Did You Know? Sept 24, 2024

Kitchen Table Did You Know

• Approximately 14 million people, 6% of adults, owe over $1,000 in medical debt and about 3 million people owe medical debt of more than $10,000.  
• The average annual cost of employer-sponsored health insurance premiums rose from $7,911 in 2022 to $8,435 in 2023 for coverage of single individuals and from $22,463 to $23,968 for family coverage, according to a new analysis by health research organization KFF based on survey results from a sample of U.S. firms.
• Across coverage groups, a total of 45 million Americans are enrolled in coverage related to the ACA, the highest total on record, representing a 46% increase since 2021 and a 258% increase since 2014.
• Georgia’s enrollment in the ACA went from 464,000 in 2020 to 1.3 million in 2024, which is 11.78% of the population.
• For 2025, a median proposed premium increase of 7% is expected in ACA compliant policies which is similar to last year.
• The State of Georgia will take over administration of the ACA starting this enrollment period, which kicks off November 1st.
• 47% of people with insurance denials said their health conditions worsened as a result. 
• Roughly 6 in 10 insured adults experience problems when they use their insurance. Problems studied include denied claims, network adequacy issues, preauthorization delays and denials, and others.

Voter Rights Did You Know

• On Sep 20 the GA State Election Board passed a rule requiring a hand count of Election Day ballots at closing. The far right members voting for this did so despite legal advice and pending lawsuits against it, election supervisors raising alarms about the potential for error , and negative public comment. 
• At the most recent Forsyth County Board of Elections meeting on Sep 16, the longtime voter challenger insisted his submitted evidence is accurate, threatening to take the Board to court if they do not accept his submissions for lack of evidence.
• The far right has challenged the voter registration of one third of the Forsyth County electorate since a growing Democratic presence helped put two Democratic Senators in office. ​