Enrollment opens for ACA insurance, with changes in prices and assistance
On Saturday, Georgia Access, the state’s program for Affordable Care Act health insurance plans, opens the door to enroll in 2026 policies. Open enrollment for 2026 plans will last until Jan. 15 in Georgia.
The time to shop is now. After open enrollment closes, no one can sign up for a 2026 plan unless they have a legally approved reason, like moving to a new state or getting divorced.
The higher price tags for ACA premiums and deductibles next year have made national news. Some pandemic-era extra federal subsidies are scheduled to expire, and Congress is currently shut down in a fight over whether to extend them. For the moment, premium prices are expected to more than double nationwide, on average.
But there are still good options for many, state Insurance Commissioner John King said in a written statement. He urged people to check out the Georgia Access website and other resources.
“Georgia Access remains dedicated to our core mission to expand access to affordable health insurance for Georgians,” said Georgia Access Executive Director Cheryl Gardner.
The “enhanced” subsidies that are about to expire, and the Congressional shutdown are blanketing the airwaves. Less well known is that there will also be fewer “navigators” who offer unbiased assistance. Nationwide, funding for navigators has plummeted under the Trump administration.
In Georgia, King’s office said navigator funding didn’t yield results; navigator organizations disagree, providing data that differed from the state’s.
King’s office said it is putting $800,000 toward outreach organizations that will publicize Georgia Access, and is also helping privately-funded assisters get up to speed.
Georgia Legal Services Program used to run a navigator assistant for its clients, but this year the state gutted its funding so it gave up. “We do not have other appropriate funding available to further support the program,” said a spokeswoman, Mitzy Sharp Futro.
The nonprofit Georgians For a Healthy Future also lost its’ state funding but is going to keep assisting sign-ups with private donations. They said other funding does not fill the gap for Georgians in services left from the navigator cuts.
“That almost eliminates local, free, unbiased assistance for Georgians across the state,” said Laura Colbert, director of GHF. “We are maintaining our (customer assistant) program with private philanthropic grants, but most other programs have closed up shop.”
There are also private insurance agents, but they’re not bound to be neutral when advising which plan to choose, since they get rewarded by commissions.
How many people give up and how many people sign up remains to be seen. There are still options that meet many Georgians’ needs.
Last year, 1.5 million Georgians signed up for a 2025 plan, and about 1.35 million of them remain enrolled.
Here are some basic explanations and tips.
WHAT
Plans for 2026 health insurance offered on Georgia Access, Georgia’s Affordable Care Act marketplace, go on sale midnight Saturday. These plans offer basic guarantees like prescription coverage and can’t refuse to cover preexisting conditions.
There is also financial help for people who make less than a specified income level, with premiums and out-of-pocket costs subsidized by the government.
Unless Congress changes things, next year the people who get federal discounts on their costs are those with an income between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level, or $21,150 a year to $84,600 a year for a household of two.
The subsidy gets smaller the higher the income. Outside of that income window, the policyholder pays full market price.
WHEN
Georgia Access open enrollment ends Dec. 15 for coverage that starts Jan. 1, 2026; it ends Jan. 15 for coverage that starts Feb. 1. Many other states will not have that much time.
HOW MUCH
Prices will vary widely depending on a person’s age and income, and how much coverage they purchase (plans are titled bronze, silver, or gold). Prices are going to be much higher this year because “enhanced” subsidies are expiring.
WHERE
- Ground zero for plan shopping is the official ACA website in Georgia: GeorgiaAccess.gov. If people need help using the website they can reach a human by going through the prompts at 888-687-1503.
- Warning: the site is .gov, not .org or .com. Someone else bought those internet addresses and set up sites that appear to be the state’s insurance portal but are not.
- The GeorgiaAccess.gov website also offers different types of assistance. Under “Find Local Assistance,” a shopper can put in their ZIP code to find resources. Clicking for an “agent” searches for helpers incentivized by commissions. Clicking for a “Georgia Certified Assister” should yield organizations that are neutral.
- “Navigators” are fading out. Navigators used to be the most well-known type of neutral enrollment assistant. Georgia Access lists one Navigator grantee organization this year, PowerATL, which received $5,000.
- Georgians for a Healthy Future was formerly a navigator organization and now has a certified assistant. She has limited hours in Byron, Georgia at 470-654-5509.
- Client First Solutions in Americus is founded by health advocate Kirk Lyman-Barner. They are insurance agents who get private commissions. They will take clients from anywhere in Georgia, at 229-596-1002.
- GeorgiaAccess.gov also lists web brokers, which are alternative sign-up websites. Some agents use HealthSherpa.com because they say it’s easier to use.
About the Author
Ariel Hart is a reporter on health care issues. She works on the AJC’s health team and has reported on subjects including the Voting Rights Act and transportation.
