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Georgia Access enrollment deadline pushed back to Friday

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Published  December 16, 2024 7:57am EST
Georgia
FOX 5 Atlanta

Georgia Open Enrollment ending soon

Deadlines are looming for Georgia's health insurance open enrollment, so don't delay getting this done. The FOX 5 I-Team's Dana Fowle has a last-minute reminder for everyone still waiting to sign up for their plan.

The Brief

    • Officials have pushed back the deadline to enroll in the state's new health insurance from Monday to Friday.
    • Insurance officials say they made the decision to extend the deadline since the program is new and may be unfamiliar to residents of the Peach State.
    • The new Georgia Access comes after years of negotiation between the state and the federal government.

ATLANTA - Georgia officials have extended the deadline to enroll in the state's new health insurance program set to begin at the start of 2025.

The original deadline for Georgia Access was Monday, but last week the Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire (OCI) announced a new deadline of Dec. 20.

"Open Enrollment is the optimal time for Georgians to explore affordable options for health coverage," OCI Commissioner John F. King said.

Officials said they decided to extend the deadline since the program is new and may be unfamiliar to many in the state. They also pointed to the recent hurricanes that affected many Georgians, saying they wanted to give everyone the opportunity to enroll.

Former President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law in 2010, which initiated federally subsidized health insurance plans known as "Obamacare." Over a dozen states have set up their own exchanges to run the ACA’s subsidy program, and Georgia received federal approval in August to open its own marketplace after years of negotiation.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said launching a state-based insurance exchange was one of his top priorities after he was elected in 2019. In October, the state launched the Georgia Access website, which officials said would allow Georgians to find health care policies that are both affordable and cover basic needs, just like the ACA’s website.

Unlike other state-based exchanges, the Georgia Access website emphasizes links that direct people to private web brokers and insurance agents. State officials say many Georgians are already using private options, and they will revoke an agent's license if they aren’t acting in the consumers’ best interest.

Any Georgians who enroll in a plan before Friday will have coverage starting on Jan. 1. If you enroll after the deadline through the end of the Open Enrollment period, your coverage will start on Feb. 1.

You can see resources and get assistance on Georgia Access' website or by calling the Georgia Access contact center at (888) 687-1503.

As many as 1.3 million Georgians are expected to use Georgia Access.

The Source

  • Information for this story came from a press release by the Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire, previous FOX 5 reporting, and the Associated Press.

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