Georgia's Pathways Work Requirement Faces Expiration, Governor's Race
Georgia's Pathways to Coverage program, a limited Medicaid expansion requiring enrollees to work or complete other qualifying activities, is set to expire at the end of 2026 unless renewed by the next governor. Launched in 2023 under Gov. Brian Kemp, Pathways covers more than 20,000 people and helped inspire the federal Medicaid work requirements taking effect nationwide January 1. State officials say aligning Pathways with the new federal rules, which include broader exemptions for illness, caregiving, and substance use disorder, would extend coverage to roughly 100,000 more people and cost an estimated $1.4 billion more through mid-2028. Georgia has asked CMS for additional federal funding to cover the expanded group, a request it says could determine whether the program survives; the outcome now rests with the winner of the governor's race between Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, who favors full Medicaid expansion, and Republican Rick Jackson.