Last week was incredibly intense under the Gold Dome. Legislators worked in session on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, while Tuesday was a committee day.  With crossover day (the last day for all bills to pass out of their originating chamber  in order to continue to be viable as stand alone bills) this Thursday, the activity will only increase exponentially.  This week, legislators will be in session Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Wednesday is a designated committee day.  We should continue to expect bills to be introduced and heard in committee at breakneck speed.  Only 5 weeks remain in the legislative session with a great deal yet to do.

HB 329 allowing PAs and APRNs to perform artificial insemination so long as the supervising physician is on site, passed the House.

HB 54 allows PAs to order Home Health for their patients.  This bill passed committee.

HB612 (Dempsey) adds the Insurance commissioner to the Behavioral Health Coordinating Council. Further, the bill requires all healthcare providers and healthcare facilities to report instances of insurers violating healthcare parity laws. This bill passed committee.

HB 87 mandating certain orthotics and prosthetics insurance coverage passed committee

HB 94, manding coverage for fertility preservation during certain treatment, passed the House.

HB 124 providing an insurance mandate for PANS and PANDAS, passed the House,

HB 323 opening a Medicare supplement enrollment period for individuals with a disability or end stage renal disease, passed committee

HB 352, adding gestational diabetes to the existing continuous glucose monitoring mandate, passed the House.

HBB 373 providing mandated coverage for annual prostate cancer screenings passed the House.

HB 420 providing genetic testing and cancer screening mandates passed committee. The committee sub allows for cost sharing.

HB 422: directs SHBP to offer at least two High Deductible Health Plans. This bill passed the House.

HB 506: providing for medicaid coverage of smoking cessation, passed committee.

HB 567 providing for the practice of teledentistry, passed committee.

HB 571 licensing radiologist assistants, passed committee.

SB 5: creating a gold carding program for prior approval passed the House committee.

SB 101 adding Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy to the newborn screening program, passed the Senate.

Licensure

SB 307 (Islam Parkes) requires all physicians to receive one hour of  education and training regarding maternal health, including preventive and emergency  care of pregnant and postpartum mothers as part of their continuing education  requirements.

HB692 (Newton) requires registered professional nurses and advanced practice registered nurses in outpatient settings to  immediately notify his or her supervising or delegating physician when he or she is subject  to a complaint or report made to the Georgia Board of Nursing.  Said report must also be turned over to the Georgia Composite Medical Board.

Pharmacy/PBM

HB690 (Newton) stipulates that PBMs owe a duty of care to the insured, the provider, and the health plan. The bill creates a private right of action.

SB314 (Esteves) establishes a wholesale drug importation program within DCH.

Insurance

HB588 (Drenner) is an insurance mandate for fertility related: diagnosis, treatment, and preservation services.  The bill restricts waiting periods and other limitations on coverage.

HB 589 (Drenner) provides for mandated coverage under Medicaid for fertility services.

HB612 (Dempsey) adds the Insurance commissioner to the Behavioral Health Coordinating Council. Further, the bill requires all healthcare providers and healthcare facilities to report instances of insurers violating healthcare parity laws.

HB649 (Bennett) provides for an insurance mandate for specific maternal mental health screenings at prescribed times during and post pregnancy.

HB654 (Campbell) removes all prior approval for pharmacy and medical services.

HB 658 (Holcomb) provides protections (first dollar preventive screening coverage, prohibiting lifetime caps, dependent coverage etc) if the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is repealed at the federal level.

SB262 (Halpern) requires health insurers to cover preventive services without cost-sharing requirements.

SB 265 (Still) requires insurers to cover medically necessary orthotics and prosthetics.

SB267 (Esteves) establishes HSAs under the SHBP.

SB 276 (Echols) prohibits CMOs or other third party payors from denying payment due solely because the item or service did not receive a prior authorization. Further, the bill requires the third party payor to respond to an inquiry from DCH regarding a healthcare claim within 60 days.

SB 308 requires medicaid to cover postpartum maternal mental health services for one year after pregnancy.

Health Licensure

SB290 (Anavitarte) provides for the certification of community health workers.

Health Generally

HB598 (Shea Roberts) is the Reproductive Freedom Act.  SB 246 (Harrell) is the Reproductive Freedom Act.

HB650 (Lim) requires retailers who sell tobacco, vape, etc to post signage related to the tobacco quit line as well as info related to lung cancer screenings

HB607 (Lim) directs the Department of Public Health to establish a two year pilot program for visiting the homes of children with asthma to help families identify and reduce exposure to asthma triggers.

HB677 (Dempsey) prescribes procedures for hospitals and psychiatric residential treatment facilities if parents of children who are seeking impatient care do not resume custody within 48 hours of a physician’s discharge.  Further, the bill outlines coverage responsibilities for CMOs.

HR 397 (Cooper) creates the House Study Committee on Healthcare Quality and Reporting.

HB657 (Hagan) creates a certified peer specialist in the substance abuse space.

HB660 (Cox) prohibits state funded plans from paying for any gender affirming care.

HB662 (Osteen) adds Rural Free Standing Emergency Departments to the entities  that would qualify for the rural hospital tax credit.

HB672(Cannon) requires perinatal facilities to implement evidence based implicit bias programs for its healthcare professionals.

SB270 provides for supervised assistance events at long-term care facilities for the purpose of voting via absentee ballot.

SB 288 (Islam Parkes) prohibits certain examinations on an anesthetized or unconscious patient without prior informed consent.