Georgia Access preps to enroll Georgians in Affordable Health Coverage

Starting today, Oct. 28, Georgia residents may visit GeorgiaAccess.gov to preview 2025 health insurance plan offerings and compare prices in Georgia Access, Georgia’s new State-based Health Insurance Exchange.  

From 2014 through 2023, Georgia relied fully on the federally run health insurance Marketplace, HealthCare.gov, for enrollment. For 2024, the state transitioned to a state-based Marketplace, but continued to operate through the federal healthcare.gov platform. 

Georgia Access is the State’s program for eligible Georgians to shop for and enroll in health insurance coverage in the State’s individual health insurance marketplace. Georgia is the 20th state to trade in the federal exchange for a state-specific model.

Open enrollment in Georgia Access begins November 1, and on that day, program agents will transition from enrolling consumers on HealthCare.gov to enrolling on Georgia Access or through an Enhanced Direct Enrollment (EDE) partner for Open Enrollment 2025.

Open enrollment in Georgia will run through Jan. 15, 2025, for coverage effective in 2025. However, to have coverage effective Jan. 1, 2025, Georgia residents will need to complete their enrollment by Dec. 16.  This is the same overall schedule used by HealthCare.gov. 

The new state-run marketplace will match consumers with web brokers, agents and insurance companies. Agents are required to adhere to all requirements and complete Georgia Access certification training to sell plans on Georgia Access. 

 According to Georgia Access Executive Director Cheryl Gardner, there are “more than 15,000 licensed and certified agents that will be available to help residents find the best coverage options to meet their unique needs and budgets.”

Gardner said, “Agents offer consumers localized help and a personalized customer experience. They are integral in our mission to provide multiple pathways for consumers to enroll in health coverage and to reduce the number of uninsured residents in Georgia.”

After the transition to Georgia Access, enrollees will continue to have access to the same federal premium tax credits (premium subsidies) and cost-sharing reductions that are available via HealthCare.gov. Eligibility for these subsidies is the same regardless of whether a state runs its own exchange or uses the federal platform.

Premium tax credit eligibility is governed by IRS rules that are applicable nationwide. The amount of each enrollee’s tax credit depends on their household income and the cost of the second-lowest-cost Silver plan (benchmark plan) for that person. Since both of those can change from one year to the next, premium subsidy amounts also change from one year to the next, but the underlying structure of the subsidies is not changing with Georgia’s transition to a state-run Marketplace.

In February 2024, 96% of Georgia’s Marketplace enrollees received advance payments of premium tax credits. 

Cost-sharing reductions are available to enrollees with income between 100% and 250% of the federal poverty level as long as they select a Silver level plan. This will continue to be the case in Georgia’s state-run Marketplace.

According to a recent Georgia Access press release, Georgia Access will offer different types of quality affordable health insurance plans, including Qualified Health Plans (QHPs), Stand-alone Dental Plans (SADPs) and Catastrophic Health Plans. 

Again, Georgians can begin plan browsing today, Oct. 28. Shopping and enrolling for health coverage begins on November 1. Coverage will begin on January 1, 2025, for those who select a plan by December 16. 

For more information, visit GeorgiaAccess.gov or call the Georgia Access Contact Center at 888-687-1503, TTY Line 711.