SB 55 would phase out the payment of subminimum wage to persons with disabilities; to repeal provisions concerning exemptions to the state minimum wage law for persons with disabilities; to provide that no employer shall utilize a certificate issued by the United States Department of Labor pursuant to 29 U.S.C. Section 214(c) to pay individuals with disabilities less than the federal minimum wage; to provide exceptions; to provide for related matters; to provide a short title; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

SB 192 would require the Department of Insurance to implement a certain insurance affordability program in response to the pending expiration of certain Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act tax credits; to provide for definitions; to provide for automatic repeal; to provide for related matters; to provide for a short title; to provide for legislative findings; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

SB 36 would provide for the preservation of religious freedom; to provide for the granting of relief; to provide for definitions; to provide for construction; to provide for statutory interpretation; to provide for a short title; to provide for legislative findings and determinations; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

SB 72 relates to terminally ill patient’s right to try investigational drugs, biological products, and devices, so as to expand access to individualized investigational treatments to patients who have severely debilitating or life-threatening illnesses; to provide for definitions; to provide for eligibility criteria; to provide for written informed consent; to allow certain manufacturers or eligible facilities to make available individualized investigational treatments; to provide that coverage is not mandatory; to prohibit the sanctions against a physician’s license; to provide exemption to liability for certain charges; to provide for related matters; to provide for a short title; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

SB 28, known as the “Red Tape Rollback Act of 2025,” proposes changes to how state laws and regulations are created, reviewed, and removed. The bill aims to reduce what some view as overly burdensome rules and laws enacted by the government by streamlining the process of deciding how laws will be implemented (rule-making) and requiring regular reviews of existing rules and regulations. While intended to increase efficiency and transparency, this bill could have significant effects on Georgia’s health policies and public health programs.

SB 314 would provide for the establishment of a wholesale prescription drug importation program and the procedures for implementing such program; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to provide for contingent effectiveness upon appropriation of funds; to provide for a short title; to provide for a legislative finding; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

HB 101 would require yearly public reports on prescription drug discounts and savings (i.e., prescription drug rebates) for the state employees’ health insurance plan, which covers state workers and public school teachers. The report would show how much of the savings from these drug discount programs was used to reduce premiums in the State Health Benefit Plan. The savings would be detailed in both dollar amounts and percentages. The bill also removes any outdated laws that might conflict with these changes.

SB 39 would prohibit the use of state funds to cover gender-affirming care, including hormone therapy and sex reassignment surgery, for individuals enrolled in state-funded health plans or receiving public assistance. The bill also bans state-owned health care facilities and state-employed providers from offering gender-affirming care.

HB 19 establishes an electronic registry of inpatient psychiatric beds to improve access to mental health care. The registry will be accessible to authorized users, including the Georgia Crisis and Access Line.

HB 612 would add a member to the Behavioral Health Coordinating Council; to establish a parity compliance review panel; to provide for its composition and duties; to require health care providers to report suspected mental health parity violations to the panel; to provide for evaluation of complaints; to provide for recommendations for punitive actions; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

SB 233 would revise the subcommittees; to extend the automatic repeal date; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

HB 250 would provide for the registration and regulation of professional employer organizations; to provide for certain regulatory powers, duties, and authority of the Commissioner of Insurance over professional employer organizations; to exempt such organizations from certain licensing requirements; to provide for the applicability of Chapter 8 of Title 34, the “Employment Security Law”; to provide for rules and regulations; to repeal obsolete provisions; to provide for the posting of a surety bond; to provide for conforming changes; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

HB 323 would provide for Medicare supplement policies to be issued and renewed for individuals under 65 years of age who are eligible by reason of disability or end stage renal disease under federal law; to provide for open enrollment periods; to prohibit an insurer from charging premium rates for such policies for such individuals that exceed premium rates charged for individuals who are 65 years of age; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to provide for effective dates; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

