ATLANTA — On Friday, Gov. Brian Kemp signed seven healthcare bills designed to “benefit patients in Georgia and strengthen the state's healthcare system.”
After signing, the Georgia politician took to Twitter recognizing National Nurses Day and noted how this new legislation will reportedly help make a healthier Georgia.
He said, “On this #NationalNursesDay, I was proud to sign legislation to help strengthen our healthcare workforce.
“We will always be grateful for the resilience shown by these everyday heroes during the pandemic and the skilled care they give to sick and injured Georgians.”
The seven legislative bills include:
- HB 733, which, among other components, requires insurers who cover diagnostic exams for breast cancer to treat cost-sharing requirements the same as annual mammograms.
- HB 937, which provides for notification to all eligible recipients of insurance coverage for annual mammograms to women over the age of 40.
- HB 1304, which allows patients to appoint a lay caregiver after discharge from a hospital.
- HB 1069, which provides for a new licensure category for adult mental health facilities and programs.
- SB 341, which empowers patients to receive prior authorization for prescribed conditions requiring ongoing medication therapy for up to a year.
- SB 340, which creates a new accreditation organization for residency programs and removes the 50-resident cap on designated teaching hospitals.
- HB 1041, which raises the cap on income tax credits for contributions to rural hospital organizations to $75 million per year.
"With these common sense policies now in place, Georgia patients will now have both greater access to healthcare and a higher quality of care when they or a loved one are in need of medical attention," Gov. Kemp said in a release.