Georgia House Bill HB751

Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/10/25

Caption

Community Health, Department of; submit a Section 1115 waiver request to the United States Department of Health and Human Services for Medicare and Medicaid Services; authorize

Summary

House Bill 751 would authorize the Georgia Department of Community Health to submit a federal Section 1115 Medicaid waiver request by September 30, 2025. The waiver request must include childcare and caregiving as qualifying activities, expanding the types of activities that can satisfy waiver requirements tied to Medicaid eligibility or program participation. The bill defines childcare as full-time or part-time work by a parent caring for a child or children in their own residence, and caregiving as full-time or part-time work by a family member caring for an adult child with a disability or an aging parent. If approved by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the department would be authorized to take all necessary steps to implement the waiver’s terms and conditions. The bill is procedural in nature: it does not itself change Medicaid eligibility rules directly, but it gives state officials authority to seek federal approval for a policy change that could affect how certain caregiving responsibilities are treated under Georgia’s Medicaid program.

Impact

HB751 would amend Georgia’s medical assistance statutes in Title 49 by adding a new Code section authorizing the Department of Community Health to pursue a Section 1115 waiver and to implement it if approved. Its practical effect would be to expand the state’s ability to seek federal permission to recognize childcare and caregiving as qualifying activities, potentially affecting Medicaid-related work or activity requirements for some applicants or enrollees. The bill would not take effect unless enacted, and any actual program changes would depend on federal approval of the waiver.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the overall sentiment appears neutral to supportive and administrative in tone. The measure is framed as an authorization for the state agency to seek federal approval rather than as a direct mandate, which suggests a policy approach aimed at flexibility and implementation rather than controversy in the available record.

Contention

The main policy issue is whether childcare and caregiving should count as qualifying activities for a Medicaid-related Section 1115 waiver. Supporters would likely view the bill as recognizing unpaid family responsibilities and making waiver requirements more responsive to real-world caregiving burdens. Potential critics could question whether broadening qualifying activities weakens work or activity standards, increases program costs, or creates administrative complexity. No specific opposition or recorded dispute appears in the provided committee or voting history.