Georgia
Some parents could be able to join Georgia's Medicaid program without working
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced Wednesday he wants to let low-income parents with young kids enroll without working in a Medicaid program that provides coverage for some able-bodied adults.
Kemp’s announcement came as President-elect Donald Trump returns to office and more state and federal officials consider Medicaid work requirements.
Georgia is the only state that requires some people to work, study or volunteer to enroll in Medicaid, under the program Georgia Pathways. If the incoming Trump administration approves Kemp’s plan, parents and guardians of kids up to age 6 in households at or below 100% of the federal poverty level could receive Medicaid without meeting those requirements.
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“In a growing state that needs more Georgians in the workforce than ever before, providing health insurance to a family or individual with young children may be the last piece they need to restart a career and be on the path for a brighter future,” Kemp said.
Most states cover adults with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level with primarily federal funds. Kemp has championed Georgia Pathways as an alternative to expanding Medicaid for low-income adults. Enrollees have to complete 80 hours of work, volunteer activity, schooling or vocational rehabilitation a month to receive coverage. Kemp says the goal is to ease them into a job that provides private insurance.
Georgia Pathways had a rough start. After its first year, the program had around 4,300 members, a sliver of those who are eligible. Health policy experts have called the program a “failure,” saying the requirements are too burdensome a large number of struggling people.
Opponents also say the program has wasted money. Nonprofit health policy research organization KFF reports the program has costed more than $40 million in state and federal tax dollars that have been spent mostly on administrative costs rather than medical care. Others complain about sign-up complications and the program’s slow processing times.
In a written statement, state Senate Democrats called the new plan “damage control” for the Georgia Pathways program.
“There are over half a million Georgians who need health insurance, and the governor’s proposal falls well short of that, and we’re leaving federal dollars on the table that would help close the coverage gap in Georgia,” said Democratic state Sen. Jason Esteves, of Atlanta. “Because of the governor’s plan, we will continue to struggle to strengthen our healthcare system.”
Kemp has regularly doubled down on his commitment to Georgia Pathways.
“The old system is not working,” Kemp said Wednesday. “And the other side, their only answer to any of this is they want government-run healthcare. And I am not in that boat.”
The Trump administration approved Medicaid work requirement plans in 13 states, but the Biden administration revoked these waivers in 2021. Georgia Pathways survived after a legal fight.
Kemp will have to get approval for his plans from the Trump administration, as the program is set to expire in September. Talks are already underway, Kemp said, calling the incoming administration a “federal partner that wants to innovate efficiently.”
He said the Biden administration has meanwhile “unfortunately been more interested in finding ways to stop or undermine our efforts rather than working with us.”
Kemp spokesperson Garrison Douglas said the governor’s new plan would cost an additional $207,000. In an effort to boost enrollment, the state recently invested $10.7 million to raise awareness about Georgia Pathways.
Democratic senators, including Georgia Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, recently called for a federal investigation into Georgia Pathways.
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Kramon is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Kramon on X: @charlottekramon.
An internet-famous bagel chain that’s all about sharing and considers itself “not famous, but known,” is popping up on the Atlanta Beltline.
It’s called PopUp Bagels, and its business model is designed for offices, friend groups, and anyone who believes food is better when it’s shared.
The PopUp Bagels team, based in New York City, made its way to The A to launch Georgia’s first-ever store.
They gave CBS News Atlanta Mornings a preview of the store the day before their Friday grand opening.
“We sell community,” said founder Adam Goldberg, “Let’s grab a bag of bagels, stuff them on the table, and rip in. Maybe I’ll have a little of your schmear. You’ll have a little of my schmear, and we’ll all just schmear together.”
The schmear is part of their signature selling point. It’s a bowl of cream cheese, original or flavored, that comes with your order of three, six, or 12 bagels.
The point is to rip the bagels, reveal their hot, fluffy interior, and dip them into the schmear.
There are two flavored schmears sold on a weekly rotating menu in addition to the three standard flavors of plain, salted butter, and scallion. The Atlanta store opens with a peach-flavored schmear, an exclusive temporary third option.
“It’s definitely like a social experiment,” said Janvi Patel, owner of the Atlanta shop, “It’s like so nice to just like grab like six people, get a dozen bagels, and try shmears. It’s just it’s exciting.”
PopUp managers say more stores are coming to the area, with the next set to open in Buckhead, then another in Dunwoody.
The Beltline store is open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and stays open until 4 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Match 4 – Georgia vs. No. 20 Duke
Friday, Feb. 6, 2026
5:30 p.m.
Lindsey Hopkins Indoor Facility
Livestreaming and scoring: https://gado.gs/91i
Instagram: @UGATennis | X: @UGATennis | Facebook: UGAMensTennis
BULLDOG BULLETIN
Fresh From the Start: Since 2000, Georgia is 24-3 in season openers. The Bulldogs defeated Georgia Tech in the 2026 season opener to extend the all-time series to 75-18, including a 15-match winning streak dating back to 2011.
