---
title: HB 373. Insurance; annual prostate cancer screenings for certain men; require major medical coverage
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb373
cite_as: HB 373, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb373
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb373.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb373/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70135
date: 2025-03-03
status: engrossed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-12
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: 493
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb373.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 373
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-02-28
last_action: Senate Read and Referred
sponsors:
- Lydia Glaize
- Mark Newton
- Sharon Cooper
- Billy Mitchell
- Miriam Paris
- Spencer Frye
text_version: Comm Sub
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB373/2025
upstream_id: 1964610
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- health insurance coverage
- prostate cancer screening
- cancer prevention
- insurance mandates
- men's health
---
# HB 373. Insurance; annual prostate cancer screenings for certain men; require major medical coverage
## Text
House Bill 373 (COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)
By: Representatives Glaize of the 67th, Newton of the 127th, Cooper of the 45th, Mitchell of
the 88th, Paris of the 142nd, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 1 of Chapter 24 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to general provisions regarding insurance, so as to require major medical coverage
for annual prostate cancer screenings for certain men; to provide for definitions; to provide
for related matters; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting
laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 1 of Chapter 24 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
general provisions regarding insurance, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as
follows:
"33-24-59.34.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Health benefit policy' means any individual or group plan, policy, or contract for
healthcare services issued, delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state which
provides major medical benefits by a healthcare corporation, health maintenance
organization, preferred provider organization, accident and sickness insurer, fraternal
benefit society, hospital service corporation, medical service corporation, or other insurer
or similar entity.
(2) 'Men with a family history of prostate cancer' means men who have a first-degree
relative:
(A) Who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer;
(B) Who developed prostate cancer;
(C) Whose death was a result of prostate cancer;
(D) Who has been diagnosed with a cancer known to be associated with an increased
risk of prostate cancer; or
(E) Who has a genetic alteration known to be associated with an increased risk of
prostate cancer.
(3) 'Men with a high risk for prostate cancer' means:
(A) Men with a family history of prostate cancer who are 40 to 49 years of age;
(B) Men who are 50 years of age and older; and
(C) Other men, as may be determined by a physician.
(b) A health benefit policy shall provide coverage for annual prostate cancer screenings
for men with a high risk for prostate cancer. Such coverage shall include a digital rectal
examination and a prostate-specific antigen test."
SECTION 2.
This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law
without such approval and shall apply to all applicable insurance policies issued, delivered,
issued for delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026.
SECTION 3.
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 require health insurance plans sold in the state to cover annual prostate cancer screenings for men considered at high risk, starting with policies issued or renewed after January 1, 2026.
### Plain-language summary
Currently, Georgia law does not require health insurance plans to cover prostate cancer screenings. This bill would add a new section to Georgia's insurance code (O.C.G.A. ยง 33-24-59.34) requiring health benefit policies, meaning individual or group insurance plans that provide major medical benefits, to cover annual prostate cancer screenings for men at high risk of the disease.
The bill defines who counts as high risk: men aged 40 to 49 with a family history of prostate cancer, all men age 50 and older, and any other men a physician determines to be at high risk. Covered screenings must include both a digital rectal exam and a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. The requirement would apply to insurance policies issued, delivered, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, and takes effect once signed by the Governor or becomes law without signature.
### What it does
- Adds a new Georgia insurance code section requiring health benefit policies to cover annual prostate cancer screenings for men at high risk.
- Defines 'men with a family history of prostate cancer' based on a first-degree relative's diagnosis, death, or related genetic risk factors.
- Defines 'men with a high risk for prostate cancer' to include men 40-49 with a family history, all men 50 and older, and others a physician identifies as high risk.
- Requires covered screenings to include both a digital rectal examination and a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test.
- Applies the coverage mandate to insurance policies issued, delivered, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026.
### Who it affects
Men in Georgia who are 50 or older, or aged 40-49 with a family history of prostate cancer, along with health insurers, health maintenance organizations, and other entities that issue major medical policies in the state, since they would be required to cover these screenings.
### Why it matters
Men who meet the bill's risk criteria would be guaranteed insurance coverage for prostate cancer screenings, including PSA tests and rectal exams, without facing coverage denials for that specific screening. Insurers would need to update policies issued or renewed after January 1, 2026 to include this benefit.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 adds new Code Section 33-24-59.34 to Georgia's insurance law, defining 'health benefit policy' as individual or group plans providing major medical benefits.
- Section 1 defines 'men with a family history of prostate cancer' using specific criteria about a first-degree relative's diagnosis, cancer development, death, related cancer diagnosis, or genetic alteration.
- Section 1 defines 'men with a high risk for prostate cancer' as those 40-49 with a family history, all men 50 and older, and others identified by a physician.
- Section 1(b) requires covered health plans to pay for annual screenings including a digital rectal exam and a PSA test for high-risk men.
- Section 2 sets the effective date as upon the Governor's approval or the bill becoming law without approval, applying to policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026.
- Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Engrossed (2025-02-28)
- Last action: Senate Read and Referred (2025-03-03)
- Sponsors: Lydia Glaize, Mark Newton, Sharon Cooper, Billy Mitchell, Miriam Paris, Spencer Frye
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70135
> The history, votes, and amendments (493 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb373.md?full=1