2012 Georgia Public Policy Agenda
2012 Georgia Public Policy Agenda
July 28, 2011
- Tobacco Control, Prevention & Cessation
- Increase State Tobacco Excise Tax by $1
- Strengthen Key Local Smoke-Free Ordinances
- Provide Comprehensive Medicaid Coverage for Tobacco Cessation
- Increase Master Settlement Agreement funds for tobacco control
- Access to Health Care
- Partner with State Agencies & Entities to Ensure Timely and Efficient Implementation of the Affordable Care Act
- Protect & Promote Health Insurance Coverage for Cancer Screenings and Cancer Care
- Increase Funding for Cancer Screening Program, Cancer State Aid &
Georgia Women’s Medicaid Program
- Obesity Prevention – Require All Public School Students Participate in Physical Education for 150 Minutes Each Week
- Promote Quality of Life through Balanced Pain Management Policies and Practice
Tobacco Control, Prevention & Cessation
– Increase State Tobacco Excise Tax by $1 – The American Cancer Society will advocate to raise the Georgia tobacco excise tax by at least $1 (to $1.37; national average is $1.46) to reduce the illness and deaths from tobacco use, keep kids from starting to use tobacco products and getting adults to quit, and to reduce the health care private insurance ($2.5 billion annually), Medicaid ($537 million annually), and out-of-pocket costs associated with treating illnesses caused by tobacco use.
– Strengthen Key Local Smoke-Free Ordinances – The Society will advocate that Fulton County/City of Atlanta, DeKalb County, and the Cities of Augusta and Macon go totally smoke-free and exceed the current state law. As additional communities desire to go smoke-free, the Society will explore these opportunities.
– Cessation under Medicaid Program – The Society will advocate that the state provide comprehensive coverage for tobacco use cessation under the Medicaid program for all beneficiaries who desire to quit and as allowed under the Affordable Care Act.
– Increase Master Settlement Agreement Funds for Tobacco Control – The Society will advocate to increase for FY ’13 the State appropriation of MSA
funds for tobacco control in order to provide needed funding for tobacco use prevention, control and cessation programs.
Access to Health Care
- Partner with State Agencies and Entities to Ensure Timely and Efficient Implementation of the Affordable Care Act – The Society will advocate through the cancer lens for requisite state-enabling legislation and regulations to implement the new federal law (e.g., State Exchanges, Medical Loss Ratio).
- Protect & Promote Health Insurance Coverage for Cancer Screenings and Cancer Care - The Society will advocate for state laws that require insurance carriers to cover the cost of routine and life-saving cancer screenings, and assure access to quality, affordable health care measured against the Society’s four As.
– Maintain Funding for Cancer Screening Program, Cancer State Aid & Georgia Women’s Medicaid Program – The Society will advocate for State funding above the FY ’12 level for these three critical programs for FY ’13. These programs help low-income residents gain access to life-saving cancer screenings and treatment, improve their quality of life, and ultimately save lives.
- Obesity Prevention – Require All Public School Students Participate in Physical Education for 150 Minutes Each Week – Further policy information will be forthcoming as the Obesity Coalition convenes.
– Promote Quality of Life Through Balanced Pain Management Policies and Practice – Continue to monitor the Prescription Monitoring Program’s implementation from 2011 enactment and support Georgia Pain Initiative.
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Key Government Relations Contacts
John A. Daniel
Vice President, Federal, Georgia & Emerging Issues
404.949.6460 (o) 770.265.1183 (c)
Eric Bailey
Grassroots Manager
404.949.6437 (o) 404.272.6018 (c)
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Where to access latest Georgia legislative information:
- Intranet/Advocacy/States/Georgia
- www.acscan.org and go to “Select Your State on blue bar and click on Georgia
Where to access latest federal legislative information :
- Intranet/Advocacy/Federal
- www.acscan.org and go to “Campaigns” on blue bar
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Unless specifically noted otherwise, the Society, and not ACS CAN, is conducting the activities described on this page.