SB 260 would create the Central State Hospital Redevelopment Authority; to confer powers and impose duties on the authority; to provide for membership and appointment of members of the authority; to provide for terms of the members; to prohibit employees and members from having certain interests; to provide for revenue bonds; to provide for venue and jurisdiction; to provide for the authority’s purpose; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for tax exemptions; to provide for supplemental powers; to provide for liberal construction; to provide for successor interests; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

SB 367 would provide an exemption for health care facilities, services, and equipment dedicated exclusively to the treatment of cancer; to provide for conditions; to provide for applicability; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

HB 291 would establish a certification process for community health workers (CHWs) in Georgia. CHWs are frontline public health workers who help connect individuals to health care and essential services, particularly in underserved communities. They go by many titles, such as Patient Navigator, Community Health Advocate, and Promotora de Salud. By setting uniform standards and training for CHWs, creating a statewide certification system would support a skilled, stable CHW workforce.

Expands school safety policies and juvenile justice coordination by creating new school-related criminal offenses, increasing school threat assessment requirements, and requiring courts to share student legal records with schools. The bill raises penalties for school-related threats, moves more juvenile cases to superior court, and mandates annual site threat assessments at every public school. While intended to improve school safety, the bill may increase the criminalization of student behavior, disproportionately impact marginalized students, expand school surveillance, and increase law enforcement involvement in schools without investing in mental health or preventive support services.

SB 61 would provide for additional offenses over which superior courts are authorized to exercise exclusive original jurisdiction for the trials of children 13 to 17 years of age to include the offenses of certain terroristic threats or acts involving public and private schools and attempt or criminal conspiracy to commit certain offenses; to provide for which such cases shall be subject to the class A designated felony act provisions of Code Section 15-11-602 upon transfer to a juvenile court; to amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the O.C.G.A., relating to elementary and secondary education; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

House Bill 268 proposes a range of policies to improve student safety, mental health, and well-being in Georgia’s elementary and secondary schools. The bill includes funding for school-based mental health coordinators, new student behavioral assessments, and expanded school safety measures. It also enhances information sharing between schools, law enforcement, and state agencies to improve student support and security.

Key details:

• Mental Health Coordinators: School districts could receive state grants to hire mental health coordinators to support students and provide training on behavioral health.

• Behavioral and Suicide Prevention Training: All teachers would be required to receive annual training in youth violence and suicide awareness. Middle and high school students would receive at least one hour of evidence-based suicide and violence prevention training per year.

• Student Behavioral Threat Assessments & Management: Among other actions to manage potential threats, the bill creates a statewide threat assessment database (School and Student Safety Database, or S3 Database) to help schools identify and track potential threats.

• Student Records & Data Sharing: Schools, law enforcement, and state agencies would have expanded access to student education and behavioral records to better coordinate support for students with behavioral health needs.

• Public School Law Enforcement Agreements: Any law enforcement officers working in schools must have clear agreements outlining how they handle student information and disciplinary matters.

• Parental Rights & School Transfers: Parents must provide behavioral and disciplinary history for students transferring into schools.

• Mandatory Mental Health Screenings for At-Risk Students: The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) would recommend standardized mental health screening assessments for schools.

HB 109 proposes a five-year pilot program to create Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment, and Healing (EmPATH) units in hospitals across Georgia. These units are designed to help people experiencing mental health crises by providing immediate, short-term treatment in a hospital-based setting. The goal is to offer an alternative to emergency rooms and inpatient hospitalization for individuals in crisis.

HB 104 would ban transgender students in middle school through college from participating in school sports that align with their gender identity.    The bill bans transgender students from using shared spaces, such as bathrooms or locker rooms, based on their gender identity. The bill would also legally define “sex” as a student’s biological sex, as defined by their birth certificate.

HB 102 would create the Georgia Quality Reporting Project (GQRP), a statewide system to track and improve health care quality in Georgia by analyzing patient care data. The project would collect clinical and claims data from Medicaid care management organizations (CMOs) to evaluate health care quality, especially in treating opioid use disorder and other conditions.

