House Bill 988
By: Representatives Camp of the 135th, Jones of the 47th, Hagan of the 156th, Ballard of the
147th, New of the 40th, and others
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 the state employees' health insurance plan and post-employment health benefit
fund, so as to require the state health benefit plan to cover hormone replacement therapy for
biological women experiencing perimenopause and menopause when such therapy is
ordered or prescribed by a licensed physician; to provide for definitions; to allow for
deductibles, coinsurance and copayment provisions, and utilization review; to provide for
related matters; to provide 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 18 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the
state employees' health insurance plan and post-employment health benefit fund, is amended
in Part 1, relating to state employees' health insurance plan, by adding a new Code section
to read as follows:
<ins>"45-18-4.3.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
</ins>
<ins>(1) 'Hormone replacement therapy' means a therapy, including the administering of
supplemental or replacement synthetic, biological, or bioidentical hormones, that partially
replenishes the hormones that naturally diminish in biological women experiencing
perimenopause and menopause, controls symptoms of perimenopause and menopause,
or protects against diseases and conditions that biological women are more prone to
experiencing after menopause.
(2) 'State health benefit plan' means the health insurance plan or plans authorized
pursuant to this article, Subparts 2 and 3 of Part 6 of Article 17 of Chapter 2 of Title 20,
and Code Sections 20-3-31, 20-3-51, and 31-2-4.
(b) Beginning January 1, 2027, the state health benefit plan shall include coverage for
hormone replacement therapy for biological women experiencing perimenopause and
menopause when such therapy is ordered or prescribed by a licensed physician.
(c) The benefits covered under this Code section shall be subject to the same deductibles,
coinsurance or copayment provisions, and utilization review applicable to other similar
covered benefits under the state health benefit plan."
</ins> SECTION 2.
This Act shall become effective July 1, 2026, and shall apply to all policies or contracts
issued, delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state on or after such date.
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.