ATLANTA — A state senator from Duluth sent a letter to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp demanding a special session to deal with the potential loss of healthcare subsidies.
Logistically, that’s next to impossible just a month out from the regular session.
Channel 2’s Richard Elliot is live at the state Capitol for Channel 2 Action News at 6 p.m.
The U.S. Senate rejected the extension, and one Republican doesn’t think that’s necessarily a good idea.
“This is life or death. People will die. This is one of the most consequential votes this senate will take all year,” said U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Georgia.
He took to the floor of the senate Thursday morning to convince other lawmakers to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, which are scheduled to expire Jan. 1.
An estimated 1.4 million Georgians could see their health premiums spike.
“Senators will decide whether Georgians and folks around the country are financially ruined or have a shot. Half an million Georgians, it’s projected, will lose their coverage altogether. More than a million more will see their premiums double or worse.
But the vote failed.
The Senate also rejected the Republican plan to create health savings accounts to offset some health care costs.
Duluth Democratic State Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes sent a letter to Gov. Brian Kemp demanding a special session to deal with the impending spike in healthcare costs by expanding Medicaid before, she says “the damage becomes irreversible.”
Channel 2 spoke with Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene about it all.
While opposing the ACA and supporting the HSAs, she also worries that suddenly cutting off the ACA subsidies could be catastrophic to those who use the exchanges.
“But as far as the tax credits are concerned, i don’t think the way to handle it is to be like a car driving 80 miles an hour and hitting a brick wall and just stopping. I think an off ramp is the right way, the right approach,” Greene said.
There was no comment Thursday from any of Ossoff’s potential Republican opponents in next year’s midterm election.
And there was no comment Thursday from the governor’s office on this demand for a special legislative session.
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