April 19, 2011

The Atlanta Journal Constitution published a troubling investigative article this weekend about the rising costs of hospital bills and the huge markups that have become routine at both nonprofit and for-profit hospitals. The piece includes a quote from Georgia Watch Hospital Accountability Director Holly Lang, who last year released a critical report detailing markups and charity care at metro Atlanta hospitals.

To read the AJC article, click here. For more information about Georgia Watch’s Hospital Accountability Project, click here.

April 15, 2011

The 2011 session was another slow-moving, drawn out session that has become typical in recent years. Once again, the state is facing declining revenues, which made setting a budget a difficult process. Overall, consumer-friendly measures saw little real action, while several potentially harmful measures moved quickly. Here is a wrap-up of some of the consumer issues that Georgia Watch was following in 2011. Read more

April 12, 2011

Georgia Watch and the Georgia Alliance for Ethics Reform are continuing last minute efforts to close the lobbyist loophole allowing undisclosed gifts to staff employees of public officials. Currently, the amendment to fix the loophole has been attached to SB 160, a bad bill that would would allow state regulated utility companies to contribute to political campaigns after a 35 year ban on such contributions.

We are now urging all Georgians to call House Speaker David Ralston at 404-656-5020 or email him at david.ralston@house.ga.gov and tell him, “right amendment, wrong bill.” Read more