Patients First Act

Gov. Kemp revises plan to change private insurance

In December 2019, Governor Brian Kemp asked the federal government to approve a plan that would make seismic changes to private health insurance in Georgia. In July 2020, Gov. Kemp revised his plan and released it to the public for comment. The revised plan is made up of two parts: 1) Reinsurance—which would help to lower premiums; and 2) the Georgia Access model—which would force consumers to enroll in coverage through for-profit insurance companies and

Explained: Governor Kemp’s Plan to Change Medicaid in Georgia

In December 2019, Georgia’s Governor asked federal officials to approve changes to the state’s Medicaid program. Medicaid is a public health insurance program that currently covers half of Georgia’s children, some low-income seniors and people with disabilities, low- and moderate-income pregnant women, and very low-income parents.  The Affordable Care Act (ACA) gave states the option to expand Medicaid to cover adults making slightly more than poverty-level wages (about $16,700 for an individual and $35,900 for

Explained: Gov. Kemp’s Plan to Change Private Health Insurance in Georgia

In December 2019, Governor Brian Kemp asked the federal government to approve a plan that would make seismic changes to private health insurance in Georgia. Gov. Kemp’s plan is made up of two parts: 1) Reinsurance—which would help to lower premiums; and 2) the Georgia Access model—which would undermine comprehensive coverage for the 500,000 Georgians who now have comprehensive coverage through the marketplace and put future enrollees at risk. Federal law allows states to make