Senate · Introduced · 2025-2026 Regular Session

SB 379: "Georgia Health Insurance Affordability and Consumer Protection Act"; enact

Last action January 13, 2026 · Senate Read and Referred

A Georgia Senate bill would direct the Department of Insurance to create a state health insurance affordability program with premium subsidies and cost-sharing help, responding to the expiration of federal ACA enhanced tax credits.

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The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Introduced version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.

In plain language

Enhanced federal premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act expired on December 31, 2025, raising health insurance costs for many Georgians, especially those earning under 250 percent of the federal poverty level. This bill would require the Georgia Department of Insurance to build a new state affordability program to soften that impact. The program would offer state premium subsidies for people earning up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level, extra cost-sharing help for those under 250 percent, and a no-premium state funded plan for those under 200 percent. The department must convene a stakeholder group, study funding options, and submit plans to the Governor and General Assembly through 2026. The program only takes effect January 1, 2027, if Congress has not restored the federal tax credits by then, and the whole Code section automatically repeals on December 31, 2031.

What the bill does

Requires the Department of Insurance to build an affordability program by September 30, 2026, offering state premium subsidies, cost-sharing reductions, and a no-premium plan for lower earners.
Sets income tiers: subsidies for people up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level, added cost-sharing help below 250 percent, and a free state funded plan below 200 percent.
Requires a stakeholder working group of consumer advocates, insurers, providers, and employers be convened by August 1, 2026 to shape the program.
Requires a fiscal impact analysis and funding recommendations, including possible charges on insurers selling plans on Georgia Access, submitted by September 1, 2026.
Makes the program effective only if Congress and the President fail to restore the expired enhanced premium tax credits by January 1, 2027.
Automatically repeals the entire new Code section on December 31, 2031.

Who it affects

Low- and middle-income Georgians who buy insurance through Georgia Access, especially those under 250 to 400 percent of the federal poverty level; rural residents, small business owners, and gig workers; health insurers operating on the marketplace; and the Department of Insurance and Office of Planning and Budget, which must build and fund the program.

Why it matters

If the enhanced federal tax credits are not restored, many Georgians buying their own insurance would face state-run alternatives to soften premium increases, including free plans for the lowest earners. Insurers could face new charges to help fund the program, and full rollout depends on federal inaction continuing.

Key provisions

Section 2 states legislative findings that expiring federal enhanced premium tax credits are raising costs, especially for those under 250 percent of the federal poverty level.
Section 3 adds new Code section 33-24-59.37, defining terms like 'affordability program,' 'cost-sharing reductions,' and 'Georgia Access.'
Subsection (b) requires the department to develop the program by September 30, 2026, with three income-based tiers of assistance.
Subsection (c) requires a stakeholder working group by August 1, 2026; subsection (d) requires the group's plan be submitted to the Governor and General Assembly by September 30, 2026.
Subsection (f) requires a fiscal impact analysis and funding mechanisms report, including possible insurer charges, by September 1, 2026.
Subsection (g) requires annual reports to the General Assembly starting January 1, 2028 on enrollment and outcomes.
Subsection (j) makes the program effective January 1, 2027 only if Congress has not restored the federal enhanced tax credits by then.
Subsection (k) repeals the Code section on December 31, 2031.

From the bill

“A state funded plan for individuals earning below 200 percent of the federal poverty level that does not require the payment of any premiums.”
The bill would create a free state-funded insurance plan for the lowest-income Georgians.

“The affordability program shall only become effective on January 1, 2027, in the event that the Congress and President of the United States have failed to reestablish the enhanced premium tax credits”
The program only starts if the federal government does not restore the expired tax credits first.

Discussed in meetings (3)

The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.

Senate floor session, January 15, 2026 (legislative day 4)
From 0:56:23 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: A co-sponsor said SB 379 would use state subsidies to cover increased insurance costs caused by expiring federal Affordable Care Act premium subsidies. The co-sponsor cited early December figures showing Georgia Access enrollment down by more than 190,000 compared with the previous year, reported average premium increases of 200%, and analysts’ warnings that nearly half a million exchange customers could lose affordable coverage. The co-sponsor argued that losing insurance would lead people to delay care, increase unpaid hospital bills and put more pressure on rural providers. The co-sponsor said Georgia’s surplus could help keep coverage affordable and urged legislative action. No questions or vote followed.
Senate floor session, February 5, 2026 (legislative day 13)
From 1:30:11 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: During personal remarks, a senator said SB 379 would create a state health insurance affordability program, lowering costs for people earning up to 400% of the federal poverty level and providing free healthcare for those earning up to 200%. The senator argued that state action was needed after Congress failed to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits. The senator said 200,000 Georgians had lost coverage in the previous month, 1.5 million could lose coverage or face premiums doubling or tripling, and Georgia hospitals could lose $1.6 billion in revenue. No vote on the bill occurred.

Read aloud: Senate floor session, January 13, 2026 (legislative day 2), 0:22:15

Status timeline

2026-01-13Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2026-01-12Senate Hopper (Senate)

Topics

health insurance
Affordable Care Act
premium subsidies
Georgia Access
insurance affordability

Ask about this bill

Machine-readable https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb379.md · https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md · MCP https://mcp.georgiacommons.org/mcp