Georgia waiver would let low-income adults ‘earn access’ to coverage

Georgia plans to ask the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for a Section 1115 waiver to allow 408,000 low-income adults who work, train, pursue educational opportunities or volunteer for at least 80 hours per month to “earn access” to employer-sponsored health insurance or Medicaid, Gov. Brian Kemp announced today. Participants would have to earn less than 100% of the federal poverty level and pay a premium based on a sliding-fee scale, which they could use along with points earned for healthy behaviors to purchase certain health care necessities. The governor also plans to pursue a Section 1332 waiver of certain Affordable Care Act requirements to launch a reinsurance program for the individual health insurance market; offer subsidies for health plans purchased directly from insurers and brokers; and allow employers to offset the cost for employees who purchase coverage through www.HealthCare.gov.