Health Care Pricing Tool Debuts 

The state launched a new online tool to compare prices on more than 200 common medical procedures at hospitals and providers across Georgia.

The search tool shows median costs, price ranges, nearby facilities, and quality ratings, with filters for commercial insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid.

The prices are based on more than 1.5 billion insurance claims from more than two dozen insurers, offering the most complete picture of the wide-ranging health care prices in Georgia, developers said.

State lawmakers authorized the creation of the insurance claim database—known as the Georgia All-Payers Claim Database—in 2020 as a way to track health care prices.

  Fallen Officer Mourned

State and local leaders mourned the death of Gwinnett County police officer Pradeep Tamang, killed in a weekend shooting near Stone Mountain that left another officer wounded.

A native of Nepal, Tamang, 25, joined the police department in July 2024 and graduated from the police academy in May. The injured officer, David Reed, joined the department in 2015.

Gov. Brian Kemp called the shooting a stark reminder of the daily dangers law enforcement faces and offered condolences to the officers’ families and colleagues.

Gwinnett Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson said the community honors “the service and sacrifice of those who selflessly put themselves in harm’s way to protect our community.”

The police department parked Tamang’s patrol vehicle outside its headquarters for the public to pay their respects and leave flowers. The Gwinnett County Police Foundation began a fundraiser to support the families of the two officers.

Georgia’s Lee Predicts More Winter

Georgia’s weather-predicting groundhog General Beauregard Lee saw his shadow on Monday, predicting six more weeks of winter rather than an early spring.

The annual Groundhog Day ceremony took place at Dauset Trails Nature Center in Jackson, where Lee lives. Among those in attendance was Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, a candidate for governor who grew up in Jackson.

Nationally, Lee ranks among the most reliable groundhog prognosticators with an accuracy rate of about 80%, according to federal researchers.

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➤ Augusta: Wellstar Golisano Children’s Hospital plans to open a dedicated pediatric cardiac intensive care unit after receiving a major donation from the Golisano Foundation. (More)

➤ Savannah: A U.S. Coast Guard report determined that human errors led to a crane barge striking the Talmadge Bridge in August, causing $450,000 in damage and traffic disruptions. (More)

➤ Athens: Outdoor tornado siren testing will take place Wednesday as part of Severe Weather Preparedness Week, with residents urged to review emergency plans. (More)

➤ Dunwoody: Community groups and neighbors began a collection drive to help eight families displaced after a Jan. 31 fire destroyed a Dunwoody Village Apartments building. (More)

➤ Coffee County: The family of Melvin Johnson said the state corrections department has refused to disclose information about Johnson’s death last week while an inmate at Hays State Prison in Trion. (More)

➤ Grady County: Sheriff’s deputies said skeletal remains found near Barnett’s Creek are believed to be Andrue Trent Hires, missing since fleeing a traffic stop in 2022. Investigators are awaiting confirmation by a lab. (More)

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➤ The Atlanta Hawks traded sharpshooter Vit Krejci to Portland for Duop Reath and a pair of second-round picks. (More)

➤ Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson was named an All-Star for the first time in his career. (More)

➤ The San Francisco 49ers hired former Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris as their defensive coordinator, the fourth time in his career that he will coach alongside 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan. (More)

➤ Georgia men’s basketball failed to make the AP Top 25 rankings for the second straight week. (See Full Poll)

➤ Yesterday’s results: NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | Soccer

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➤ ALDI confirmed plans to open grocery stores in Brunswick, Gray, Valdosta, and Douglas this spring and summer. (More)

➤ MARTA will host public meetings this month in metro Atlanta to educate riders on changes as part of its NextGen Bus Network, including redesigned routes and services aimed at improving reliability and access. (More)

➤ The city council in North Augusta, S.C., continues to review a proposal to buy land and develop a cyber center office building to support the Augusta area’s economic development. (More)

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➤ Satellite images from NASA offer a space-level view of last weekend’s snow that covered parts of the state. (Photos)

➤ A University of Georgia researcher is studying whether deer marks such as tree rubs and scrapes are visible to the animals at night and could help them communicate. (More)

Do you shop around for prices before a medical procedure?

1. Always
2. Sometimes
3. Rarely
4. Never

Yesterday’s Results:

What do you hope Georgia’s groundhog will predict?

1. Early spring: 47%
2. Six more weeks of winter: 24%
3. Don’t care either way: 29%

What are the three most common names for the Jan. 28, 2014, snowstorm that paralyzed metro Atlanta?

Show me the answer