Our impact in Georgia

In this section

Public policy

Learn more by visiting our Institute for Health Policy.

Get updates on our public policy perspectives

Kaiser Permanente is a pioneer in coordinated health care and coverage. And we’re the largest nonprofit health plan in Georgia.

Our health care professionals provide services to 325,380 members in the state. We cover a wide area, including 32 counties in the metropolitan Atlanta and Athens regions.

At Kaiser Permanente, we focus on the total health of our members. Our doctors, specialists, and other health care professionals lead our members’ care. All our 643 physicians and 3,230 employees work to improve the health of our members and communities.

Key issues

We provide our members with safe, high-quality medications at a good value for their dollar. We do this by using evidence-based prescribing, negotiating drug prices, using generics and biosimilars, and tracking safety and outcomes.

We support policies that:

Address the types of anticompetitive practices that prevent lower-priced generic drugs from entering the market
Curb arbitrary drug price increases
Promote the use of evidence-based practices
Support the creation of a fair system that assesses and pays for drugs according to their value

Policymakers in Georgia are considering new proposals concerning pharmacy benefit managers. We firmly oppose proposals that do not account for our unique care and coverage model.

As a health plan, care organization, and pharmacy in one, Kaiser Permanente is not a pharmacy benefit manager. Our integrated approach to pharmacy benefits and operation means:

We only provide services to our members. Kaiser Permanente does not provide any pharmacy-related services to any health care consumer outside of our integrated care model.
Our pharmacies do not submit drug reimbursement claims to our own health plans, since both are part of the same integrated entity.
Our integrated structure enables us to keep drug costs down for our members.

Proposals that fail to consider our integrated model could force a costly restructuring of our pharmacy practices. This would harm our members by increasing costs without producing any benefits.

Our communities are experiencing unprecedented levels of anxiety, depression, and related conditions. At Kaiser Permanente, we believe the mind can’t be treated separately from the body. So, we consider mental health in our total health approach.

We support  mental health policies  that:

Reinvent outdated models of care
Support and rebuild a stressed and strained workforce
Invest in preventive services and evidence-based care innovations

By 2034, the country expects a shortfall of up to 124,000 physicians. The United States needs over 200,000 new nurses annually through 2031 to meet demand. Additionally, by 2026, the country will need 3.2 million other health care roles.

The high cost and daunting time commitment required for health care education complicates these staffing challenges.

In response to this challenge, we believe:

Policymakers at the state and federal levels should expand funding for training programs, tuition assistance, and loan forgiveness programs.
Congress has a critical role to play in helping to grow and diversify the workforce — specifically around increasing federal funding for clinical training programs and physician residency slots.

Our impact

Kaiser Permanente’s impact extends beyond our facilities and into the communities we serve.

Through Educational Theatre, Medicaid involvement, and programs like the Bridge Program and Medical Financial Assistance, we offer a range of services and support. These initiatives are designed to empower, educate, and provide essential health care access to people in need.

Learn more about our ongoing programs and investments.

Our care

Care that sets the bar

Our commercial and Medicare health plans in Georgia received 4-star and 4.5-star ratings, respectively, in the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s 2024 annual report.
In 2023, our health plans received number-one ratings in 51 of 125 HEDIS® (Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set) effectiveness-of-care measures, covering key areas like cancer screenings, blood pressure management, diabetes care, behavioral health, and timely prenatal and postpartum care.

Recognized for diabetes prevention

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded full recognition to our diabetes prevention program. This achievement acknowledges the program’s active role in helping people reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes through practical lifestyle education.

Strengthening Georgia together

Join us in shaping a healthier future for Georgia. At Kaiser Permanente, our dedicated care, comprehensive services, and community partnerships are designed to empower our members and strengthen communities. Together, we can achieve lasting health and wellness across the state.