The governor wants your ideas on new healthcare waivers. How to participate in Macon.

The Governor’s Office and the Georgia Department of Community Health will be in Macon Wednesday accepting public comments about the recently announced “Georgia Access” and “Georgia Pathways” waivers.

The waivers are designed to improve access, affordability and quality of healthcare for an estimated 408,000 eligible Georgians, according to a press release from the Department of Community Health.

Georgia Access will help lower insurance premiums, introduce greater choice in the private health insurance market, and strengthen small businesses across Georgia, the release states.

Georgia Pathways allows for an increase in Medicaid eligibility to low-income Georgians to a max of 100% of the Federal Poverty Level, according to the press release.

The state’s community health department began accepting public comment for a 30-day period on the Patients First Act Waiver Demonstrations, the release states.

Kemp aides and members of community health departments will host the second of six statewide public comment hearings in Macon.

The hearing will be held at a Mercer University’s School Medicine, Mercer Auditorium, 1550 College St.

The release states that waiver public hearings will be held in two sections, one starting at 9 a.m. and the other at 1 p.m.

For each hearing, there will be a presentation, then attendees can sign up to make a comment and individuals will be called by the community health department attorney to formally submit their comment with a court reporter taking notes, according to an email from the state.

Comments also are being accepted online by going to the Patients First Act Public Comment page.