ATLANTA, Georgia – March 14, 2024 – The Georgia Senate passed H.B. 1339 today, which in part forms a health care coverage commission. The bill will now go back to the House for consideration. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) urges Georgia lawmakers to recognize the study commission as an insufficient solution for the health care coverage gap that currently puts more than 400,000 Georgians at risk. They need comprehensive and affordable health coverage now.
Georgians in the coverage gap include grocery store clerk and mother LaShonda Harrell, 42, who has stage IV metastatic breast cancer. She lost health coverage last year and needs a scan to assess potential cancer spread. The test could be lifesaving. However, without coverage, she cannot afford to get it.
“Patients like Harrell can’t wait another year for lawmakers to close the coverage gap,” said John Hoctor, managing director of advocacy for ACS CAN in Georgia. “People need access to lifesaving care now so they can detect, treat and survive cancer.”
ACS CAN urges lawmakers to stay focused on immediate solutions during the 2024 session.
“Lawmakers can do more to help and protect Georgians. They can close the coverage gap at a time that expanding health care access has unprecedented, bi-partisan support across the state. We urge lawmakers to find a Georgia-specific solution to close the health care coverage gap now," Hoctor said.