East Cobb residents enrolled in Medicaid are among at least 2,213 lawfully present immigrants in Georgia who could lose coverage in October under a federal law that ends health benefits for refugees, asylees and other legal residents.
The Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) began notifying affected enrollees in September, WABE reported Oct. 1. The cuts stem from H.R. 1, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill, which became law on July 4, 2025.
The 2,213 figure represents confirmed at-risk enrollees statewide. A February 2026 report from the Georgia Comprehensive Health Coverage Commission put the broader estimate at up to 5,000 immigrants living legally in Georgia who could lose Medicaid or PeachCare for Kids coverage.
DCH spokesperson Fiona Roberts said the state's eligibility system, Gateway, sent outreach notices to all members of the Pathways to Coverage program on Sept. 1. Monthly notices will continue going to new Pathways members through the end of the year, Roberts said. DCH also plans to update its website and phone prompts for affected residents.
Who loses coverage
The law targets immigrants who hold legal status but do not have green cards. That includes refugees who fled war, people granted asylum, victims of sex trafficking and interpreters who assisted U.S. service members in Afghanistan, according to KFF Health News reporting republished by the Cobb County Courier on Sept. 30.
The law spares some groups. Coverage remains intact for green card holders, children under 19 and immigrants from Cuba, Haiti and certain Pacific Island countries.
A wider picture
Nationally, more than 281,000 immigrants in nine states and the District of Columbia face losing Medicaid in October, according to KFF Health News. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated the eligibility restrictions would cut $6.2 billion in federal spending and leave hundreds of thousands of lawfully present immigrants uninsured.
The state commission's February report warned the effects could grow. The provisions of H.R. 1 "will have a compounding effect and further impact coverage options for Georgians," the report stated.
Immigrant rights advocates have criticized the short notice. The federal government required states to alert affected enrollees, but some states did not begin sending letters until September, giving families little time to find alternatives, KFF Health News reported.
What comes next
Immigrants who lose Medicaid may still qualify for Emergency Medicaid, a separate program that covers emergency care. No specific deadline for affected East Cobb residents to respond to the DCH notices has been publicly announced.
DCH said it is still assessing how many Georgians H.R. 1 will ultimately affect.
