Georgians who rely on health subsidies worry about the future
ATLANTA, Ga. — After the U.S. Senate failed on Thursday to renew 2021 tax credits tied to the Affordable Care Act, Georgians using the subsidies to pay for their health coverage are wondering what to do next.
The credits, which were expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, will revert to their original rate. But for some using them – especially people with health impairments – it may not be enough to cover their costs.
“Insurance for me is a huge relief, as long as I have it,” said Himali Patel, who suffers from multiple autoimmune disorders and has battled cancer.
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Health policy researchers estimate Georgia could see average premium increases of more than 75% if subsidies expire.
Patel said the tax credits allowed her to afford her coverage, so while not having insurance isn’t an option for her, she’ll have to find other ways to trim her budget.
“In my world, I don’t really have a choice. My choice is literally, ‘Do I stay alive, do I function as I’m currently functioning, or do I have no insurance?’” she said. “I just have to make it work some other way and, unfortunately, ‘some other’ way just means making really tough decisions.”
What does Senate’s failure to extend health care subsidies mean for Georgians?
After a critical vote in the Senate failed, over a million Georgians are facing the possibility of rising costs in the new year.
Patel also said that the Republican-backed alternative, a program similar to health savings accounts for Americans, wouldn’t be near enough to cover the cost of fighting her illnesses.
“I wish they were more common because they might be cheaper to treat, but they’re rare,” she said.
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Republicans at the state level have argued that Georgia, with the second-largest state-based health care exchange in the nation, provides plenty of options for patients.
“We have, in Georgia, done a really wonderful job of doing this. Access has been a terribly great success,” said Republican state Sen. Ben Watson, a medical doctor. “For the hysteria to get started here in the state is just unwarranted now, and I think it’s unwarranted in the future.”
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