ATLANTA — Georgia lawmakers return to the Capitol this week as higher health insurance premiums strain family budgets in Georgia and push more Georgians toward becoming uninsured. Congressional procrastination has already made Georgia Access coverage more expensive for many families; now Congress is actively debating whether and how to restore the enhanced premium tax credits that helped keep premiums affordable.
While the outcome and timing in Washington remain uncertain, a potential federal fix would not relieve Georgia’s lawmakers of the need to adopt a state-level affordability plan.
The question is whether state leaders will use the tools available to protect residents from avoidable coverage losses now and build a more stable and affordable health insurance marketplace for the years ahead.
With the final 2026 Georgia Access enrollment deadline just days away, Georgia is already seeing warning signs. Georgia Access has lost more than 190,000 enrollees in the first phase of 2026 enrollment, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. January 15 is the last day to enroll in a 2026 plan through Georgia Access.
New projections from the Georgia Health Initiative show the stakes if Georgia does not act to protect affordability. By 2034:
- Nearly 500,000 Georgians will become uninsured
- $10.5 billion increase in uncompensated care costs for Georgia health care providers
- Tens of thousands of health care jobs at risk
- Rural hospitals and underserved communities hit hardest
“Georgia does not have to sit on the sidelines while Congress debates next steps. We can determine our own fate,” said Laura Colbert, Executive Director at Georgians for a Healthy Future (GHF). “Because Georgia operates its own health insurance marketplace, state leaders can take practical steps to keep coverage affordable for our families and prevent Georgians from becoming uninsured. Those state tools matter even if Congress acts, because federal action may be delayed, temporary, or structured in ways that still leave many Georgians behind.”