HB 231: Insurance; coverage of complementary and alternative therapies under certain conditions; provide

Georgia law does not currently require health insurance policies to cover complementary and alternative therapies like acupuncture or chiropractic care. This bill would add a new section to Georgia's insurance code (O.C.G.A. § 33-24-59.34) requiring most health benefit policies sold in the state to include coverage for such therapies when provided by a licensed physician, acupuncturist, chiropractor, or massage therapist. The bill also requires insurers to offer, as an optional endorsement policyholders can choose to add, coverage for treatments from a qualified herbalist, homeopath, or naturopath, but only when a licensed physician has ordered that treatment. Insurers may still apply exclusions, deductibles, or coinsurance limits with state approval, and the Insurance Commissioner would write rules to carry out the law. The requirement excludes certain limited policy types, such as disability income or long-term care insurance, and does not apply to self-funded employer health plans governed by federal law. It would take effect July 1, 2025, applying to policies issued or renewed on or after that date.

• Requires Georgia health benefit policies to cover complementary and alternative therapies delivered by a licensed physician, acupuncturist, chiropractor, or massage therapist.
• Requires insurers to offer an optional add-on covering therapies from a qualified herbalist, homeopath, or naturopath, but only if a physician ordered the treatment.
• Defines key terms like acupuncture, chiropractic, herbalism, homeopathy, and naturopathy by linking to existing Georgia licensing laws.
• Excludes certain limited insurance types (disability income, long-term care, Medicare supplement, and similar policies) and self-funded employer plans governed by federal law from the requirement.
• Allows insurers to apply exclusions, deductibles, or coinsurance limits to this coverage if the Insurance Commissioner approves them.
• Directs the Insurance Commissioner to write rules and regulations to implement the new coverage requirement.

Georgians who buy health benefit policies in the state, insurance companies and HMOs that issue those policies, and licensed physicians, acupuncturists, chiropractors, and massage therapists, along with herbalists, homeopaths, and naturopaths whose services could be covered under the optional endorsement.

If enacted, Georgians with covered health plans could get insurance reimbursement for acupuncture, chiropractic care, and massage therapy, and could choose to pay for extra coverage of herbal, homeopathic, or naturopathic treatment ordered by a doctor, expanding treatment options beyond conventional medical coverage.

• Section 1 adds new O.C.G.A. § 33-24-59.34, defining terms such as acupuncturist, chiropractor, herbalist, homeopath, naturopath, and health benefit policy.
• Subsection (b) mandates coverage, as part of the policy or a required endorsement, for therapies from a licensed physician, acupuncturist, chiropractor, or massage therapist.
• Subsection (c) requires insurers to offer an optional endorsement covering herbalist, homeopath, or naturopath treatment, but only when ordered by a licensed physician.
• Subsection (d) lets the Commissioner approve exclusions, deductibles, or coinsurance limits on this coverage.
• Subsection (e) clarifies insurers may offer benefits greater than the required minimum.
• Subsection (f) directs the Commissioner to issue implementing rules and regulations.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as July 1, 2025, applying to policies issued, delivered, or renewed on or after that date.

1. 2025-02-06House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-02-05House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-02-04House Hopper (House)

• Yasmin Neal (D, HD-079)Primary sponsor
• Michelle Au (D, HD-050)
• Park Cannon (D, HD-058)

• health insurance
• alternative medicine
• acupuncture
• chiropractic care
• insurance coverage mandates