Did Mike Collins help double health insurance premiums for 1 million Georgians?
PolitiFact – Rulings and Stories — 2026-07-16 10:58:00 — www.politifact.com
Trump-Backed Bill Led to Soaring Health Insurance Premiums and Coverage Losses in Georgia
As the battle for Georgia’s U.S. Senate seat intensifies, Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff is highlighting the impact of Donald Trump’s healthcare policies on Georgians. At a recent campaign rally, Ossoff accused Trump and Republican challenger Rep. Mike Collins of doubling health insurance premiums for over a million Georgians and causing 300,000 to lose their coverage.
Trump’s Role in Rising Premiums
The controversy centers on the expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies at the end of 2025—a move approved by Trump. These subsidies, expanded during the pandemic, had made health insurance more affordable for millions. When Congress allowed them to lapse and Trump gave his approval, analysts predicted sharp increases in premiums and a drop in enrollment. Those predictions are now playing out across the country, including in Georgia.
Trump has long opposed the ACA, repeatedly promising but never delivering an alternative. He has sought to reduce promotion of federal marketplace plans, cut subsidies, and promote waivers that decrease enrollment. In 2025, Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” made significant changes to the ACA marketplace, requiring annual updates from policyholders and failing to extend the expiring subsidies that kept premiums low.
The Impact in Georgia
The results have been dramatic. Georgia’s net marketplace premiums have more than doubled, increasing by an average of 114% from 2025 to 2026—exceeding even Ossoff’s claims. Enrollment on Georgia’s ACA marketplace dropped by 37% in just a few months, amounting to over 500,000 fewer enrollees. Consumer advocates say it’s reasonable to conclude that at least 300,000 Georgians lost their insurance due to the price hikes.
Fact-Checking the Claims
While Ossoff’s rhetoric is pointed, the facts support his core assertions. Trump approved the lapse in subsidies, and the resulting premium spikes and coverage losses were widely anticipated by healthcare experts. The data shows that more than a million Georgians were affected by the premium increases, and hundreds of thousands lost coverage as a result.
Conclusion
Donald Trump’s record on healthcare—marked by efforts to undermine the ACA and approval of subsidy cuts—has had a direct and significant impact on health insurance affordability and coverage in Georgia. As the Senate race continues, the fallout from these policy decisions remains a central issue for voters concerned about the cost and accessibility of healthcare.