A nationwide PPO is still available through me in Georgia, including counties where Georgia Access doesn't offer one. Here's how nurses based in Georgia can handle gaps between assignments and access in-network providers while traveling.
Hi, I'm Sam Jaber. I'm licensed to broker insurance in Georgia plus 35 other states. Whether you return home to Midtown Atlanta, Macon or a smaller community outside Augusta, I can help you arrange health insurance for your travel nursing assignments entirely by phone.
Georgia presents a particular problem for traveling nurses. The state's exchange, Georgia Access, primarily offers HMOs built around doctors located in Georgia. But your assignments and income may come from hospitals across the country. That means the provider networks available at home often don't match the places where you're actually working.
This year, Georgia Access offers 211 individual medical plans, including 203 HMOs and just 8 PPOs. All PPO options come from one insurance company and are sold in only 71 of Georgia's 159 counties. Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb and Gwinnett aren't included, meaning nurses living in metro Atlanta won't find a marketplace PPO.
I can help you apply for a private nationwide PPO in Georgia even when the exchange offers none. A brief medical questionnaire determines pricing, and the provider network extends to hospitals and clinics throughout the states where your nursing assignments are likely to take you.
Outside its network, an HMO generally covers emergency treatment only. Suppose you're three weeks into a Denver assignment and develop an ear infection. With a Georgia HMO, you'd likely be responsible for paying for that appointment yourself.
We also need to consider your total annual income. Georgia Access bases premium credit eligibility on household earnings throughout the year, which can fluctuate with nursing contracts. Georgia hasn't fully expanded Medicaid either. Its Pathways program covers income only up to 100% of the poverty level and requires qualifying work or other activities.
Losing your agency health plan at the end of an assignment is treated as a loss of job-based coverage. Georgia Access generally gives you a 60-day special enrollment period when that happens. COBRA is another possibility, but voluntarily ending COBRA later won't create a new enrollment opportunity.
Choose coverage with your upcoming location in mind. A Georgia HMO might work during an extended break spent at home, but not so well if you're headed to Oregon next month. Have each agency confirm its insurance start and end dates in writing. That way, we can coordinate coverage using actual dates instead of estimates.
Next step: Call me before your current nursing contract finishes, and we'll arrange insurance for the time between assignments and the work that follows.
A nationwide PPO makes particular sense to compare here. Paying the full Georgia Access premium still generally leaves you with a provider network centered on your home state.
Private insurers evaluate your medical answers before deciding whether to approve you, decline you or approve coverage with a particular diagnosis excluded. Nurses in good health frequently pay less than Georgia Access's unsubsidized premiums while receiving in-network benefits in the states where they spend their assignments. I'll explain what each policy covers before you commit. Having an ongoing medical condition doesn't necessarily eliminate the private option. The specific condition determines whether that route works, so tell me about your situation. I'll compare both approaches before your next assignment begins.
Next step: Book a phone appointment with me, and I'll put a nationwide PPO quote alongside the Georgia Access premiums available at your home address.
When your income qualifies for a premium credit, Georgia Access coverage is generally the better value during months spent at home. Very low earnings create another concern. Below 100% of the poverty level, the exchange credit usually isn't available, and Georgia Pathways requires you to satisfy its activity conditions. Save your signed contracts, offers and stipend records together so your annual income projection reflects the work you actually expect.
Next step: Tell me which contracts you've completed and which ones are coming up. We'll calculate your likely annual income together before choosing coverage.
Straight answers, no sales pitch.
No, Georgia Access doesn't offer PPO coverage in Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb or Gwinnett. But nurses in good health throughout Georgia can still apply through me for a private nationwide PPO.
Generally, coverage outside the network applies to emergencies only.
Yes. When agency insurance ends, Georgia Access generally allows a 60-day special enrollment period. Continuing your existing plan through COBRA is another option.
Georgia Pathways is the only route, with eligibility limited to 100% of the poverty level and qualifying work or activity requirements.
Share your Georgia home county, your contract dates for this year and whether family members need coverage too. I'll compare plans based on how you travel and calculate premiums using your residential address.
The guide for every state, and other work I help with