Key details:

• Data will be used to evaluate opioid care quality and other statewide health outcomes.
• Patient identities will be protected, and all data collection must follow HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) privacy rules.
• CMOs that fail to submit required data may face fines.

How is this different from the Georgia APCD?

While Georgia’s All-Payer Claims Database (APCD) already collects insurance claims data to track health care spending and utilization, the GQRP would also collect clinical data (like electronic health records) to measure the quality of care provided. This difference means that while the APCD tracks costs and usage, the GQRP will track health outcomes to assess how well treatments are working and improve patient care—especially for conditions like opioid use disorder.

Why it matters: HB 102 could help improve health care quality by tracking patient outcomes and identifying areas for improvement in Medicaid services. The focus on opioid care data could lead to stronger policies for substance use treatment and better health outcomes for Georgians. Additionally, increased transparency and accountability in health care reporting could help lower costs and improve patient care statewide.

SB 80 would revise the definition of a “rural hospital organization” in Georgia’s tax credit program, which provides state tax credits to individuals and businesses that donate to rural hospitals. The bill updates the eligibility criteria to allow more hospitals to qualify for these tax credits, potentially increasing funding for rural health care providers.

HB 68 would make and provide appropriations for the operation of the state government and its departments, boards, bureaus, commissions, institutions, and other agencies, for the university system, common schools, counties, municipalities, and political subdivisions, for all other governmental activities, projects, and undertakings authorized by law, and for all leases, contracts, agreements, and grants authorized by law; to provide for the control and administration of funds; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

SB 131 would allow for the establishment of the Georgia Health Care Professionals Data System; to provide for definitions; to provide for collaboration with state licensing boards; to provide for a publicly accessible website; to provide for collection of data from state licensing boards; to provide for specified data; to provide for seeking of funding sources; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

SB 170 would create the Georgia Interagency Council for the Homeless; to provide for the purpose, membership, and duties of such council; to provide for reporting of activities; to provide for compensation; to provide for legislative findings; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

HB 677 would provide for certain placement procedures for children upon discharge from a hospital or psychiatric residential treatment facility in certain circumstances; to amend Article 1 of Chapter 20A of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to patient protection, so as to provide for per diem payments to hospitals or psychiatric residential treatment facilities in certain circumstances; to amend Chapter 21A of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the “Medicaid Care Management Organizations Act,” so as to provide for per diem payments to hospitals or psychiatric residential treatment facilities in certain circumstances; to provide for related matters; to provide for applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

SB 136 would provide for the licensure and regulation of community midwives; to provide for a short title; to provide for definitions; to provide for the creation of the Certified Community Midwife Board; to provide for membership and duties of the board; to provide for licensure requirements; to provide for the issuance, renewal, and revocation of licenses; to require written disclosures to clients; to provide for authorized acts and duties; to provide for statutory construction; to provide for conforming changes; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

SB 130 would expand medical education funding and the service cancelable loan program; to revise definitions; to provide for medical education funding to certain medical organizations facilities; to provide for a physician in certain residency or fellowship programs to be eligible for the service cancelable loan program; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

HB 298 would provide requirements for nurse staffing in hospitals; to provide for definitions; to require a written nurse services staffing plan; to provide for an official nurse services staffing plan; to provide for the establishment of nurse staffing committees; to provide for annual reports of staffing information to the Department of Community Health; to provide for anonymous reports and investigations of unsafe staffing conditions; to establish an advisory commission; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

SB 186 would permit assisted living communities and personal care homes to enroll as Medicaid providers; to provide for development of a model for implementation; to provide for submission of a state plan amendment or waiver, if necessary; to provide for legislative intent; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

SB 30 would prohibit prescribing or administering certain hormone therapies and puberty-blocking medications for certain purposes to minors; to provide for definitions; to provide for limited exceptions; to provide for a remedy for a parent or guardian of a minor; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

HR 72 is A RESOLUTION that would create the House Study Committee on Cancer Care Access.

HR 847 is a RESOLUTION that would create the House Study Committee on Evaluating Funding for Public Health.

