State Representative Penny Houston (R-Nashville) was recently appointed to serve as a member of the House Study Committee on Exploring a Floor and Trade Charity Care System by Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge). This study committee will examine various ways to distribute the burden of uncompensated health care more evenly across the different types of health care providers.

“More than 1.3 million Georgia residents lack health insurance coverage which can be a burden on hospitals, and for this reason, I am eager to join this study committee to look at ways to better allow hospitals with higher indigent care expenses to be able to absorb those,” said Rep. Houston. “As the costs of health care continue to increase in Georgia and across the country, it is critical to explore practical legislative solutions that will enable our hospitals to remain in our local communities to serve those who need their services.”

The House Study Committee on Exploring a Floor and Trade Charity Care System, which was established through House Resolution 584 during the 2019 legislative session, will explore alternatives to providing health care coverage through a floor and trade or tradeable credit program for uncompensated care. These potential programs would incentivize the provision of indigent or charitable care outside of an emergency room, streamline the methods used to calculate the amount of indigent and charity care that is provided in the state, as well as account for the rapidly changing health care environment, including the significant changes in the number of uninsured Georgians.

The study committee is chaired by State Representative Todd Jones (R-South Forsyth) and other members include: State Representatives Spencer Frye (D-Athens); Gerald Greene (R-Cuthbert); Carolyn Hugley (D-Columbus); Steve Tarvin (R-Chickamauga); Darlene Taylor (R-Thomasville); Dane Peterson, Emory Healthcare; Jimmy Lewis, Hometown Health; Matt Crouch, Peachford Hospital; Teresa Finch, Doctors Hospital; and Frank W. Berry, Georgia Department of Health.