Georgia Finally Admits Health Insurance Costs Are About To Skyrocket

Georgia Access sent a letter to residents using the health insurance exchange today confirming what politicians and health experts have been warning about for months: Health insurance premiums are about to jump dramatically when federal subsidies expire at the end of the year.

What It Means For You: If you buy health insurance through Georgia Access, the state is now officially telling you to prepare for much higher monthly bills starting in 2026. This is the first time Georgia has directly acknowledged the crisis to enrolled residents.

State officials from the governor’s office to the insurance commissioner’s office have dodged press inquiries about the upcoming price hike for months, with the state waiting to acknowledge the issue until after getting heat from residents as they logged in to Georgia Access and saw the increases for the first time.

Why This Matters: More than 1.5 million Georgians buy insurance through the marketplace, this includes contract workers, anyone who is self-employed, part-time workers, and workers who have jobs at small companies that can’t afford to insure their employees.

Georgia officials have stayed mostly quiet while Congress debated extending the subsidies. The state did not issue public warnings or prepare residents for the changes until now, even as the deadline approached and the government shut down. This letter marks the first time Georgia has directly told enrolled residents what is coming.

But it isn’t only the subsidies ending that is causing the premium hike. Georgia Access, now in its second year is experiencing significant problems in keeping insurers on its version of the exchange and in convincing the insurance companies that are staying to offer competitive premiums.

Health experts who saw the prices this week during the state’s “window shopping” period have likened the insurance company offerings to a cartel, with all the prices going up and the coverage decreasing. The plans differ, but mostly look the same.

Here is a rundown of all the changes that are impacting your health care prices for next year.

Federal Subsidies Are Ending: The federal government gave extra money to help people pay for health insurance during COVID. That money runs out on December 31. When it’s gone, most Georgians will pay more each month for the same coverage. The state confirms that Georgians will see a reduction in their tax credits and an increase in monthly premiums.

Premiums Are Going Up Across The Board: Georgia Access warns that insurance companies are raising prices for many plans in 2026. The state says this is not true for every plan and location, but makes it critical to actively shop for new coverage instead of letting your old plan automatically renew.

Aetna Is Leaving Georgia Completely: Aetna will no longer offer individual health plans in Georgia starting in 2026. Georgians currently enrolled in an Aetna plan will not be automatically renewed into a different plan. The state is telling these customers they must pick a new insurance company themselves or lose coverage.

New Tax Repayment Rules Could Cost You: In previous years, the government limited how much extra money you had to pay back if you underestimated your income and got too much help paying premiums. For 2026, those limits are gone. If you guess your income wrong, you could owe hundreds or thousands of dollars when you file your 2027 taxes. Georgia Access is warning residents to accurately project their household income and report changes as they happen.

This is particularly difficult for contract workers, gig workers, and the self-employed, who’s income depends on how business is going each month.

Stricter Deadlines For Proving Your Information: When Georgia Access cannot verify information you provide on your application, they create what’s called a Data Matching Inconsistency. You then have to send in documents proving what you told them is true. The state is setting all deadlines for these documents at 90 days. Miss the deadline and you could lose coverage.

Some Plans Now Work With Health Savings Accounts: Some high-deductible health plans that previously did not qualify to be paired with Health Savings Accounts now do. These plans will generally have HSA in the plan name when you shop. A Health Savings Account lets you save money tax-free to pay for medical expenses. However, these plans typically have high deductibles and you have to be able to bank money to afford your own healthcare. The amount you can add to your HSA is also capped.

Catastrophic Plans Require Special Paperwork: Georgians over 30 years old who want to enroll in a Catastrophic Plan must qualify for a hardship exemption. The federal government has expanded the criteria to qualify for these exemptions.

What You Need To Do: Log into your Georgia Access account during Open Enrollment for 2026. Update your income information. Shop for a new plan instead of letting your old one automatically renew. The state recommends calling an insurance agent or the Georgia Access hotline at 1-888-687-1503 if you need help.

Between The Lines: Georgia is one of 10 states that did not expand Medicaid, which means these marketplace plans are the only option for affordable coverage for thousands of people.

Georgia leaders have known for months that subsidies would expire and premiums would rise but have used a “wait and see” approach and have made no publicly visible efforts at the state level to ease the burden on Georgia residents.

Meanwhile other states have formed collaboratives with other states to keep prices down or have created their own tax subsidies to protect their residents from these increases.

As a reminder, Georgia consistently ranks near the bottom of the nation for health care, as the state prioritizes being the number one state for business.

The Sources: Georgia Access.

🩺 Take Action: Georgia’s healthcare system won’t improve unless residents demand it. As a “business-friendly” state, Georgia often prioritizes the needs of businesses, including insurance companies, over patients — and that leaves many families behind. If you want better, tell your state lawmakers to invest in rural hospitals, expand access to care, and support programs that help mothers and children thrive.