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
Support Healthy Communities in Georgia with a Temporary Eviction Ban
An extensive body of research shows that poor housing conditions and housing instability are associated with worse health …
Georgia Seeks New Medicaid Changes in Response to COVID-19
On March 28, 2020, the Georgia Department of Community Health submitted four plans to the federal government …
Fighting COVID-19 in Georgia With Medicaid and New Funding
The first cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Georgia were reported on March 3, 2020, and the number …
Extend Postpartum Medicaid Coverage to Improve Maternal Health in Georgia
Georgia lawmakers are considering a measure to allow mothers who receive Medicaid to keep their coverage for six …
Overview: Georgia’s 2021 Fiscal Year Budget for Georgia Department of Public Health
Gov. Brian Kemp proposed a 2021 budget of $263.5 million in state general funds for the Department of …
Overview: 2021 Fiscal Year Budget for Georgia’s Department of Community Health
Gov. Brian Kemp proposed a 2021 budget of $3.15 billion in state general funds for the Department of …
Overview: Georgia’s 2021 Fiscal Year Budget for Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities
Gov. Kemp’s budget proposal for the 2021 fiscal year cuts state general funds for the Department of Behavioral …
State Health Care Proposals Fall Short and Undermine Comprehensive Health Plans
On November 4, 2019, Gov. Brian Kemp and the Georgia Department of Community Health released two new health …
Five-Year Waiting Period Is a Barrier to Immigrant Health Care Access
Before 2017, the national uninsured rate for children declined for nearly 10 years; however, the share of uninsured …
Opportunities for Georgia to Best Leverage Medicaid Waivers
Federal health care waivers allow states to “waive” or be exempt from certain federal health program requirements. States …
Leverage 1332 Waivers to Make Health Insurance More Affordable and Accessible
Federal health care waivers allow states to “waive” or be exempt from certain federal health program requirements. States …
Georgia Health Care Budget Primer for State Fiscal Year 2020
You can download and share all the images and charts in the Health Care Primer by clicking here. …
