Legislative Results for 2022

GCOA, CO-AGE, and our partners worked hard this legislative session. CO-AGE members sent action alerts, wrote letters to their local newspapers, and reached out to legislators to ask for support on aging issues. See the legislative results for 2022 below.

FY 2023 Budget Wins: $4 Million in funding for Home & Community Based Services

HB 911, the State’s FY2023 budget, was approved and now awaits the Governor’s signature. Both the House and Senate allotted a generous $4 Million for Home and Community Based Services (HCBS). This will remove thousands of older Georgians off the waiting list, helping them to continue aging in place and out of long-term care prematurely. The budget also includes a cost-of-living salary increase for state employees, benefitting workers in the Division of Aging Services and other departments that provide HCBS.
In addition to the HCBS funding for FY 2023, the Legislature also approved a CO-AGE budget priority for $4.2 million in state matching funds to draw $38 million in American Rescue Plan Act grants for Older Americans Act services through the remainder of the current fiscal year. As part of its commitment to expanding innovative Alzheimer’s services through the Georgia Memory Net, the Department of Human Services received an additional $7,120,000.

The Georgia Caregiver's Act

On May 6, 2022, Governor Brian Kemp signed HB 1304, the Georgia Caregiver's Act, into law! This bill, a CO-AGE Legislative priority supported by our advocacy partners AARP of Georgia and the Alzheimer’s Association, is a tremendous benefit to all Georgians. The bill requires hospitals to allow patients to identify a caregiver who can be notified and clearly educated about the patient’s home care needs before the patient is discharged.

Read GCOA's official press release HERE.

Funding for an Awareness Campaign for the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program

While the FY2023 budget will not include funding for a marketing campaign to spread awareness about the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program, our advocacy efforts have raised awareness of the program and how valuable it is for our seniors.We will continue to take steps to further increase the visibility of this service. You can join in these efforts by visiting the ombudsman website HERE and sharing the information with loved ones.

Medicaid in Assisted Living

CO-AGE is looking to the Georgia Health Policy Center, which connects decision makers with the objective research and guidance needed to make informed decisions about health policy, financing, and program implementation, as we further investigate the impact of the proposed Medicaid legislation.

Study Committee to Expand Nursing Home Options

HR 768, to create a study committee to expand long term care options, was favorably reported by the House but has been tabled for the time being. Another thank you to Representative Lee Hawkins for carrying this resolution throughout the legislative session!

Other Bills of Interest to Seniors:

Mental Health Parity Act – House Bill 1013 will treat mental health and substance use services the same as physical health services, especially in how insurance companies cover these benefits. For years, Georgia’s mental health and substance use advocates have been working to improve access to services. This ambitious legislation seeks to address the full spectrum of challenges faced by all stakeholders. GCOA and CO-AGE are pleased to have supported this much needed legislation. This Bill was signed into law by Governor Kemp on April 4, 2022.