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

workforcewebimage-696x465 Blog

Efforts Advance to Put More Health Care Providers in Reach of Georgians

We want all people to be in good health and have access to the health care services they ...
4-1-696x464 Health Justice

GBPI Continues to Weigh In on Patients First Act

Access to Quality Health Care Hearing for SB 106 – ‘Patients First Act’ Though our Georgia legislators are confident ...
bluetone2-teensgrouptherapy-696x522 Budget and Taxes

Overview: 2020 Fiscal Year Budget for Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities

The governor’s budget proposal for the 2020 fiscal year adds $78.7 million more in state general funds for ...
Healthcare-overview-696x464 Budget and Taxes

Overview: 2020 Fiscal Year Budget for Department of Community Health

Governor Brian Kemp proposed a 2020 budget of $2.96 billion in state general funds for the Department of ...
hospital-beds Fact Sheets

Medicaid Waiver Principles for Georgia’s Health Crisis

The Medicaid program is a state-federal partnership in which states contribute and receive federal matching dollars to provide ...
cigarettes-78001_1920 Budget and Taxes

Increase the State Tobacco Tax for a Healthier Georgia

Georgia could raise more than $400 million a year to make critical investments for the health and well-being ...
Stewart-Webster-Hospital-696x438 Blog

Expanding Rural Hospital Tax Credit Won’t Cure Georgia’s Health Ailments

Georgia lawmakers may consider boosting the state’s annual tax credit for rural hospitals from $60 million to $100 ...
Dr.-Giridhar-Mallya-Presentation-696x464 Budget and Taxes

Tax Credits to Improve Health: Briefing Recap

Public health and taxes. While it may seem like an unlikely pairing, GBPI brought the two topics together ...
Baby-getting-checkup Budget and Taxes

State Earned Income Tax Credits — a Proven Tool to Improve Health

People living in communities suffering from poverty are more likely to be saddled with poorer health.[1] The richest ...
Health-care-Primer-2019 Budget Primer

Georgia Health Budget Primer for State Fiscal Year 2019

Georgia Health Care Budget Overview Health care services are primarily delivered through three state agencies, the departments of ...
Healthy-kid-eating-apple-696x497 Fact Sheets

Food Assistance Helps Promote a Healthy Georgia

About 1.7 million Georgians receive help to put meals on the table through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, ...
NW-Hospital-updated-696x464 Blog

Rome Listening Tour Provides Earful on Community Mental Health Problems

Talk to people around Rome, Ga. for a while and the conversation often shifts to the lingering stresses ...

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