A RESOLUTION creating the House Study Committee on Evaluating Funding for Public Health; and for other purposes.

A RESOLUTION creating the House Study Committee on Improving Access to Internal Medicine in Rural Areas; and for other purposes.

HB 341 would create a tax credit for certain employers that offer individual coverage health reimbursement arrangements to employees; to provide for terms, conditions, and limitations; to provide for preapproval; to provide for aggregate annual limits; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

HB 170 would require insurance companies and other health benefit providers to share information with health care providers about payments made for a patient’s care. The bill aims to improve transparency so that treating health care providers know what payments or reimbursements an insurance company has made for their services.

HB 410 would provide for efficiency in the practices of the Department of Insurance; to revise the statutory deposit requirement for foreign insurers; to remove fees for branch licensees; to revise application requirements for a domestic stock and mutual insurer; to remove the publication requirement for application, amendments, and surrenders for such insurer; to remove such publication requirement for charters, consolidations, and mergers of fraternal benefit societies; to revise application requirements for farmers’ mutual fire insurance companies; to remove the licensure requirement for agency branches; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

HB 373 would require major medical coverage for annual prostate cancer screenings for certain men; to amend Part 1 of Article 1 of Chapter 18 of Title 45 of the O.C.G.A., relating to state employees’ health insurance plan, so as to require coverage for annual prostate cancer screenings for certain men; to amend Article 7 of Chapter 4 of Title 49 of the O.C.G.A., relating to medical assistance generally, so as to require coverage for annual prostate cancer screenings for certain men; to provide for a plan amendment when necessary; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

HB 348 would expand the lines of insurance or reinsurance in which a limited purpose subsidiary and captive insurance company may engage; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

SB 262 would provide for health benefit policies to cover preventive services; to provide for definitions; to prohibit cost-sharing requirements; to protect the eligibility of health savings accounts; to provide for review by the Commissioner of Insurance; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

SB 265 would require health benefit policy coverage for medically necessary orthotic devices and prosthetic devices and their materials and components; to provide for definitions; to provide for requirements; to provide for reporting; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date and appropriations; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

HB 197 would utilize nationally recognized accreditation standards, and website identifying nationally recognized accreditation entities, so as to detail the effort that shall be made by treating health care provider to respond to a private review agent or utility review entity’s attempt to reach such provider to discuss the patient’s care; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

HB 124 would require coverage for healthcare services for pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infection (PANDAS) and pediatric acute onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) in accordance with nationally recognized clinical practice guidelines; to provide for definitions; to allow for deductibles; to prohibit special deductibles; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

HB 87 would require health benefit policy coverage for medically necessary orthotic devices and prosthetic devices and their materials and components; to provide for definitions; to provide for requirements; to provide for reporting; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

HB 81 would allow Georgia to join the Interstate Compact for School Psychologists. This compact makes it easier for school psychologists to work in different states by simplifying the licensing process. It also helps address the shortage of these professionals in schools. The bill creates a commission to manage the compact. It also sets rules for sharing information, handling discipline issues (for school psychologists, not students), solving disputes, and how states can join or leave the compact. The goal is to give students better access to school psychologists while still allowing each state to set its own licensure requirements.

HB 182 would prohibit a policy of group life insurance from excluding or restricting liability for certain deaths occurring while an individual is an active duty service member; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

SB 287 would create and establish a purpose for the Georgia Interested Parties Advisory Group within the Department of Community Health; to provide for such advisory group’s composition and duties; to provide for the collection of certain data by the Department of Community Health and the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities; to provide for annual reports; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

SB 50 would create a new health coverage program in Georgia called PeachCare Plus. This program would cover low-income adults by enrolling them in fully subsidized private health insurance plans on Georgia’s state-based marketplace (Georgia Access).

