Georgia
Open enrollment begins in Georgia amid uncertainty over ACA tax credits
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Open enrollment for health coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplace is now underway for more than a million Georgians, but this year comes with added uncertainty.
The tax credits that help make coverage affordable may not be extended, leaving many residents unsure about their health care costs.
64-year-old Gareth Finley currently qualifies for a monthly premium tax credit under the ACA, which helps keep her insurance within reach.
But this week, Finley was stunned to see her monthly premium had doubled. Her $1,200-per-month tax credit may or may not continue, a decision now in the hands of Congress.
“I think the U.S. has amazing health care, but the financing system for it is just kind of bizarre and broken,” Finley said.
According to Georgians for a Healthy Future, nearly 1.5 million Georgians rely on ACA tax credits. 93% of those enrolled in the marketplace depend on the subsidies to keep coverage affordable.
Finley expressed concern about the broader impact of rising costs on hospitals and rural communities.
“When hospitals can’t afford sustaining emergency rooms, they’ll end up closing — especially in rural areas like where I live,” she said.
The debate over ACA tax credits has become central in the ongoing government shutdown. Democrats stress the urgency of extending the subsidies.
Senator Jon Ossoff said in a statement, “Today, Senate Republicans again blocked a bill to fund the Federal government and prevent massive increases in health insurance premiums. More than 20 million Americans will see their health insurance premiums double next year without Congressional action, while President Trump continues to refuse to work on a solution.”
Republicans argue the pandemic-era subsidies were intended to be temporary and that continuing them could benefit higher-income households.
However, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has signaled willingness to negotiate with Democrats on a new healthcare plan, posting that she is “absolutely disgusted” that insurance premiums could double if the credits expire.
Finley said the credits are essential.
“I can’t see our country sustaining our health care system and economy without it,” she said.
Open enrollment runs through Jan. 15. Experts warn that if Congress does not act before the end of the year, thousands of Georgia families could lose coverage or face unaffordable premiums early next year.
Copyright 2025 WANF. All rights reserved.
Georgia baseball will resume its NCAA Athens Regional game with Long Island at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 29, after persistent rain—heavy at times—forced the suspension of the game.
The Bulldogs have a commanding 15-1 lead with nobody out in the bottom of the sixth.
The teams and some fans waited out a delay that started 7:14 p.m.
The game was suspended officially at 9:06 p.m. Long Island players were already grabbing their equipment in the dugout to depart for the team hotel before then.
The winner of Georgia-LIU will play No. 3 seed Liberty Saturday in the double-elimination tournament in a game scheduled for 5 p.m.
The loser will play No. 2 seed Boston College at noon.
The No. 3 national seed Bulldogs hit six homers before the game was delayed due to heavy rain.
There was a 53 percent chance of rain at 9 a.m. Saturday, according to weather.com, decreasing to 17 percent at 11 a.m., but there’s a threat of storms in the afternoon.
The Georgia Public Service Commission this week approved a plan expected to reduce utility bills for Georgia Power customers by a few dollars a month.
The commission said the change will generate about $285 million in total annual savings for Georgia Power customers, or roughly $50 per year — about $4.04 per month — for the average residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours a month.
The Georgia PSC voted Thursday to lower overall rates as part of the approved plan.
Georgia Power Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Tyler Cook said the decision will provide “real savings for Georgia families and businesses as the heat of summer begins and energy use increases.”
“At Georgia Power, our teams work every day to run our business efficiently and keep reliable and affordable energy flowing to our customers,” Cook said.
Cook said the outcome followed months of work between Georgia Power and PSC staff, including reviews, public hearings and input from residents and intervenors.
The approved plan is tied to a stipulated agreement reached earlier this month involving two cases filed with the PSC in February, the Fuel Cost Recovery case and the Storm Cost Recovery case. Those cases addressed recovering fuel costs used to generate electricity and expenses tied to restoring power after storms.
Georgia Power said its rates remain, on average, about 15% below the national average and that it is still on track to provide additional annual savings of about $102 per year for typical residential customers beginning in 2029.
ATLANTA – The Georgia Public Service Commission approved a stipulated agreement on Thursday to lower utility rates for Georgia Power customers starting June 1.
The regulatory body voted to pass the deal without changes, establishing how the utility can bill for fuel costs and storm damage restoration expenses.
State regulators approve rate cuts
What we know:
The Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) voted 3-2 to reject several utility cost amendments before ultimately passing the overall deal. Under the approved agreement, a typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month will see monthly bills decrease by roughly $4.03 to $4.04. Total annual savings across all 2.8 million Georgia Power customers are projected to reach approximately $285 million.
The deal reduces how much money the utility can recover from its customer base for storm expenses by nearly 60%, dropping the revenue requirement from $270 million down to $109 million. The agreement also extends the amortization of storm recovery costs, largely tied to Hurricane Helene in 2024, to 67 months, caps natural gas advance purchases at 20% over a 36-month window, and cuts $13 million from the company’s original fuel recovery estimates.
Accountability questions remain unresolved
What we don’t know:
While the PSC agreed to launch a separate investigation into how fuel costs are allocated, officials have not yet confirmed how much large industrial operations will be forced to pay in future rate cases. Consumer advocacy groups argue that massive data center companies are driving up fuel costs for everyday ratepayers without paying for the infrastructure upgrades they require. Critics note that it remains unclear if a future utility asset structure will successfully shift financial burdens away from residential homes.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from official press releases issued by the Georgia Public Service Commission and Georgia Power, as well as previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting.
-
Los Angeles, Ca11 minutes agoMan arrested for multiple Los Angeles freeway shootings: CHP
-
Detroit, MI31 minutes agoArchdiocese of Detroit’s list of parishes chosen for halted Masses grows
-
San Francisco, CA41 minutes agoGiants reassign 3B coach Borg; Wotus named interim replacement
-
Dallas, TX46 minutes agoVigil honors victims of Dallas apartment explosion that killed three and injured five
-
Miami, FL53 minutes ago
Miami kosher, Mutra, restaurant earns Michelin star | The Jerusalem Post
-
Boston, MA55 minutes agoRed Sox outfielder Roman Anthony suffers another injury setback
-
Denver, CO1 hour agoDenver weather: Warm weather to end May
-
Seattle, WA1 hour agoSeattle City Council proposal would use street closures to curb gun violence