Bulldogs in the rankings: One doubles pair and five singles are in the rankings this week (Feb. 4):
SINGLES
WIll Jansen- No. 28
Arda Azkara– No. 39
Santiago Giamichelle– No. 63
Noah Johnston– No. 83
Gabriele Vulpitta– No. 109
DOUBLES
Derrick Chen/Santiago Giamichelle– No. 53
Last Time Out: The Bulldogs finished second in the Fort Worth bracket of the ITA Kickoff. The Bulldogs first beat Boise State, 5-0 and after two days of snow delays, fell to TCU, 4-1.
All Time History vs Duke: The Bulldogs hold a 9-2 record against the Blue Devils. The teams last faced off since the 2011 NCAA Tournament in Stanford, California with the Bulldogs winning, 4-1.
North Carolina man convicted of sending threatening communications to a Macon rabbi, Georgia state Rep. Esther Panitch.
Georgia state Rep. Esther Panitch (left) and Macon Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar speak outside a federal courtroom Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, after a man was sentenced to five years for mailing them threatening communications in the form of antisemitic postcards. (Joe Kovac Jr./AJC)
Editor’s note: This story contains disturbing language.
MACON — The rabbi knitted. While a sentencing hearing for the man convicted of mailing her threatening communications in the form of an antisemitic postcard two years ago played out in a federal courtroom Wednesday, Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar sat with sage-green yarn in her lap.
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lariv owt eht selbat laicos detaes fo .aidem ,elihwnaem gnitekram ,nam ni sih evitceffe dednefed detcivnoc ,yawa sa ega snoitca ehT
SWEJ“ ohw taht deviecer ,daer dractsop sdael ni ni emoh reh nettirwdnah nwotnwod a elpmeT ”.STAR ,nocaM learsI yraurbeF hteB ,rahaB tA ERA ,4202
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.nemow ohw owt neht eht eht eht detegrat ecnis nees dias enilno fo swen nam deliam ,ti ni evah dah stnempoleved dna dna stnuocca ,somaR srotucesorP htroN aigroeG .E ozalloC aniloraC leirA
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mohw saw lairt ot gninetaerht taht reffits depeets gnicnetnes fo izaN-oen gniliam dedulcni ni ni etah ytliug .senilediug dnuof rof ,msimertxe tnemecnahne debircsed emirc noitcivnoc snoitacinummoc seitirohtua ta sa dewolla a a ’somaR ,somaR rebmevoN .rahaB
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— — hcihw meht eht naht .elpmet emos os staes elpoep skoolrevo rehto ro fo elim ynam ssel ni flah morf morf dellif snoitanimoned ,moortruoc stnagergnoc dna a s’llewdaerT .T teertS ytneveS yrrebluM craM egduJ s’rahaB s’rahaB
Hundreds of people gather at Temple Beth Israel for a counter-protest in June 2023 after an antisemitic hate group gathered outside. Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar leads the temple in downtown Macon. (Courtesy of Jason Vorhees)
mohw ohw erew eht eht ,elbat .edis edis tas sevitaler s’noitucesorp fo dellik ni dah yb htob dna ,hctinaP raeN ,tsuacoloH rahaB
dluow nemow ,lairt koot yeht eht deifitset .stnemetats no ekam reywal dah .roolf ,tsrif gnirud dna yadsendeW ehT ’somaR ’somaR rebmevoN tuB
,t’nsaw“ ylluflliw ohw saw driht eht eht eht ,dias dias sdractsop .yolp fo ,dnim gnitekram deliam ,ycneinel reywal ”.wal ni ni sih dah rof ,esac gnikaerb sa gniugra a ,rehtaR ’somaR somaR somaR nanweN .rJ nI worbeD worbeD yrraB yenrottA
a“ ”lliW“ erew esoht ekops dias fo txen ”.drawoc dna snoitca mailliW .S.U ’somaR .R seyeK yenrottA
staerht“ t’now ”.detarelot ot eht taht dnes egassem egduj ni dertah eb desab deksa a seyeK
