Healthcare costs, medical debt burden Georgians as advocacy campaign launches

Nearly half of working age adults in 2025 found it difficult to afford healthcare in the U.S., and Georgia residents face twice as much medical debt as the rest of the country, according to Georgia Public Broadcasting. 

Laura Colbert, executive director of Georgians for a Healthy Future, said the interests of corporations often outweigh the interests of patients.

“So, we’re seeing people have to choose between having health insurance and maintaining the rest of their household budgets,” Colbert said. “We’ve seen folks make that difficult decision and have to drop coverage.”

Georgians who receive health insurance through Georgia Access have seen their premiums rise by 114% on average since 2025 due to Congress failing to renew healthcare subsidies. Plus, HR 1, or the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, made significant changes to Medicaid and the Health Insurance Marketplace, which will result in Georgia losing more than $5 billion in Medicaid funding over the next several years.

“That’s not an amount the state can make up on its own, and so cuts will have to happen elsewhere,” she said.

“One Nation, Overcharged” is a movement of 140 organizations advocating for healthcare, civil rights and racial equity. The campaign plans to host panels and social events in Atlanta, Savannah and other parts of the state over the summer.