Key details:

• The bill would allow adults earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL) to enroll in private health insurance plans, with the state covering all costs (premiums and other direct costs).
• The Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) would oversee the program, with input from the Advisory Commission on the PeachCare Plus Program, a new bipartisan group that would monitor the waiver request and provide recommendations.
• Any state savings from the program would go into the Indigent Care Trust Fund, which helps to pay hospitals for  health care delivered to uninsured, low-income Georgians.

Why it matters: SB 50 could help expand health coverage for hundreds of thousands of low-income Georgians, many of whom currently fall into the coverage gap—earning too much for Medicaid but not enough to afford private insurance. By using private health plans instead of traditional Medicaid, the bill aims to increase provider participation and ensure fairer reimbursement rates for hospitals and doctors. However, the program’s long-term viability depends on federal funding staying at current levels. If successful, PeachCare Plus could be Georgia’s version of Medicaid expansion, improving access to care across the state.

SB 195 would provide that pharmacists are authorized to dispense preexposure prophylaxis and postexposure prophylaxis under certain conditions; to amend Article 2 of Chapter 34 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to medical practice, so as to provide for the approval or development of a training program for pharmacists by the Georgia State Board of Pharmacy; to require pharmacists to complete such training program before dispensing preexposure prophylaxis or postexposure prophylaxis; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

SB 60 would require pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) to act in the best interests of patients, health plans, and health care providers. PBMs are companies that manage prescription drug benefits for health insurance plans, including deciding which medications are covered and negotiating prices with drug manufacturers. This bill would create legal responsibilities for PBMs to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability in their business practices.

SB 142 would provide for certain licensure for qualifying international medical graduates; to provide for definitions; to provide for a provisional license under certain conditions; to provide for a limited license under certain conditions; to provide for full licensure under certain conditions; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

SB 5 requires health insurers to implement a program allowing selective reductions in prior authorization requirements for providers who meet specific criteria. Providers can avoid or reduce future prior authorization requests from insurers by adhering to evidence-based medicine and performance benchmarks set by insurers.This type of program is sometimes called “gold carding.”

SB 360 would provide for a public option buy-in program to provide healthcare coverage to individuals not eligible for Medicaid coverage or enrollment through a health exchange; to provide for definitions; to provide requirements for the program; to provide for any necessary state plan amendments or waivers; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

HB 885 would establish a program to assist certain pregnant women who reside in low access to maternity care areas and maternity care deserts in obtaining obstetric care; to provide for definitions; to provide for appropriations and funding; to provide for reporting; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

The bill updates the law authorizing the Maternal Mortality Review Committee in three ways: 1) Gives the Department of Public Health the power to define the length of the terms that members of the MMRC serve; 2) Limits the reasons that MMRC committee members can be removed to Inability or neglect to perform the duties, incompetence, or dishonest conduct; and 3) specifies that MMRC members must comply with the federal Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPPA).

SB 276 would recover medical assistance from third party liable for sickness, injury, disease, or disability, so as to revise certain provisions to comply with federal law; to bar liable third-party payers from refusing payment solely because a healthcare item or service did not receive prior authorization; to require a third-party payer to respond to an inquiry from the Department of Community Health regarding a healthcare claim within 60 days; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

HB 89 aims to improve how the state of Georgia collects information on maternal deaths and provides care for mothers and babies. It gives the Maternal Mortality Review Committee more access to patient records, including mental health and pharmacy records, to better understand why mothers pass away during pregnancy or childbirth. The bill also creates a Regional Perinatal Center Advisory Committee, which will help make sure hospitals and doctors have the right resources to care for high-risk pregnancies and births. Lastly, the bill simplifies the process for investigating the deaths of pregnant women, so medical examiners don’t always have to go through a regional perinatal center unless special circumstances require it.

HB 94 would require state-regulated health plans to cover fertility preservation services for people undergoing medical treatments for cancer, sickle cell disease, or lupus that could lead to infertility. These services include procedures like freezing eggs, sperm, or embryos to help individuals have children in the future. The bill also sets guidelines and limits for what insurance must cover, such as evaluation costs, medications, and one year of storage for reproductive cells. Limits include restrictions based on age and the number of procedures covered.

