The GOP health plan released this week could give some DeKalb County residents access to thousands of dollars to buy health insurance but for others would take away the financial help that makes buying coverage possible.
The federal tax credits proposed in the House plan, the "American Health Care Act," would be far less generous for older and low-income residents and benefit people who are younger and make more money, an analysis by the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation shows.
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The Affordable Care Act and the GOP proposal both offer tax credits to help people buy insurance but structure them very differently. Right now, Obamacare tax credits are based on income, with people who make less getting more help. The GOP plan, however, would give people a lump-sum credit, ranging from $2,000 to $4,000, based mostly on age and less on income.
Here’s an example of how that might look for DeKalb County residents based on Kaiser’s analysis.
A 27-year-old making $30,000 a year would see his credit increase by $1,320, from $680 under Obamacare to $2,000 under the new plan. Meanwhile, a person the same age but making $20,000 would see his credit decrease by $200.
Older DeKalb residents would get hit harder. A 60-year-old making $20,000 a year would see her credit slashed by more than $3,000, while someone the same age making $40,000 would see his credit reduced by $110.
Among those who would benefit most under the Republican plan are higher income earners who currently don’t qualify for Obamacare tax credits, which cut off at around $48,000. The new plan would allow people earning up to $75,000 to get tax credits.
Read more about the GOP's health plan and how it would impact Georgians on MyAJC.
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