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In The News
Georgians for a Healthy Future is frequently cited in news articles about health care issues, ensuring the consumer perspective is heard. Read news stories featuring Georgians for a Healthy Future’s perspective below.
2019
Opponents say the plan will only cover a sliver of Georgia’s uninsured and could water down insurance plan requirements.
“This plan still leaves thousands of Georgians uninsured,” said Laura Colbert, with Georgians for a Healthy Future. “Our concern is that every Georgian has a pathway to coverage, and this plan does not do that.”
Colbert says work requirements are only a barrier, and there is no date showing that they help get people employment or better-paying jobs.
“The only impact of a work requirement is to disenroll people or keep them from enrolling in the first place,” she said.
But others were quick to caution that the proposal appeared to help insurers more than consumers.
“Under this plan, Georgia families and individuals who want comprehensive health coverage may end up paying more, Georgians will have a more difficult time shopping for insurance, and consumers will be at a disadvantage when selecting the plan that’s right for them,” Laura Colbert, executive director of Georgians for a Healthy Future, said in a statement.
“The administration’s plan tips the balance of power in health care toward insurers and away from consumers,” Colbert said. “Each part of this plan helps insurance companies, while consumers shoulder all the risks.”
Abandoning the website worries consumer advocates, such as Laura Colbert with Georgians For a Healthy Future.
“Healthcare.gov is actually a really important platform. It provides an unbiased central location for people to compare plans across carriers, and there’s no bias or preference about one carrier or another,” she said.
Colbert worries third-party brokers will steer consumers into plans that might not be as comprehensive as what’s available on the exchange.
Some advocates worry that customers might assume they’re purchasing plans that cover a broad array of health benefits when they’re not.
“Some of these plans that don’t offer full essential health benefits, their marketing is very confusing,” said Laura Colbert, the director of Georgians for a Healthy Future. “I would worry a lot that consumers would buy a plan that doesn’t actually work for them.”
Laura Colbert of the consumer advocacy group Georgians for a Healthy Future, asked to comment on the survey results, said Wednesday that the combination of rising premiums and growing deductibles “is really troubling for Georgia workers.”
“They are unfairly bearing the brunt of an ever-more-expensive health care system,” Colbert said. “This is especially problematic for lower wage workers and likely to exacerbate health disparities between low- and high- income Georgians. If Georgia workers are going to find any relief, it is imperative that costs across the health care system are meaningfully addressed by health care providers, insurers and policymakers, with direct input from consumers.”
Laura Colbert, executive director for advocacy group Georgians for a Healthy Future, said she is not surprised by the numbers.
“We have seen some indications that people have been losing or dropping their coverage over the last year or so,” Colbert told CNHI, “so the number confirmed what we thought had been happening.”
Laura Colbert of the consumer advocacy group Georgians for a Healthy Future, asked to comment on the survey results, said Wednesday that the combination of rising premiums and growing deductibles “is really troubling for Georgia workers.”
“They are unfairly bearing the brunt of an ever-more-expensive health care system,” Colbert said. “This is especially problematic for lower wage workers and likely to exacerbate health disparities between low- and high- income Georgians. If Georgia workers are going to find any relief, it is imperative that costs across the health care system are meaningfully addressed by health care providers, insurers and policymakers, with direct input from consumers.”
Laura Colbert, executive director for advocacy group Georgians for a Healthy Future, said she is not surprised by the numbers.
“We have seen some indications that people have been losing or dropping their coverage over the last year or so,” Colbert told CNHI, “so the number confirmed what we thought had been happening.”
Laura Colbert of the consumer group Georgians for a Healthy Future said that with medical underwriting, “Georgians who apply for coverage through this plan or others like it may be charged higher premiums based on their health status or gender. Georgia families may also find that plans like this do not cover some hospital services, prescription medicines, mental health care, or maternity care.’’