Medicaid advocates concerned about renewals

Advocates for Georgia's Medicaid recipients said Friday the state should follow through with a plan to switch all Medicaid recipients to a 12-month renewal schedule. While some people covered by Medicaid renew plans once a year, most children must renew every six months.

That schedule often leads to children being mistakenly removed from the program, said Linda Lowe, a consumer health advocate.  "It's just good government to help children who are eligible maintain their coverage so they can get the preventive services they need and stay out of the hospital emergency rooms," Lowe said.

Rep. Terry England, R-Auburn, said Friday that legislators are still studying the issue. He said the change would cost the state money, but would also help doctors who see Medicaid patients. "We're still going back and forth on it," he said.