---
title: HB 1211. Insurance; guidelines and recommendations for colorectal cancer screening, examinations, and laboratory tests; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1211
cite_as: HB 1211, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1211
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1211.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1211/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72887
date: 2026-03-31
status: engrossed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 798
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1211.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1211
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-03-04
last_action: Senate Tabled
sponsors:
- Trey Kelley
- Lee Hawkins
- Mark Newton
- Joseph Gullett
- Matthew Gambill
- Demetrius Douglas
- Ben Watson
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1211/2025
upstream_id: 2109998
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- health insurance coverage
- colorectal cancer screening
- cancer screening guidelines
- preventive health care
---
# HB 1211. Insurance; guidelines and recommendations for colorectal cancer screening, examinations, and laboratory tests; provide
## Text
House Bill 1211
By: Representatives Kelley of the 16th, Hawkins of the 27th, Newton of the 127th, Gullett of
the 19th, Gambill of the 15th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Code Section 33-24-56.3 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
colorectal cancer screening and testing, so as to provide for guidelines and recommendations
for colorectal cancer screening, examinations, and laboratory tests; to provide for related
matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Code Section 33-24-56.3 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to colorectal
cancer screening and testing, is amended by revising subsection (b) as follows:
"(b) 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: the American Cancer Society, in consultation with the
American College of Gastroenterology and the American College of Radiology, the
National Comprehensive Cancer Network, the United States Preventive Task Force, or a
national coverage determination made by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services, for the ages, family histories, and frequencies referenced in such guidelines and
recommendations and deemed appropriate by the attending physician after conferring with
the patient."
SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
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.
### Plain-language summary
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 it 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. ยง 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.
## Status
- Status: Engrossed (2026-03-04)
- Last action: Senate Tabled (2026-03-31)
- Sponsors: Trey Kelley, Lee Hawkins, Mark Newton, Joseph Gullett, Matthew Gambill, Demetrius Douglas, Ben Watson
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72887
> The history, votes, and amendments (798 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1211.md?full=1