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Feds approve Georgia health insurance changes sought by Kemp

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, left, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma sign health care waivers at the state Capitol in Atlanta, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020. Georgia's plans would provide Medicaid access to adults who make less than poverty level incomes who meet work requirements, and leave private brokers as the only avenue to buy federally-subsidized private insurance for people with above-poverty incomes. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy)
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, left, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma sign health care waivers at the state Capitol in Atlanta, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020. Georgia's plans would provide Medicaid access to adults who make less than poverty level incomes who meet work requirements, and leave private brokers as the only avenue to buy federally-subsidized private insurance for people with above-poverty incomes. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy) Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, left, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma sign health care waivers at the state Capitol in Atlanta, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020. Georgia's plans would provide Medicaid access to adults who make less than poverty level incomes who meet work requirements, and leave private brokers as the only avenue to buy federally-subsidized private insurance for people with above-poverty incomes. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy)

By JEFF AMY / Associated Press 4 min read

ATLANTA (AP) – Georgia will become the first state to offer federally subsidized health insurance to its residents only through private brokers under a plan being approved by President Donald Trump’s administration.

A separate part of the plan would offer Medicaid to some of the state’s poorest able-bodied adults, but only on the condition that they work, volunteer, receive job training or attend school.

“This opportunity will help hardworking Georgians climb the ladder, while having a health care safety net below them. We are making insurance accessible for those who need the most,” Republican Gov. Brian Kemp said in an announcement Thursday at the state Capitol.

Opponents have attacked the plan’s failure to fully expand Medicaid, say work requirements will be a bureaucratic nightmare for recipients and warn that letting private companies control Georgia’s insurance marketplace could decrease enrollment because people are used to shopping at Healthcare.gov.

“I would dispute the characterization that this is a step forward,” said Laura Colbert, executive director at Georgians for a Healthy Future, a lobbying group that seeks better health care access. “I think that Georgia can do much better, and can do it more cost effectively.”