Georgians for a Healthy Future and SB 302

At the very way bottom of my LinkedIn profile, I list my board president role with Georgians for a Healthy Future (GHF). And for anyone who's curious about what the organization does and why I'm proud to participate in their work, this is an excellent example.

As the voice for Georgia's healthcare consumers, GHF developed SB 302 (legislation that was signed into law yesterday by Governor Deal) which requires health plans to keep their provider directories correct and up-to-date.

Why should you care? Well, because if you sign up for healthcare coverage based on your understanding of a plan's providers and in-network facilities but after joining the plan you learn the provider directory was out-of-date, that could put you and your family at risk. Imagine choosing a plan based on the need to see a specialty healthcare provider because of your specific health needs or those of a family member. Once enrolled you learn you don't actually have access to that provider because the directory information was out of date. You would have been stuck with your plan until the next open enrollment. It's been a serious problem in Georgia and many other states.

We're not the only state to pass legislation to address this concerning problem (CA, NJ, TX, DC - to name a couple). As just one example of the problem, the Mental Health Association of Maryland, published a study in which they found less than half of psychiatrists could be reached with the contact information provided by one of the plans (http://
mhamd.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/2014-QHPPsychiatric-
 Network-Adequacy-Report.pdf.) LESS THAN HALF in one plan. That's a significant problem if you need mental health services.

But now, through SB 302, Georgia health plans are required to make certain their directories are accurate and easy to use. I'm so proud of the work done by Georgians for a Healthy Future in leading the coalition of consumer health advocates and a huge thanks to the champion for this legislation, Senator P.K. Martin!