Stop Georgia From Dismantling HealthCare.gov!

Georgia is asking the federal government to exit HealthCare.gov, the federal marketplace that 500,000 Georgians use every year to enroll in private health plans and Medicaid.

Right now, Georgians have the choice of enrolling through HealthCare.gov, private web brokers, or insurance companies. The state’s proposal would eliminate the HealthCare.gov option, which provides a one-stop shop where people can compare all plans and apply for coverage. 

By forcing Georgians to navigate a fragmented system of private web brokers and insurance companies, Georgia’s proposal would make it harder for them to get information they can trust and enroll in a good-quality private plan or Medicaid. This could leave tens of thousands of people uninsured. 

Many other people would end up in substandard plans that expose them to high costs if they get sick. That’s because Georgia would give private web brokers and insurers new opportunities to use aggressive or deceptive marketing to lure people into plans that earn companies higher profits but offer little actual coverage.  

And if the federal government approves Georgia’s plan, other states might adopt it. 

Want to share your story? Here are some ideas!

• If you have used HealthCare.gov for yourself or to help another person -- explain how one-stop shopping gave you access to unbiased information about plans, made it easier to apply for premium tax credits or Medicaid, or made it easier to enroll in comprehensive coverage instead of becoming uninsured. 
• If you have received confusing or misleading information from a web broker or insurance company -- share this experience and explain that requiring Georgians to rely on private companies to enroll in health coverage would be harmful.
• If you have a health condition -- explain how Georgia’s proposal would give bad-actor insurers and brokers more chances to steer healthier people to junk plans, raising premiums for good-quality coverage that you and others with health conditions need.  
• If you live outside Georgia -- describe the likely harm if your state followed Georgia’s lead. 

Resources
For more information, see: 

• “Tens of Thousands Could Lose Coverage Under Georgia’s 1332 Proposal,” Tara Straw, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, September 1, 2020.
• “Georgia’s Latest 1332 Proposal Continues to Violate the ACA,” Christen Linke Young and Jason Levitis, Brookings Institution, September 1, 2020.