Georgia CommonsHB 1354: Surprise Billing Consumer Protection Act; require certain health insurers providing a network plan to approve credentialing applications within a certain time frame
Comm Sub version, the latest LegiScan holds · Last action February 25, 2026 · Introduced
The text as LegiScan holds it, read from the PDF the legislature publishes with its margin line numbers, running heads, and page footers removed. Line breaks are joined into paragraphs here; no word is changed.
Underlined words are what the bill adds to current law and struck-through words are what it removes, as the printed bill shows them.
The House Committee on Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight offers the following substitute to HB 1354:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 24 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to insurance generally, so as to require health insurers to implement a standardized credentialing application; to provide for health insurers to approve credentialing applications within a certain time frame; to provide for the Department of Insurance and the Department of Community Health to coordinate with stakeholders to establish a standardized credentialing application; to provide for health insurers to utilize such application; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 24 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to insurance generally, is amended in Article 1, relating to general provisions, by revising Code Section 33-24-37, which is reserved, as follows:
"33-24-37.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Complete credentialing application' means the submission of a credentialing application and any supporting documents for a healthcare provider to a health insurer.
(2) 'Credentialing' means to collect, verify, and assess whether a healthcare provider meets relevant licensing, education, and training requirements.
(b) Every health insurer shall approve complete credentialing applications from healthcare providers within 45 days of receipt of any such application if submitted in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the department.
(c) The department and the Department of Community Health shall coordinate with stakeholders to establish a standardized credentialing application for use in credentialing healthcare providers, which may be based on acceptance of data from or integration with the credentialing verification system used by the state Medicaid program to verify the qualifications, licenses, education, training, and professional history of healthcare providers.
(d) No later than July 1, 2027, every health insurer shall utilize the standardized credentialing application established pursuant to subsection (c) of this Code section.
(e) No later than January 1, 2027, the department shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Code section. Reserved."
SECTION 2.
This Act shall become effective July 1, 2026.
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.