2017 Hemophilia of Georgia Day at the State Capitol

On February 23, Hemophilia of Georgia hosted a successful Hemophilia of Georgia Day at the Capitol.  Several Hemophilia of Georgia staff, board member Nick Blackmon and his family, seven trained advocates (including the son, daughter-in-law, and grandson of board member Linda Butler), and several client volunteers raised awareness by speaking to the public and informing citizens about bleeding disorders and the healthcare concerns related to having a bleeding disorder.

We also visited the senate gallery to hear Senator Dean Burke read Senate Resolution 280, designating February 23, 2017 as Hemophilia of Georgia Day at the State Capitol, and he personally recognized our group for all the hard work we do for the bleeding disorder community. Several members of the group then spoke with senators “on the ropes” to ask for their support on surprise medical billing legislation that will protect Georgia consumers from unexpected out-of-network medical costs in an emergency or during a planned procedure, and legislation that would help hold pharmacy benefit managers accountable to the insured consumers they serve and allow for greater patient choice in picking a pharmacy.

We may not know for weeks to come if these bills will pass both houses this session.  Nonetheless, we can feel confident that we have educated and informed the public and legislators about our healthcare concerns and asked for their continued support. We are hopeful legislators will think of our stories when they cast their votes for these bills. Hemophilia of Georgia and the bleeding disorder community are grateful for the support of senators and representatives in the Georgia General Assembly.