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.
<ins>(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
</ins>
<ins>(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.</ins> <del>Reserved."
</del> 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.