Archives: Bills

What HB 1393 does: The Senate HHS Committee’s substitute combines two major changes to HB 1393. First, it repeals Georgia’s certificate of need (CON) program for all health care facilities except skilled nursing facilities, meaning hospitals, surgery centers, imaging centers, and other facilities would no longer need state approval to open, expand, or relocate. Second, it allows rural hospital authorities in counties with populations under 50,000 to jointly negotiate prices with insurers and collaborate on services while claiming limited immunity from federal antitrust law. Unlike the original House version, the substitute requires Attorney General review before immunity takes effect, caps collaborations at three rural hospital authorities, bans non-compete clauses against physicians, and requires narrow legal interpretation.

Consumer impact: The CON repeal would not improve access to care in Georgia, as the bill does not require new facilities to serve underserved communities or to accept Medicaid. The revised antitrust provisions are meaningfully improved over the original bill, but still authorize joint price negotiations between hospitals that would otherwise compete, which economic research consistently links to higher costs for commercially insured consumers. Annual oversight by DCH and the Attorney General is required but lacks funding, metrics, or clear enforcement tools.

What SB 535 does: Restructures governance of Georgia’s community service boards (CSBs) by transferring executive director appointment authority from local governing boards to the DBHDD Commissioner. Executive directors would become DBHDD employees. The Commissioner could direct executive directors to override governing board decisions when a CSB fails to meet performance standards. CSB conversions to nonprofit or other structures require Commissioner approval, and cessation of operations requires Governor approval.

Consumer impact: CSBs are the primary delivery system for community-based behavioral health and developmental disability services in Georgia. Centralizing executive director appointments under DBHDD could improve statewide accountability and help address underperforming CSBs, but the change removes local community input from leadership decisions. The bill does not define the “performance standards” that would trigger a state override of local governing board authority, leaving significant discretion to DBHDD. Consumers and families who participate in CSB governance would see their influence reduced under the new structure.

What SB 500 does: Expands the existing Behavioral Health Care Workforce Database to cover all licensed health care professionals in Georgia and renames it the Health Care Workforce Database. The bill broadens the set of licensing boards required to participate in data collection without appropriating new funds or setting implementation deadlines.

What SB 427 does: Creates a pathway for qualified physicians trained outside the U.S. to practice in Georgia. Eligible physicians would receive provisional licenses, would work under a fully licensed provider for a specific time period, and must work in underserved areas for 2-4 years to qualify for full licensure.

Consumer impact: Georgia faces significant physician shortages, especially in rural areas. SB 427 would help address workforce gaps by allowing qualified international physicians to practice while meeting supervision and practice requirements.

What HB 1368 does: Restructures governance of Georgia’s community service boards (CSBs) by transferring the authority to appoint local executive directors from local governing boards to the DBHDD Commissioner. Executive directors would become DBHDD employees with expanded powers over hiring, firing, contracts, and daily operations. The Commissioner could authorize executive directors to bypass governing board decisions when a CSB does not meet performance standards. HB 1368 is the House companion to SB 535.

Consumer impact: CSBs deliver behavioral health and developmental disability services across Georgia. Centralizing executive director appointments under DBHDD could improve accountability and address underperformance, but removes a key mechanism for community input into local behavioral health priorities. Governing boards would lose meaningful authority, and the bill does not define the “performance standards” that trigger state override of local decisions. Consumers and families who participate in CSB governance through local board membership would see their influence reduced.

What HB 1354 does: Sets a 45-day deadline for commercial health insurers to complete credentialing of a provider after receiving a complete application and directs the Department of Insurance to create a standardized credentialing form aligned with Georgia Medicaid’s existing credentialing system. Slow and inconsistent credentialing is a major bottleneck to network adequacy, particularly for behavioral health providers, and the 45-day timeline matches Georgia’s own Medicaid standard. The bill currently lacks enforcement mechanisms and provisional credentialing provisions, which limit its real-world impact.

What HB 1344 does: A wide-ranging insurance bill that strengthens DOI enforcement authority, insurance fraud penalties, and other areas specific to property, casualty, and auto insurance.

What HB 1332 does: Requires hospitals and healthcare facilities receiving state funds to prefer American-manufactured pharmaceuticals. Exceptions apply when domestic drugs are unavailable, would jeopardize patient safety, are needed during emergencies, or cost more than 20% higher. DCH enforces the law, and noncompliance can result in loss of state funding eligibility.

Consumer impact: While the bill aims to strengthen domestic drug supply chains, requiring a domestic sourcing preference could increase pharmaceutical costs for hospitals, particularly safety-net and rural hospitals that rely heavily on state funds and often use lower-cost generic medications manufactured overseas. Cost increases could be passed through to patients.

What HB 1299 does: Allows hospital authorities in rural counties (under 50,000 population) to jointly own outpatient healthcare facilities with a single group of specialty physicians. The hospital authority must own at least 51% of the facility.

Consumer impact: Could expand access to outpatient specialty care in rural communities where patients currently travel long distances. However, the bill does not require joint ventures to serve uninsured or Medicaid patients, and physician-hospital joint ventures raise questions about whether financial incentives align with community health needs.

What HB 1236 does: Requires that when an insurer denies coverage based on medical necessity, a Georgia-licensed clinical peer with training in a related specialty must affirmatively agree to the denial. Current law allows insurers to deny care after a discussion with a clinical peer; HB 1236 requires the clinical peer to sign off on the decision. The bill also requires reviewers to attempt to contact the treating provider before issuing a denial.

Consumer impact: Georgians whose insurance companies deny coverage for medical treatment would gain a stronger safeguard. Requiring a Georgia-licensed specialist to agree to the denial, rather than simply participate in a discussion, could be a meaningful check on insurer decisions. Patients and providers would also receive clearer explanations for denials, supporting more effective appeals.