Megan Menesale: “My current COBRA coverage is around $800 a month, and for comparable options, they’re running anywhere from $850 to over $1,000 per month in the ACA Marketplace right now with the extremely high premiums. And that’s just for myself.”
New reporting in WSAV spotlighted how “MAGA warrior” Rep. Buddy Carter’s opposition to extending ACA tax credits is hurting his own constituents like Megan Menesale — one of the 1.4 million Georgians who rely on ACA premiums that are officially going to skyrocket after Republicans have repeatedly refused to protect the critical tax credits.
In Carter’s district, a recent KFF analysis found that a 60-year-old making $62,757 per year could see their premium skyrocket by 199%, which would result in an increase of $885 in their monthly premium.
WSAV: Savannah Woman Navigates Higher ACA Marketplace Premiums After Job Loss
By Nakya Harris | January 20, 2026
- Open enrollment for Affordable Care Act plans has ended, and Georgia has seen a little more than 200,000 drop in Marketplace plan selections in 2026 compared to 2025, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
- Nationwide, millions of Americans are facing higher premiums after enhanced tax credits expired at the end of December.
- More than 1.3 million Georgians who rely on ACA Marketplace plans are seeing healthcare costs rise significantly. For many, including Savannah resident Megan Menesale, the higher monthly cost comes as she weighs whether to stay on COBRA or enroll in an ACA plan.
- “Unfortunately, my role was eliminated at my previous place of employment at the end of the year,” Menesale said. “And so, I am now one of those looking for a new job on the market. My previous employer allowed me to have COBRA coverage for the last couple of months. But come March, I will have to make the difficult decision on whether I should continue to pay the high premium that is my COBRA coverage or look at options on the ACA Marketplace.”
- COBRA allows her to temporarily keep her previous employer’s health plan, and for now, her former employer is covering the cost. But come March, she will be responsible for paying it herself.
- “My current COBRA coverage is around $800 a month, and for comparable options, they’re running anywhere from $850 to over $1,000 per month in the ACA Marketplace right now with the extremely high premiums. And that’s just for myself,” she said.
- Even reducing coverage would only save Menesale about $100 a month, a small relief as she continues to look for work.
- “If I’m willing to take the risk and reduce my benefits, coverage, and options, then my price on the Marketplace would be lower than my COBRA coverage,” Menesale said. “But then it’s the risk of, you know, making the hard decisions on whether I want to decrease my benefits and my coverage options to pay a lower and more affordable rate.”
- Until changes are made, Menesale and millions of Americans are left weighing the cost of their health plans. Right now, the enhanced ACA tax credits are not in effect.
- The House has passed a bill to extend those credits, but the Senate has not yet acted. Until that happens, premiums will remain higher for people shopping for coverage.