Does Keisha Lance Bottoms have a plan for GAPP?
Not by name. Her health care platform, Keisha's CARE Plan for a Healthier Georgia (April 2026), does not mention the Georgia Pediatric Program. It does include proposals on Medicaid, nurses, home care workers and state paperwork that could affect how GAPP works for families. Bottoms won the governor's race on November 3, 2026, according to the Associated Press, and takes office in January 2027.
GAPP Check is an independent family service. We do not endorse candidates. This page only explains what the plan says and how it could touch GAPP.
Would the CARE Plan change Medicaid payments for GAPP nursing?
Possibly. GAPP is a Medicaid program, and the plan says Bottoms will work to have Medicaid pay "at levels that better reflect the real cost of care, with a goal of moving reimbursement at least to Medicare rates where feasible." It also promises to streamline prior authorizations, speed up payments, and cut paperwork that drives providers away.
For GAPP families, higher and faster Medicaid payments could make it easier for agencies to hire and keep nurses. The plan does not say whether pediatric home nursing would be included, or when. The plan also commits to bringing Georgia into compliance with the federal Ensuring Access Medicaid rule and tracking wages, turnover and vacancies.
Would it help with unfilled GAPP nursing shifts?
It aims at the cause. Unfilled GAPP shifts usually come down to not enough nurses. The plan proposes safer staffing and workplace protections for nurses, more state loan repayment and scholarships, rural residency and training partnerships, and incentives for clinicians in shortage areas.
Workforce changes like these take years, not months. If shifts are going unfilled now, the steps on our page about GAPP nursing hours not being filled still apply.
What does the plan say about home care workers?
The plan says the caregivers "who help seniors and people with disabilities stay safely at home" deserve a living wage, and that Bottoms will push for higher guaranteed wages and stronger standards for home and community-based care workers.
That could matter for GAPP personal support workers and, depending on how it is written, for parents paid through the Family Caregiver Option. The plan does not mention FCO, so whether it would reach family caregivers is an open question.
Would GAPP paperwork get easier?
The plan promises to simplify Georgia Gateway and state notices, reduce unnecessary documentation hurdles, expand real-time support, and fund community organizations that give hands-on enrollment help. It says no one should lose coverage "because they missed a letter."
That language is about Medicaid enrollment in general, not GAPP renewal packets specifically. Until anything changes, renewals and records are due on the same schedule. Our GAPP paperwork help page covers what goes in.
What about babies coming home from the NICU?
The plan proposes better NICU-to-home coordination, including telehealth for rural families, and stronger early connections to Early Intervention and pediatric care. For families whose medically fragile baby is about to come home, that is the stretch where GAPP usually begins. See our guide for families new to GAPP.
Does Medicaid expansion change GAPP eligibility?
No, not directly. The plan's Medicaid expansion covers non-elderly adults up to 138% of the federal poverty level, about $21,000 a year for one person. That could give some GAPP parents their own coverage. GAPP hours for children are based on the child's medical needs, and many GAPP children qualify through the Katie Beckett (Deeming) waiver, which does not count parents' income.
What should GAPP families do now?
- Keep everything on schedule. Campaign plans do not change current GAPP rules, deadlines or hours.
- Write down what is not working. Unfilled shifts, paperwork problems and payment delays are exactly what these proposals target. A short, dated record helps when officials ask families for input.
- Watch for the first budget. Medicaid rate and workforce changes show up in the state budget. We will update this page when proposals become actual bills or budget items.
Questions families ask
Does the CARE Plan mention GAPP?
No. The April 2026 CARE Plan does not mention the Georgia Pediatric Program by name. Its Medicaid payment, nursing workforce, home care worker and paperwork proposals could still affect GAPP families.
When does Keisha Lance Bottoms take office?
Bottoms won the November 3, 2026 election and takes office in January 2027. Policy changes would come after that, through the legislature and the state budget.
Will my child's GAPP hours change because of the election?
Not because of the election itself. GAPP hours are set from your child's records and the program's current rules. Keep renewals and records on schedule.
Is GAPP Check connected to any campaign?
No. GAPP Check is an independent family service and does not endorse candidates.