Georgia governor's race: Where Bottoms and Jackson stand on health care

Where do Georgia’s candidates for governor stand on health care access? As hundreds of thousands of Georgians have lost health insurance coverage following the expiration of pandemic-era Affordable Care Act subsidies, health care access, Medicaid expansion and insurance coverage are key issues in the 2026 Georgia governor’s race. Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms supports fully expanding Medicaid in Georgia, which remains one of a small number of states that has not adopted the program’s full expansion under the Affordable Care Act. As governor, Bottoms would need support from the state legislature to expand Medicaid. Republican Rick Jackson supports a more limited approach to Medicaid expansion. Jackson has proposed expanding coverage for some low-income Georgians while maintaining work requirements and allowing others to remain on subsidized private insurance plans. He has also proposed seeking additional federal funding to help cover health care costs. For their complete positions and more in-depth analysis on health care access, Medicaid expansion and insurance coverage, follow our "Where They Stand" series on AJC.com as we break down the candidates' views on the issues shaping Georgia's future. Credits: Video by Miasarah Lai, Sources: AJC | CSPAN | Riley Bunch / AJC