HB 1211: Insurance; guidelines and recommendations for colorectal cancer screening, examinations, and laboratory tests; provide

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.

• 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.

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.

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.

• 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.

1. 2026-03-31Senate Tabled (Senate)
2. 2026-03-27Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
3. 2026-03-27Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
4. 2026-03-06Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
5. 2026-03-04House Passed/Adopted (House)
6. 2026-03-04House Third Readers (House)
7. 2026-02-19House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
8. 2026-02-09House Second Readers (House)

• Trey Kelley (R, HD-016)Primary sponsor
• Lee Hawkins (R, HD-027)
• Mark Newton (R, HD-127)
• Joseph Gullett (R, HD-019)
• Matthew Gambill (R, HD-015)
• Demetrius Douglas (D, HD-078)
• Ben Watson (R, SD-001)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 4, 2026

   165 yea, 0 nay (2 not voting, 10 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #639

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 coverage
• colorectal cancer screening
• cancer screening guidelines
• preventive health care