SB 50 would create a new health coverage program in Georgia called PeachCare Plus. This program would cover low-income adults by enrolling them in fully subsidized private health insurance plans on Georgia’s state-based marketplace (Georgia Access).
Key details:
- The bill would allow adults earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL) to enroll in private health insurance plans, with the state covering all costs (premiums and other direct costs).
- The Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) would oversee the program, with input from the Advisory Commission on the PeachCare Plus Program, a new bipartisan group that would monitor the waiver request and provide recommendations.
- Any state savings from the program would go into the Indigent Care Trust Fund, which helps to pay hospitals for health care delivered to uninsured, low-income Georgians.
Why it matters: SB 50 could help expand health coverage for hundreds of thousands of low-income Georgians, many of whom currently fall into the coverage gap—earning too much for Medicaid but not enough to afford private insurance. By using private health plans instead of traditional Medicaid, the bill aims to increase provider participation and ensure fairer reimbursement rates for hospitals and doctors. However, the program’s long-term viability depends on federal funding staying at current levels. If successful, PeachCare Plus could be Georgia’s version of Medicaid expansion, improving access to care across the state.