House Bill 1427
By: Representatives Willis of the 55th, Crawford of the 89th, Miller of the 62nd, and Cannon
of the 58th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 1 of Chapter 18 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to state employees' health insurance plan and post-employment health benefit fund,
so as to require the state health benefit plan to cover cranial prostheses for certain covered
persons experiencing partial or complete loss of body hair; to provide for definitions; to
provide for cost-sharing requirements; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 1 of Chapter 18 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
state employees' health insurance plan and post-employment health benefit fund, is amended
by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
<ins>"45-18-4.3.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Alopecia' means the partial or complete loss of body hair caused by a severe
autoimmune condition. Such term includes alopecia totalis, alopecia universalis,
ophiasis, other alopeicia areata, and alopecia areata, unspecified.
</ins>
<ins>(2) 'Cost-sharing requirement' means a deductible, coinsurance, or copayment and any
maximum limitation on the application of such a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or
similar out-of-pocket expense.
(3) 'Covered person' means an individual covered under the state health benefit plan.
(4) 'Cranial prosthesis' means a medical wig or hairpiece.
(5) 'State health benefit plan' means the health insurance plan or plans established
pursuant to this article, for public school teachers and employees, dependents, and
retirees pursuant to Part 6 of Article 17 of Chapter 2 of Title 20, and for members,
employees, dependents, and retirees of the Board of Regents of the University System of
Georgia pursuant to Code Section 31-2-4.
(b) Beginning January 1, 2027, the state health benefit plan shall include coverage for
cranial prostheses for any covered persons experiencing permanent or temporary full or
partial hair loss when such prostheses are prescribed by a licensed provider for use as part
of a course of rehabilitative treatment for a diagnosed health condition, illness, or injury,
including, but not limited to, alopecia, cancer, hair loss after cancer treatments such as
chemotherapy or radiation, or scalp injuries.
(c) The benefits of the state health benefit plan as provided in subsection (b) of this Code
section shall be subject to the same cost-sharing requirements established for other covered
benefits within such state health benefit plan. Special deductibles, coinsurance, copayment,
or other limitations that are not generally applicable to other medical devices or services
covered by the state health benefit plan shall not be imposed regarding such benefits."
</ins> SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.