Sep 12, 2016 “Consumers who live in states that have expanded Medicaid are seeing lower-cost marketplace plans than consumers in states that have not expanded,” said Laura Colbert, director of outreach and partnerships for Georgians for a Healthy Future, an advocacy group that supports the ACA. “Georgia’s decision not to close its coverage gap may have had a negative effect on marketplace enrollment, thus undercutting the success of insurance carriers in the state and influencing their decisions to participate in Georgia’s marketplace.”

Sep 7, 2016

Cindy Zeldin, executive director of Georgians for a Healthy Future and head of the Cover Georgia coalition, called the task force’s options “a strong starting point.” She added: “We look forward to a statewide conversation in the coming months about the best approach to ensure all Georgians have a pathway to coverage and access to care.”

Aug 31, 2016

A widely anticipated plan to reduce the number of Georgians without health coverage, unveiled Wednesday, takes a unique, conservative approach to Medicaid expansion. The plan, created by a health care task force, contains three proposals with differing eligibility standards and designs. The group’s leaders said Wednesday that they hope the options will serve as a kick start for discussion this fall and into next year’s General Assembly session.

Aug 31, 2016

A health care task force created by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce released its much-anticipated report on ways the state could expand medical coverage to the uninsured Wednesday, outlining three paths for lawmakers to consider this coming legislative session.

Aug 30, 2016

“This is still a market that’s young, and it’s changing and maturing,” Zeldin said. “And carriers seem to be moving in and out as they determine whether or not they want to be in long term.”

Aug 23, 2016

The state insurance department Tuesday approved an average premium increase of 21.4 percent for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia for the 2017 health insurance exchange in Georgia.

Aug 19, 2016

Advocacy groups such as Georgians for a Healthy Future emphasize that consumers should shop around during open enrollment to find the best plan for them.

Insurance exchanges were created under the Affordable Care Act, and Georgia, like most states, has opted to leave the running of its exchange up to the federal government.

Aug 17, 2016

Health care company Aetna says it’s pulling its plans off the individual insurance exchanges in Georgia and 10 other states next year, making it the latest major insurer to deal a blow to President Obama’s signature health care law.

Aug 16, 2016

Cindy Zeldin of Georgians for a Healthy Future, a consumer advocacy group, said Tuesday that Aetna’s departure “will be disruptive for consumers and will particularly impact people outside metro Atlanta, where competition is less robust.  These changes mean that consumers will also need to shop around and change plans when open enrollment begins this fall, highlighting the ongoing importance of in-person enrollment assistance.”

Aug 16, 2016

Whitney Griggs of Georgians for a Healthy Future said the percentage of people without health insurance has decreased from 21.4 percent in 2013 to 15.9 percent in 2015 — although Georgia still ranks among the five states with the highest percentage of uninsured.