HB87: HB87 Insurance; require health benefit policy coverage for medically necessary orthotic and prosthetic devices and their materials and components

This bill, as rewritten by a Senate committee substitute, no longer deals with orthotic and prosthetic device coverage as its original House title suggested. Instead it amends Georgia's insurance code (Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated) to require more transparency in how insurance costs are disclosed to policyholders. Under the bill, any insurance policy issued, delivered, or renewed in Georgia would have to show clearly on its declarations page and premium billing notice: the deductible as both a dollar amount and a percentage, the annual premium, the state insurance premium tax as a dollar amount and percentage, county and municipal taxes on insurance companies as a dollar amount and percentage, and any additional fees, charges, or surcharges. The new disclosure rule would take effect January 1, 2027, and would apply to policies issued or renewed on or after that date.

• Adds a new section (O.C.G.A. § 33-24-14.2) requiring insurance declarations pages and premium billing notices to disclose specific cost items clearly.
• Requires policies to show the deductible both as a dollar amount and as a percentage.
• Requires disclosure of the annual premium amount, the state insurance premium tax, and county and municipal taxes on insurance companies, each as a dollar amount and percentage.
• Requires disclosure of any additional fees, charges, or surcharges tied to the policy.
• Sets the new requirements to take effect January 1, 2027, applying to policies issued, delivered, or renewed on or after that date.

Insurance companies operating in Georgia, which must redesign declarations pages and billing notices, and Georgia policyholders across insurance lines, who would see more detailed cost breakdowns including taxes and fees on their paperwork.

Policyholders would get a clearer breakdown of what they pay beyond the base premium, including state and local taxes and any added fees, making it easier to see where insurance costs come from when reviewing bills or shopping for coverage.

• Section 1 adds new Code section 33-24-14.2 to Chapter 24 of Title 33, setting disclosure requirements for declarations pages and premium billing notices.
• The disclosures required include the deductible, annual premium, state insurance premium tax, county and municipal insurance taxes, and any fees, charges, or surcharges.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as January 1, 2027, applying to policies issued, delivered, or renewed on or after that date.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-03-23Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
2. 2026-03-20Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
3. 2025-03-10Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
4. 2025-03-06House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
5. 2025-03-06House Third Readers (House)
6. 2025-02-26House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
7. 2025-01-27House Second Readers (House)
8. 2025-01-17House First Readers (House)

• David Clark (R, HD-100)Primary sponsor
• Marcus Wiedower (R, HD-121)
• Karen Mathiak (R, HD-082)
• Noel Williams (R, HD-148)
• Kim Schofield (D, HD-063)
• Steven Sainz (R, HD-180)
• Marty Harbin (R, SD-016)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 6, 2025

   171 yea, 2 nay (2 not voting, 5 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #241

• insurance regulation
• insurance premiums
• insurance taxes
• consumer disclosure