Health equity advocates are urging Gov. Brian Kemp and other healthcare officials to delay the implementation of a state-based marketplace exchange. Last month, Kemp signed legislation that gave the Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire (OCI) the authority to launch a state-based marketplace exchange. This move would allow the state to exit HealthCare.gov, the […]
Kenya Hunter
Kenya Hunter is Capital B Atlanta's health reporter. Twitter @KenyaTheHunter
Posted inHealth
Mpox Could Surge Again in Georgia, Community Leaders Warn
Black community leaders who were on the front lines of Georgia’s mpox response are heeding the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s warning about a possible resurgence. The CDC released a health alert on May 15, warning that mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, could resurface in drastic numbers as people gather for summer festivities. The […]
Posted inUncategorized
How Morehouse, Fulton County, and Grady Are Taking Action After AMC Closures
In case you missed it, there have been a few major developments connected to Wellstar’s decision to close two Atlanta Medical Center facilities in predominantly Black areas. It’s been just over a month since two Black former board members spoke to Capital B Atlanta about Wellstar Healthcare System’s “defeatist” attitude leading to the closures of […]
Posted inLGBTQ
Where to Find Black Trans Safe Spaces in Atlanta
For decades, Atlanta has been seen as a safe space for Black queer and trans people in the South. The violent deaths of two trans women in April, and an attack on another in January, have the local LGBTQ+ community on edge. On April 11, Ashley Burton, a well-known hairstylist and makeup artist, was shot […]
Posted inHealth, Reproductive Health
Why Black Doulas Say They Can’t Fix Georgia’s Maternal Mortality Crisis Alone
Nearly 18 years ago, Elysia Douglas’ friend was headed to Crawford Long Hospital (now Emory Midtown) for the birth of her son and asked if she would come along. The friend’s boyfriend wouldn’t be able to show up for the first part of the birth, and she initially just wanted Douglas to sit next to […]
Posted inHealth, Reproductive Health
Need Help Finding a Black Doula? We Got You.
When it comes to maternal health, Georgia’s reputation as one of the worst places to give birth is well known. According to a Capital B report, since 1994, the state has lost 41 labor and delivery units, including at least six in the metro Atlanta area. Those closures, along with increasing maternal death rates among […]
Posted inHealth
Former AMC Board Leaders Say Wellstar’s ‘Defeatist’ Attitude Led to Hospital Closures
Lisa Medellin and Todd Greene saw it coming. The two local leaders served on Atlanta Medical Center’s regional health board and sounded alarms about the potentially devastating consequences that would come if Wellstar Health System closed or failed to revitalize hospitals in predominantly Black areas. Last month, local lawmakers filed a trio of federal complaints […]
Posted inHealth, Social Welfare
With Black Residents at Risk of Losing Medicaid, These Orgs Are Here to Help
Starting next month, millions of Georgia residents will have their Medicaid eligibility reevaluated, and local grassroots organizations are mobilizing to keep Black communities informed. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which, among many things, required states to keep people enrolled on Medicaid through the end of […]
Posted inHealth
Why a New Law Denying Health Care for Trans Youth Has Local Black Advocates Worried
Black LGBTQIA+ advocates are concerned about legislation in Georgia aimed at restricting medical care for transgender children. On Thursday, Gov. Brian Kemp announced he signed Senate Bill 140, which will prohibit certain gender-affirming care for transgender minors. Doctors who offer the banned care will face serious consequences, including losing their medical license. SB 140 would […]
Posted inHealth
We Spoke to an Expert About Medicaid Unwinding in Georgia. Here’s What We Learned.
The countdown is officially underway. In just over two weeks, the state will start the process of reviewing and reevaluating eligibility for the 2.7 million people in Georgia on Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids. Under the federal continuous coverage mandate, which has been in place since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, states were required […]