---
title: SB 444. Private Review Agents; certain decisions with regard to the provision of insurance coverage for healthcare services shall not be based solely on artificial intelligence systems; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb444
cite_as: SB 444, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb444
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb444.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb444/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72666
date: 2026-05-05
status: passed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
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: 1192
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb444.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 444
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-05-05
last_action: Effective Date 2027-01-01
sponsors:
- Kay Kirkpatrick
- Ben Watson
- Mike Hodges
- Ed Harbison
- Larry Walker
- Lee Hawkins
text_version: Enrolled
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB444/2025
upstream_id: 2104411
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- health insurance
- artificial intelligence regulation
- insurance coverage denials
- utilization review
- healthcare policy
---
# SB 444. Private Review Agents; certain decisions with regard to the provision of insurance coverage for healthcare services shall not be based solely on artificial intelligence systems; provide
## Text
Senate Bill 444
By: Senators Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Watson of the 1st, Hodges of the 3rd, Harbison of the
15th and Walker III of the 20th
AS PASSED
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 46 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
certification of private review agents, so as to provide that certain decisions with regard to
the provision of insurance coverage for healthcare services shall not be based solely on
artificial intelligence systems, artificial intelligence, or other software tools; to provide for
definitions; 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 46 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to certification of
private review agents, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"33-46-7.1.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Artificial intelligence' means a machine based system that can, for a given set of
human defined objectives, make predictions, recommendations, or decisions influencing
real or virtual environments.
(2) 'Artificial intelligence system' means an engineered or machine based system that
emulates the capability of a person to receive audio, visual, text, or any other form of
information and use such information to emulate a human cognitive process, including,
but not limited to, learning, generalizing, reasoning, planning, predicting, acting, or
communicating; provided, however, that artificial intelligence systems may vary in the
forms of information they can receive and in the human cognitive processes they can
emulate.
(b) Private review agents and utilization review entities may use artificial intelligence
systems, artificial intelligence, or other software tools, provided that such systems or tools
are a part of a utilization review plan that is in accordance with the standards set forth in
this chapter and the rules and regulations adopted by the Commissioner.
(c) Artificial intelligence systems, artificial intelligence, and other software tools may be
used to automate tasks, reduce administrative burdens, participate in decision-making
processes, and perform other lawful functions; provided, however, that such systems shall
not issue an adverse determination to a patient until a natural person qualifying as a private
review agent or a utilization review entity conducts a utilization review in which a clinical
peer participates. In no event shall artificial intelligence systems, artificial intelligence, or
other software tools supersede the judgment of such clinical peer."
SECTION 2.
This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2027.
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.
Senate Bill 444 would require that health insurance companies in Georgia have a licensed medical reviewer, not just artificial intelligence, sign off before denying coverage for a healthcare service.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia insurance companies use private review agents and utilization review entities to decide whether to approve or deny coverage for medical treatments. This bill adds a new section to Georgia's insurance law (O.C.G.A. Chapter 46 of Title 33) addressing how artificial intelligence can be used in that process.
The bill allows insurers to use artificial intelligence systems, artificial intelligence, or other software tools to automate tasks and help with decision-making, as long as those tools are part of an approved utilization review plan. However, it prohibits AI from issuing a final denial of coverage (called an adverse determination) to a patient on its own. A human private review agent or utilization review entity, including a clinical peer, must be involved before a denial is finalized, and AI cannot override that person's judgment. The law would take effect January 1, 2027.
### What it does
- Adds a new Code section (33-46-7.1) letting insurers use AI systems for utilization review, but only within an approved review plan.
- Bars AI systems from issuing an adverse determination (a coverage denial) to a patient without a human private review agent or utilization review entity involved.
- Requires a clinical peer, a medical professional with relevant expertise, to participate before a denial is finalized.
- States that AI tools cannot override or supersede the judgment of the clinical peer reviewing the case.
- Defines 'artificial intelligence' and 'artificial intelligence system' for purposes of this insurance law.
- Sets the law to take effect January 1, 2027.
### Who it affects
Health insurance companies and their private review agents and utilization review entities in Georgia, the clinical peers (licensed medical professionals) who review coverage decisions, and patients whose insurance claims go through utilization review for healthcare services.
### Why it matters
Patients seeking insurance approval for medical care would be guaranteed that a human medical reviewer, not just an automated algorithm, has a role in any decision to deny coverage. This could affect how quickly and how coverage denials are issued by Georgia insurers.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 adds Code Section 33-46-7.1 defining 'artificial intelligence' and 'artificial intelligence system' for insurance review purposes.
- Subsection (b) permits private review agents and utilization review entities to use AI tools if they are part of a compliant utilization review plan approved under existing standards and Commissioner rules.
- Subsection (c) allows AI to automate tasks and assist decision-making but bars it from issuing an adverse determination without a human private review agent or utilization review entity and a participating clinical peer.
- Subsection (c) also states AI tools cannot supersede the judgment of the clinical peer involved in the review.
- Section 2 sets the effective date as January 1, 2027.
- Section 3 repeals conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Passed (2026-05-05)
- Last action: Effective Date 2027-01-01 (2026-05-05)
- Sponsors: Kay Kirkpatrick, Ben Watson, Mike Hodges, Ed Harbison, Larry Walker, Lee Hawkins
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72666
> The history, votes, and amendments (1,192 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb444.md?full=1