HB323: HB323 Bridging the Gap for ALS and Chronic Kidney Disease Act of 2025; enact

This bill adds a new section to Georgia's insurance code (O.C.G.A. Title 33, Chapter 3) covering situations where a patient, called an injured party in the bill, has been hurt by someone else's actions and has received payments or reimbursements from a benefit provider such as an insurer, health maintenance organization, or employee benefit plan. Under the bill, if the doctor, hospital, or other healthcare provider who treated that patient asks in writing for information about payments the benefit provider made related to that patient's care, the benefit provider must respond within 30 days with a written accounting of all payments and reimbursements tied to that provider's services. The bill defines key terms like benefit provider, injured party, and treating healthcare provider. It would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it or it becomes law without a signature, and repeals any conflicting laws. Notably, despite the bill's title referencing ALS and chronic kidney disease, the substitute text itself does not mention those conditions; it applies broadly to any injured party receiving benefit payments.

• Adds a new Code section (O.C.G.A. § 33-3-28.1) requiring benefit providers to disclose payment information to treating healthcare providers on request.
• Requires benefit providers to respond in writing within 30 days of a treating healthcare provider's written request.
• Defines 'benefit provider' broadly to include insurers, HMOs, preferred provider organizations, and employee benefit plans that pay healthcare, disability, or lost wage benefits.
• Defines 'injured party' as someone claiming injury by a third party who has received benefit payments, including that person's estate representative.
• Sets the law to take effect immediately upon the Governor's signature or upon becoming law without signature.
• Repeals any existing state laws that conflict with the new disclosure requirement.

Insurance companies, health maintenance organizations, preferred provider organizations, and employee benefit plans that pay healthcare or injury-related benefits; doctors, hospitals, and other licensed healthcare providers who treat injured patients; and patients (injured parties) whose payment records would be disclosed to their treating providers.

Healthcare providers often need to know what a patient's insurer or benefit plan has already paid, especially in injury cases involving liens or third-party claims. This bill gives providers a legal right to request that payment information and a firm 30-day deadline for benefit providers to respond.

• Section 1 creates new Code section 33-3-28.1 within Georgia's insurance authorization and general requirements chapter (O.C.G.A. Title 33, Chapter 3).
• Subsection (a) defines 'benefit provider,' 'injured party,' and 'treating healthcare provider' for purposes of the new disclosure requirement.
• Subsection (b) requires a benefit provider to give a treating healthcare provider a written accounting of payments and reimbursements made to an injured party within 30 days of a written request.
• Section 2 makes the Act effective immediately upon the Governor's approval or upon becoming law without approval.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting state laws.

1. 2026-03-31Senate Tabled (Senate)
2. 2026-03-23Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
3. 2026-03-20Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
4. 2025-03-10Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
5. 2025-03-06House Passed/Adopted (House)
6. 2025-03-06House Third Readers (House)
7. 2025-02-26House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
8. 2025-02-11House Second Readers (House)

• Karen Mathiak (R, HD-082)Primary sponsor
• Lee Hawkins (R, HD-027)
• Mark Newton (R, HD-127)
• Katie Dempsey (R, HD-013)
• Sharon Cooper (R, HD-045)
• Mack Jackson (D, HD-128)
• Randy Robertson (R, SD-029)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 6, 2025

   174 yea, 2 nay (1 not voting, 3 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #248

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   39 yea, 10 nay (2 not voting, 3 absent)

   Motion To Table Remaining Legislation On The Rules Calendar: Senate Vote #912

• health insurance
• medical billing
• insurance regulation
• healthcare providers