Georgia’s Healthcare Marketplace experienced a glitch that left customers without coverage.
Over 20,000 insured individuals were affected by the error, which stemmed from a mandatory switch in online systems. A new law requires Georgia residents to sign up for medical coverage through the Georgia Access portal instead of the federal marketplace.
As a result of the switch, Georgia Access auto-enrolled some participants while others signed up individually.
Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King assured customers that the system prevents multiple policies from being issued.
“The system was determining that we are going to go with your last entry. That is the coverage you are going to get, and we are going to cancel the old entry if you had a duplicate,” King said. “There is coverage, just not under that old policy.”
Michele Fischbach spoke with Atlanta’s WSB-TV about how she discovered the glitch, which led her to believe she had been dropped from her insurance.
“I went online and tried to sign on, and they said there is no active medical policy. So, I freaked,” Fischbach said.
Another Georgia resident shared how the glitch impacted both his mental and physical health.
“Stress is a trigger for my chronic illness, and not knowing if I had coverage really scared me. Imagine needing to go to the hospital or see my doctor, only to be told I would not have coverage.”
All marketplace participants will receive a notice about the potential error. Anyone experiencing issues accessing their policy benefits can contact Georgia Access Consumer Support at 888-687-1503.
The new state marketplace gained federal approval in August 2024 under the direction of Gov. Brian Kemp. The marketplace connects potential customers with private insurance brokers.
The deadline for enrollment was Jan. 15, but Georgians with an income below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level are eligible to enroll at any time.
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