Georgia

Some parents could be able to join Georgia's Medicaid program without working

Published

11 months ago

January 15, 2025

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.

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.

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Georgia

Georgia overcomes slow start to defeat Cincinnati in Holiday Hoopsgiving

Published

7 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Press Room

Georgia overcomes slow start to defeat Cincinnati in Holiday Hoopsgiving

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

Georgia center Somto Cyril goes up for a dunk during the first half against Cincinnati in their NCAA basketball game in the Holiday Hoopsgiving at State Farm Arena, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Atlanta. Georgia won 84-65. (Jason Getz/AJC)

By Olivia Sayer

6 hours ago

When Georgia basketball took the court Saturday afternoon at State Farm Arena, it resembled a team who had not faced another opponent in 11 days.

The Bulldogs came out lackadaisical with more turnovers than successful shots in the game’s first two minutes and faced an 11-point deficit before halftime.

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Olivia Sayer joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in May 2025 as an intern on the sports beat. She is earning a degree in journalism from the University of Georgia with a minor in sport management and a sports media certificate. Olivia previously held the titles of digital and assistant sports editor at The Red & Black.

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Georgia

Two freshman Georgia football players arrested on shoplifting charges

Published

19 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

Two freshman Georgia football players arrested on shoplifting charges

Georgia offensive lineman Dontrell Glover and running back Bo Walker were arrested for shoplifting at a Walmart on Friday, less than a week after the Bulldogs won the SEC Championship.

According to the Athens Banner-Herald, the freshmen were booked into Clarke County jail in Athens on two counts of misdemeanor shoplifting. Glover and Walker were arrested Friday evening and released on $1,526 bond before 8 p.m.

“We were informed of the charges and are currently in the process of gathering additional information,” Georgia spokesman Steve Drummond said in a statement. “This is a pending legal matter and we will not have further comment at this time.”

Walker played six games this season and rushed for 100 yards and three touchdowns. Glover started 11 games in 2025 and was named to the All-SEC freshman team.

Last month, offensive lineman Nyier Daniels was dismissed from the team by head coach Kirby Smart after he was arrested on more than a dozen criminal charges after he allegedly tried to flee from police north of Athens.

The Bulldogs beat Alabama last Saturday in the SEC title game and earned a place in the College Football Playoff. They will play again on Jan. 1 against the winner of Ole Miss-Tulane in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.

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Georgia

DOJ files suit to obtain 2020 election records in Fulton County, Georgia

Published

1 day ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

DOJ files suit to obtain 2020 election records in Fulton County, Georgia

The Justice Department sued Fulton County, Georgia, this week in an effort to obtain more than five-year-old ballots tied to the 2020 presidential election which President Donald Trump lost.

The eight-page complaint filed in federal court in Atlanta on Thursday, names Fulton County Clerk of Courts Che Alexander as a defendant, alleging that the clerk violated the Civil Rights Act by failing to produce records tied to the 2020 presidential election as requested by state and federal officials.

The lawsuit asks that the court demand that the records be produced within five days of a court order.

According to the lawsuit, the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections last month refused to comply with an Oct. 6 subpoena, from the state’s election board, for election records, including used and void ballots, stubs, and signature envelopes from the 2020 presidential election, saying in a Nov. 14 letter that the records were “under seal” in accord with state law.

The lawsuit states that the board later failed to respond to a letter from Attorney General Pam Bondi on Oct. 30, demanding the records which she said were needed to review the state’s compliance with federal election laws and meet state transparency efforts.

Alexander and the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Friday night.

Alexander had previously said in an Oct. 21 letter to the state election board that “the records sought are under seal and may not be produced absent a Court Order,” according to the lawsuit.

Trump was indicted on felony charges in Fulton County in August 2023 along with 18 other co-defendants in connection with efforts to overturn his election loss.

Trump pleaded not guilty to charges that were dropped last month by a prosecutor who took the reins of the case following Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ disqualification from prosecuting Trump in the matter.

Georgia has long been a sore spot for Trump after a narrow loss in 2020 that he has spent years disputing.

After a manual recount of election results in Georgia that reaffirmed President Joe Biden’s narrow win in the state in 2020, Trump, who was then seeking a second term, had also called then-Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and implored him to “find” the votes needed to defeat Biden in the 2020 election. Since then he has continued to falsely claim he won the state.

The Fulton County lawsuit from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division comes as it announced on Friday that it had filed federal lawsuits against four states — Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Nevada — alleging that the states had violated the Constitution by failing to produce statewide voter registration lists upon request.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, said in a statement Friday that states “have the statutory duty to preserve and protect their constituents from vote dilution.”

“At this Department of Justice, we will not permit states to jeopardize the integrity and effectiveness of elections by refusing to abide by our federal elections laws. If states will not fulfill their duty to protect the integrity of the ballot, we will,” Dhillon said.

Zoë Richards is a politics reporter for NBC News.

Michael Kosnar, Austin Mullen and Maggie Rhoads contributed.

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