- Ndubuisi Onwumere
- Jan 13
- 2 min read
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 13, 2026
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Sens. McLaurin, Jones, Jackson, Parent, Parkes Introduce Legislation to Save Health Care Subsidies
Bill would require creation of an insurance affordability program to protect health care subsidies lost to recent expiration of Affordable Care Act tax credits
Atlanta, Ga. — Monday, January 12, Senator Josh McLaurin (D-Atlanta) introduced SB 379 to lower health insurance costs for millions of Georgians following the expiration of the Affordable Care Act tax credits. The bill was cosponsored by Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones II (D-Augusta), Senate Minority Whip Kim Jackson (D-Atlanta), Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Elena Parent (D-Atlanta), and Senator Nabilah Parkes (D-Duluth).
“DC Republicans have left Georgians a mess and Democrats are working to clean it up. Over a million Georgians are seeing their premiums skyrocket because Republicans failed to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies,” Sen. Josh McLaurin said. “I’m fighting to pass SB 379 to save the subsidies Republicans killed and ease the financial burden on Georgians. Health care is a right, not a privilege. It belongs to all Georgians.”
SB 379 would require the Department of Insurance to implement an insurance affordability program in response to the recent expiration of certain Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act tax credits. The program would lower health care costs for Georgians up to 400% of the federal poverty line. For Georgians making up to 200% of the federal poverty line, it would provide them free health care.
Background
Senate Democrats, led by former Senator Jason Esteves (D-Atlanta), introduced a similar bill, SB 192, during the 2025 legislative session. Senate Democrats anticipated that the Republican-held Congress would fail to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies that kept health care premiums affordable for Georgia. Despite warning signs from the federal government, Georgia Senate Republicans failed to advance the legislation.
Click HERE to learn more about SB 379.
Senator Josh McLaurin is available for comment
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