Extending ACA premium credits: What do Georgia’s leaders think?

The Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, currently offers premium tax credits to assist those who struggle to afford health insurance, decreasing monthly payments for those who purchase their own health insurance. During the pandemic, these tax credits were  temporarily expanded, qualifying more individuals for benefits. These credits are set to expire at the end of 2025 unless Congress extends them, which many Democrats are advocating to extend, while some Republicans would prefer to see the credits expire. The federal government is currently in a shutdown, something each side attributes to the other, and both would probably agree has something to do with the healthcare situation.  Here is what our state’s leaders are endorsing:

Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff is strongly in favor of extending these credits, co-sponsoring the Health Care Affordability Act of 2025—a bill that would extend the premium tax credits. Ossoff continues to voice his concern over the impact letting these credits expire would cause in increasing Georgians’ 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,” said Ossoff. 

Ossoff cites recent polling and analysis from the non-partisan health policy group KFF, which found that premiums could increase by 114% on average if credits expire. Additionally, he cites  a new KFF report stating that 78% of Americans agree with extending the credits to support his motion to extend these credits. 

“I remain ready to work with my Republican colleagues to resolve this unnecessary crisis as swiftly as possible,” said Ossoff. 

Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who recently spoke at a Fayette County Republican Party event, while not a fan of ACA in general, is in support of extending the credits as well. Sharing in a post on social media platform X on Monday she emphasized that while she would not support providing health care benefits to undocumented immigrants, letting the credits expire would affect her own children.

“I’m going to go against everyone on this issue because when the tax credits expire this year my own adult children’s insurance premiums for 2026 are going to DOUBLE along with all the wonderful families and hard-working people in my district,” she shared in the post. “No I’m not towing the party line on this, or playing loyalty games. I’m a Republican and won’t vote for illegals to have any tax payer funded healthcare or benefits. I’m AMERICA ONLY!!!,” she added.

Additionally, The Citizen received a statement from Congressman Brian Jack of Georgia’s 3rd District regarding his thoughts on the matter. 

“As President Ronald Reagan once said, a government program is the nearest thing to eternal life on Earth, and Senate Democrats are trying to make permanent these temporary government-run, tax-payer funded healthcare subsidies,” said Congressman Jack. “But, Congress can’t even negotiate or come to a resolution on this policy dispute until Senate Democrats reopen the government.”

For now, the debate continues. In the midst of the government shutdown, this topic remains at the forefront of the discussion highlighting the need for a solution in order to pass the federal budget and reopen the government.