Life changes fast. Marriage, a move, a new job, or losing coverage can happen to anyone. You may still qualify for health insurance through Georgia Access, even if you missed Open Enrollment.

Each year, Open Enrollment is the time when most Georgians can sign up for health insurance through Georgia Access, the state’s health insurance marketplace. For coverage in 2026, Open Enrollment ran from November 1, 2025, through January 15, 2026. Outside of that window, you typically need to experience a qualifying life event to enroll in or change a plan through a Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

On Wednesday, January 28, the House Health Committee passed a substitute version of Senate Bill 195, which would allow Georgia pharmacists to dispense pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for HIV prevention without requiring a separate doctor’s prescription. If passed, pharmacists would operate under a statewide protocol developed by the Georgia Board of Pharmacy, with oversight from a Georgia-based physician.

The substitute version passed on Wednesday includes new requirements compared to the bill that passed committee unanimously last year:

• Both supervising physicians and pharmacists must reside in Georgia;
• Pharmacists must complete approved training and maintain Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification and liability insurance;
• Patients must have an in-person visit and remain for 15-minute post-administration monitoring; and
• Pharmacists must notify the patient’s primary care provider within 72 hours.

Potential concerns: While framed as patient safety measures, these amendments may limit pharmacist participation and patient access. The in-state residency requirement excludes telehealth-based protocols used in other states, training and insurance requirements add costs that may discourage participation, and the primary care notification requirement could deter individuals seeking confidential services.

GHF supports SB 195 as a meaningful step toward expanding access to HIV prevention in Georgia. Monitoring implementation will be important: if limited pharmacist participation results from the additional requirements, this data could support future amendments to strengthen access while maintaining appropriate safeguards.

If your health insurance costs went up this year, you are not alone.

Thousands of Georgians are paying more for their Georgia Access coverage right now. Some have seen their monthly premiums double or even triple. Others have had to choose cheaper plans with higher deductibles or drop coverage completely. These aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet. They represent real families making difficult decisions about their health and financial security. Are you one of these Georgians?