taxes Policy Areas Timothy Sweeney School Workers, State Retirees Make Gains in 2017 House Budget Passed Today February 19, 2016 / January 17, 2020 by Timothy Sweeney | 2 Comments on School Workers, State Retirees Make Gains in 2017 House Budget Passed Today The Georgia House of Representatives today proposed increased benefits for state retirees and expanding raises to public school support workers as it put its own touches on the governor’s proposed $23.7 billion budget for 2017. State senators get a chance as soon as next week to insert their chamber’s priorities, as Georgia’s 2017 budget makes […] Read more » FY2017 State Budget Tim Sweeney
Blog Health Justice Timothy Sweeney New State Health Budget Traps 300K Georgians in Coverage Gap February 2, 2016 / January 15, 2020 by Timothy Sweeney The proposed 2017 budget for the Department of Community Health directs $2.5 billion from the state general fund to operate Georgia’s Medicaid and PeachCare programs, which are expected to cover more than 2 million Georgians next year. The budget adds money to pay for new enrollees and higher health care costs in 2017 but the […] Read more » Depart of Community Health health Health Policy Tim Sweeney
