2026 Legislative Session Preview (W6003)-2026 Legislative Session Preview Recording

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Anna Adams, Chief Government Relations Officer at GHA, presented a comprehensive 2026 legislative preview focusing on healthcare priorities amid an upcoming election year. The legislative session begins January 12, with Governor Kemp’s State of the State Address outlining key priorities. This session continues bills from 2025, with an emphasis on healthcare-related legislation, and will feature leadership changes in both Senate and House committees.<br /><br />GHA’s four main legislative priorities are: expanding access to quality care, improving behavioral health resources, ensuring rural hospital viability, and supporting healthcare workforce growth. Specific points include advocating for maternity care funding, behavioral health crisis services, sustaining programs like the Rural Health Transformation and Hospital Tax Credit, expanding graduate medical education, and opposing mandated staffing policies.<br /><br />Additional focus areas include pharmacy services, insurer accountability, hospital financial stability, healthcare liability reform, certificate of need protection, EMS funding, cancer care access, tax issues including income tax elimination discussions, and managing healthcare-related media messaging.<br /><br />GHA will keep members informed through targeted bill tracking, weekly updates, text alerts, and legislative toolkits. They encourage relationship-building with legislators and calm, strategic advocacy. The importance of maintaining ongoing communication and avoiding repetitive or aggressive outreach to lawmakers was stressed.<br /><br />GHA PAC’s fundraising success and plans to support pro-hospital legislators in upcoming elections were also discussed. The session promises to be complex due to election dynamics, but GHA remains committed to representing hospital interests effectively.

Keywords

2026 legislative preview

healthcare priorities

GHA

behavioral health resources

rural hospital viability

healthcare workforce growth

GHA PAC fundraising