… eH“ .krow hcihw ot denetaerht siht ”.sgniht eseht eseht neht eht .taht ,hceeps ecnetnes yas detcejer nosaer detcetorp elpoep .seitironim sredael yruj s’ti si edih s’eh eh eh setah retaerg rof nrae t’ndid did ylraelc dniheb esuaceb esuaceb detpmetta dna dna dna a a uoY ehT ehT diaS .izaN :seyeK hsiweJ hsiweJ s’tI tsriF tnemdnemA
”derettahs“ saW“ saW“ .derednow rehtehw gnihctaw yltneloiv ,edart dlot eht ”?teerts ehs esnes ytiruces gniviecer dractsop .tuo fo fo ym thgim tfel retal hsal woh ”?emoh reh reh eh eh lufraef esnefed yb yenrotta dna ssorca a ’somaR somaR ,hctinaP
a“ ti dellac detaluclac ”.tca ehS
… sihT“ t’nsaw detnaw ot eht eht ezirorret ,hceeps ”,ecnelis .dias flesym yruj otni eerf .dnuof eritne ytinummoc sa dna dna ibbaR hctinaP hsiweJ eH rahaB
si“ morF“ saw ”.noitaloiv gninetaerht gninetaerht taerht taht ehs ,dias dias ,ibbar ylno fo ton ”,rettam ,level dnik ,reh reh reh rof tnereffid peed noitagergnoc ygrelc .ytic tub dekcatta ta yna dna osla demia a a a ’somaR rahaB
tahw denraw dlot ot ot yeht meht eht taht .suoicipsus deppots gnihtemos laicos ecnis ehs ehs ees dias gnitsop serutcip no fo .aidem fi flesreh reh sah sah tnorf segaruocne .rood god od nerdlihc thguob krab ta dna a ehS ehS ehS
,etarebiled“ yatS‘ uoy lliw saw saw saw saw saw ot ot eht .ezirorret detegrat dnes dias .modnar ,teiuq dractsop ro ton ,egassem tnaem tnaem ti ti elbisivni ecaf ”’.secneuqesnoc eb citimesitna dna a ’somaR tI tI rahaB
eht eht delbmar spahrep eno no fo tsom .setunim edisni ni rof reve yllanoitome dehcated dereviled ,suollac dna snoitucolla mailliW .S.U somaR ,txeN laredeF ,esuohtruoC gnidliuB eltooB sutsuguA 51
… did“ nemow tahw erew erew saw owt ot siht yeht rieht eht eht eht tnes dias tpiecer ,sdractsop no fo fo ”.swen lairetam gnitekram gnitekram dednetni sih yltcaxe .od esuaceb dna dna esehT gnikaepS somaR hctinaP rahaB
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… ssip“ dluow dluow ot meht meht eht eht taht enoemos tluser eviecer sdractsop ffo egassem evah derugif ”.esle etacinummoc dna dna dna hctinaP eH rahaB
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sihT“ tnaw ot hguoht yeht .meht ,meht ,dias ekam ti t’nsi si neve ”.ssenisub tuoba tuoba sihT eH
nwolb“ a“ ohw tahw saw s’taht kees dias noitroporp elpoep tuo ”.no fo etamitigel tsuj sih tog rof tnuocsid gnitnuoc ”edoc seldnac yb .noitnetta somaR I dnA
I“ uoy ,nettirw maerts ”.hceeps yas daer tup laitnetop ro fo snoitavresbo rettel ,ti d’eh eh eh sseug secnaveirg morf moortruoc dluoc sa etalleppa dna duola a a a nehT
gnorts“ I“ t’ndluow eciov ot eht eht eht ,dias ”.thgir desraeher ,rotucesorp ”noitcejorp desiarp gnitniop no fo rorrim tsuj ni sruoh sih sih eh teg tnorf rof rof regnif teef tbuod tnedifnoc ecnuob dna dna dna a ,seyeK eH
koobtxet“ ”gnirettuts“ yletelpmoc“ dluow erew retaw ”,ssenderaperpnu ot ”.tsriht taht enoemos namselas dias nwo fo fo fo reywal elbapacni fi sih sih eh ssalg gnivig rof gniyd delttileb eb yawa yenrotta dna dna a a eH
ylluferac“ uoy dluow htiw daerpsediw tahw lairt ot emit thguoht eht dewohs ,gnicnetnes demehcs ”.ksir .ksir laminim laminim denoitnem mumixam ti tcilfni woh ,mrah ,mrah rof ecnedive emac eb ta dna desserdda nehW llewdaerT somaR somaR rO egduJ
s’taht“ a“ ”.uoy ”dlrow eht retsinis emahs dias tcudorp fo izaN-oen sdnim ni rof live dessessa sa dna dna a llewdaerT somaR
ot eht eht .mret decnetnes nosirp mumixam egduj raey-evif nehT somaR
llot ot .meht eht eht eht nekat ekops sretroper no sah ,moortruoc esac dna tuoba hctinaP edistuO rahaB
on“ koot dewohs ytilibisnopser dekramer no fo on level woh ”.yhtapme dna osla somaR hctinaP
gnihtemos“ s’erehT“ gnorw htiw siht ,dias ”,yllaer ”.yug hctinaP
Joe Kovac Jr. is Macon bureau chief covering Middle Georgia for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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