Following a lack of federal approval to exit the federal insurance marketplace, Georgia has launched a new online health insurance portal called Georgia Access — that serves as a way to direct people to health insurance companies and brokers.
The website offers links to 10 health insurance companies, seven online brokers, and companies and brokers that offer dental and vision plans. Information regarding Medicaid, PeachCare for Kids and state health-care agencies who assist with mental health is also included.
Not included on the portal is a link to the federal website, HealthCare.gov, which provides a simple method for purchasing insurance through the Affordable Care Act.
Gov. Brian Kemp requested for Georgia to exit the federal marketplace for health insurance in 2020. The Biden administration rejected plan saying that analysis showed the plan would cover less Georgians than the federal marketplace.
According to the new portal, 1.3 million people in Georgia do not have health insurance.
Some argue that for-profit private insurance companies and online brokers do not always have the best interests of consumers in mind and might push people to enroll in plans that do not cover all of their health needs.
Joan Alker, a research professor at Georgetown University, wrote earlier this year that this may be damaging to the needs of racial and ethnic minorities who are not proficient in English.
Democrats in Georgia's state legislature have called to expand Medicaid to reach the state's population that is uninsured.
Jan. 15, 2023 is the last day of open enrollment for marketplace plans.