SB 267, also called the Riley Gaines Act, would require public schools and colleges in Georgia to separate restrooms, locker rooms, and overnight accommodations by sex assigned at birth. It would also prohibit transgender girls from competing on girls’ sports teams. The bill would replace the term “gender” with “sex” in Georgia law and require official records to list individuals as either male or female at birth. Schools that violate the law could face fines, and parents could sue if they believe their child’s rights have been violated.

HB 24 creates a grant program to expand mental health and substance use supports in schools. Grantees must serve all students regardless of insurance coverage or ability to pay but are required to seek insurance reimbursements for services when available.

A RESOLUTION creating the Senate Study Committee on a Single-payer Healthcare Program; and for other purposes.

SR 344 is a RESOLUTION that would create the Senate Study Committee on a Single-payer Healthcare Program.

SR 311 is A RESOLUTION that would the Senate Study Committee on Recovery Residences.

HB 506 would provide Medicaid coverage for tobacco cessation treatments; to provide for requirements; to provide for submission of a state plan amendment or waiver, if necessary; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

HB 196 would require greater transparency and fairness in how pharmacies are reimbursed for prescription drugs under Georgia’s State Health Benefit Plan (SHBP). The bill sets new rules for how pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) and insurers must calculate drug reimbursements, aiming to ensure pharmacies receive fair payment for dispensing medications.

HB 422 would require the State Health Benefit Plan (SHBP) to offer at least two high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) by October 1, 2025. These plans must be paired with health savings accounts (HSAs), allowing employees to make pre-tax contributions directly from their paychecks. While HDHPs appear desirable to cost-conscious enrollees, they may face high out-of-pocket costs if they do not contribute to their HSA or do not contribute enough to offset the high deductible. One way to prevent that situation is for the bill to include a requirement to educate enrollees about the trade-offs of an HDHP and the importance of contributing to the HSA.

SB 267 requires the state’s Employee Benefit Plan Council to establish health savings accounts and to continually provide for education or salary reductions for such accounts; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend an Act making and providing appropriations for the State Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2025, known as the “General Appropriations Act,” Act No. 709, approved May 7, 2024, so as to make, provide, and change certain appropriations for the operation of the state government and its departments, boards, bureaus, commissions, institutions, and other agencies, for the university system, common schools, counties, municipalities, and political subdivisions, for all other governmental activities, projects, and undertakings authorized by law, and for all leases, contracts, agreements, and grants authorized by law; to provide for the control and administration of funds; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

HB 100 would require health insurers to pass at least 80% of all prescription drug rebates they receive to enrollees. This requirement means that when insurers negotiate discounts and rebates from drug manufacturers, a large portion of those savings must be used to lower out-of-pocket costs for patients at the pharmacy counter.

Key details:

• Rebates are price concessions that drug manufacturers provide to insurers or pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) in exchange for covering certain medications. Currently, insurers and PBMs do not always pass these savings to consumers.
• Insurers must apply at least 80% of these rebates to reduce the cost-sharing amounts (copays, deductibles, and coinsurance) that patients pay for prescription drugs.
• Insurers who fail to comply could face penalties, including fines or losing their license.

Why it matters: HB 100 aims to lower prescription drug costs for consumers by ensuring that drug rebates benefit patients rather than insurers. The bill could make medications more affordable by requiring insurers to pass along at least 80% of rebates, especially for people with chronic conditions who rely on costly prescriptions. However, some insurers may argue that this policy could lead to higher premiums if they cannot retain a portion of the rebates to offset other costs.

SB68 proposes major changes to Georgia’s civil justice system by limiting certain types of damages, changing rules for lawsuits, and adjusting legal procedures related to personal injury cases, insurance claims, and liability disputes. The bill includes major changes to Georgia’s medical malpractice laws and how lawsuits against health care providers and insurers are handled. The changes to medical malpractice aim to limit the costs of medical malpractice lawsuits, reduce liability for health care providers, and adjust how damages are awarded in personal injury and medical negligence cases.