Georgia CommonsHouse · Engrossed · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HB 1211: Insurance; guidelines and recommendations for colorectal cancer screening, examinations, and laboratory tests; provide
Last action March 31, 2026 · Senate Tabled
A Georgia House bill would let health insurance policies base required colorectal cancer screening coverage on a wider list of medical guidelines, not just those from the American Cancer Society.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Introduced version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
Georgia law already requires health benefit policies to cover colorectal cancer screening, exams, and lab tests based on guidelines from the American Cancer Society, working with the American College of Gastroenterology and the American College of Radiology. This bill expands that list of approved sources. Under the change, insurers could also follow guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, the United States Preventive Task Force, or a national coverage determination from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The ages, family history factors, and frequency of screening covered would still depend on what the guidelines recommend and what the patient's attending physician decides is appropriate after talking with the patient. The bill repeals any conflicting laws and does not list a delayed effective date in the text shown.
What the bill does
- Adds the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, the United States Preventive Task Force, and CMS national coverage determinations as approved sources of screening guidelines for insurance coverage purposes.
- Keeps the existing requirement that Georgia health benefit policies cover colorectal cancer screening, exams, and lab tests.
- Leaves in place the rule that the attending physician, after conferring with the patient, decides what screening is appropriate based on age, family history, and frequency.
- Repeals any existing laws that conflict with this expanded list of guideline sources.
Who it affects
Georgians covered by health benefit policies in the state, insurance companies that write those policies, and physicians who order colorectal cancer screening, since the bill changes which medical guidelines can determine what screening insurers must cover.
Why it matters
By recognizing more sets of medical guidelines, insurers and doctors would have more flexibility in deciding which colorectal cancer screening tests, ages, and frequencies must be covered, potentially affecting which tests patients can get covered without extra out-of-pocket cost.
Key provisions
- Section 1 revises subsection (b) of O.C.G.A. § 33-24-56.3 to add the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, the United States Preventive Task Force, and CMS national coverage determinations to the list of guideline sources insurers must follow.
- Section 1 keeps the existing American Cancer Society, American College of Gastroenterology, and American College of Radiology guidelines as valid sources.
- Section 1 preserves the requirement that coverage details (ages, family history, frequency) follow what the attending physician deems appropriate after conferring with the patient.
- Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws, a standard provision with no substantive effect beyond this bill's own changes.
From the bill
“Every health benefit policy shall provide coverage for colorectal cancer screening, examinations, and laboratory tests in accordance with guidelines and recommendations established by any of the following:”
“deemed appropriate by the attending physician after conferring with the patient."”
Discussed in meetings (10)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
House Health Committee, February 18, 2026
From 1:14:22 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 1211 would broaden the sources used to determine insurance coverage for colorectal cancer screenings, examinations and laboratory tests. The sponsor identified the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, United States Preventive Services Task Force and federal Medicare and Medicaid coverage determinations as additions to existing guidance. The sponsor said this would allow coverage for blood-based screening, with the aim of encouraging more people to be screened and detecting cancer earlier through a less invasive option. Asked what would happen if organizations issued different guidelines, the sponsor said recognition by any one listed source would qualify a screening for coverage, without requiring agreement among all of them. The sponsor said the standards had not been updated in 18 years. The committee gave the bill a do-pass recommendation by voice vote.
House Rules Committee, February 23, 2026
From 1:28:38 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 1211 would recognize additional organizations' colorectal cancer screening recommendations so blood-based screening would be covered by Georgia health plans. The sponsor said committee testimony described the testing as a way to identify cancer and begin treatment earlier, and reported no opposition from health plans. There were no questions.
House floor session, March 4, 2026 (legislative day 27, PM, part 2)
From 1:11:52 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 1935
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 1211 would broaden colorectal cancer screening options covered by health plans by recognizing recommendations from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, the United States Preventive Services Task Force and federal Medicare and Medicaid coverage decisions. The sponsor said more testing options could improve screening participation and earlier detection. One member described a personal colon cancer diagnosis and thanked the sponsor. Asked what happens when organizations recommend different tests, the sponsor said plans could cover any they consider necessary. Asked about coverage changes, the sponsor said the bill would include blood screening, which the sponsor said has a higher participation rate. The House passed the bill 165–0.
House Rules Committee, March 4, 2026
From 0:25:44 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 1929
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee placed HB 1211 on the supplemental calendar after a motion and second, with no objection. Members did not discuss its substance.
Senate Rules Committee, March 30, 2026
From 1:24:00 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The vice chair selected HB 1211 for the floor calendar. No substantive explanation or debate followed. The committee unanimously approved the calendar containing it.
- Read aloud: House floor session, February 6, 2026 (legislative day 14), 0:40:51
- Read aloud: House floor session, February 9, 2026 (legislative day 15), 0:33:14
- Read aloud: House floor session, February 19, 2026 (legislative day 21), 1:06:17
- Read aloud: Senate floor session, March 6, 2026 (legislative day 28, part 1), 0:39:50
- Read aloud: Senate floor session, March 27, 2026 (legislative day 38), 0:27:23
Status timeline
- Senate Tabled (Senate)
- Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- House Passed/Adopted (House)
- House Third Readers (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
Show full history (10 actions)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Trey Kelley (R, HD-16)
- Lee Hawkins (R, HD-27)
- Mark Newton (R, HD-127)
- Joseph Gullett (R, HD-19)
- Matthew Gambill (R, HD-15)
- Demetrius Douglas (D, HD-78)
- Ben Watson (R, SD-1)
Votes
- House voteMarch 4, 2026
165 yea, 0 nay (2 not voting, 10 excused)
- Senate voteMarch 31, 2026
39 yea, 10 nay (2 not voting, 3 excused)
Topics
- health insurance coverage
- colorectal cancer screening
- cancer screening guidelines
- preventive health care