08 LC 29
3082ER
House
Bill 1278
By:
Representatives Ralston of the
7th,
Casas of the
103rd,
Davis of the
109th,
Meadows of the
5th,
and Bearden of the
68th
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Article 1 of Chapter 24 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to general provisions for insurance, so as to authorize any
health care insurer to offer health benefit plans that are not subject to
limitations on level of reimbursement for contracted or noncontracted health
care providers; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and
for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Article
1 of Chapter 24 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to general provisions for insurance, is amended by adding a new Code section to
read as follows:
"33-24-59.13.
(a)
Any health care insurer may offer, as an option, one or more individual or group
health benefit plans utilizing a preferred provider arrangement that is not
subject to paragraph (3) or (4) of subsection (b) of Code Section 33-30-23 or
any other law or restriction that prescribes or limits the level of
reimbursement for contracted health care providers or noncontracted health care
providers, including any deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, or other
cost-sharing provisions.
(b)
A health insurer shall continue to provide any benefit that is required to be
covered in an accident and sickness insurance policy by state or federal
law.
(c)
Any individual or group health benefit plan offered pursuant to this Code
section shall disclose the differences in benefit levels for health care
services of preferred providers and benefit levels for health care services of
nonpreferred providers pursuant to paragraph (2) of Code Section
33-30-24."
SECTION
2.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.