Rising Healthcare Costs Have Hit Georgia’s Most Conservative District. But Its Politics Are Unlikely To Change.
With the expiration of enhanced subsidies for Affordable Care Act health plans, thousands of Georgians are paying more for coverage or going uninsured. In one of the state's reddest districts, the economic impact is growing faster than the political fallout.
In Georgia's 14th Congressional District, a deeply conservative area, thousands of residents lack health insurance. Cohutta resident Amber Bates, along with her husband and 2-year-old son, has not had insurance for the past two years due to their unstable employment and income. Bates' mother-in-law, who also cares for a son with autism, dropped her insurance plan when the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies expired at the end of last year.
Both Bates and her husband spend about a third of their income on prescription medications and often visit the emergency room for medical care. Despite these struggles, Bates remains a supporter of President Donald Trump, though she acknowledges the president's focus on other issues. The district, represented by Marjorie Taylor Greene until her resignation, remains loyal to Trump even as healthcare costs rise.
While 37% of Republican voters consider healthcare costs extremely important, and over half believe Congress made a mistake in allowing the subsidies to expire, policy experts do not expect a significant shift in voting patterns in this conservative district in the upcoming midterm elections.
Written by urgent.news from KFF Health News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
