SB 503: Insurance; rental home marketplace guarantees from the definition of property insurance; exempt

Georgia law already requires many health insurance plans to cover medically necessary orthotic devices (braces and other supportive equipment) and prosthetic devices (artificial limbs and similar equipment) along with their parts. But the current law specifically excludes health plans covering state employees and Medicaid managed care contracts from that coverage mandate. Senate Bill 503 rewrites that definition in Georgia's insurance code (O.C.G.A. § 33-24-59.35). Starting January 1, 2027, the orthotic and prosthetic device coverage requirement would extend to health plans covering state employees, public school teachers and employees, and members, employees, and retirees of the University System's Board of Regents. The old carve-out for Medicaid contracts is removed from the law entirely. The change would only take effect if the General Assembly specifically appropriates funding for it in a budget bill, and it would start on the later of that budget law's effective date or the start of the funded fiscal year.

• Rewrites the definition of 'health benefit policy' in Georgia's orthotic and prosthetic device coverage law (O.C.G.A. § 33-24-59.35) to add state employee, teacher, and Board of Regents health plans starting January 1, 2027.
• Removes the current exclusion that keeps the State Health Benefit Plan and similar state-run plans outside the mandatory device coverage requirement.
• Removes the separate exclusion for healthcare services provided under Medicaid managed care contracts with the Department of Community Health.
• Keeps an exclusion for self-funded, employer-sponsored health plans governed by the federal ERISA law.
• Makes the whole change contingent: it only takes effect if the General Assembly appropriates specific funding for it in a budget act.

State employees, public school teachers and staff, and University System of Georgia (Board of Regents) employees and retirees who get health coverage through state-run plans, along with people who use medically necessary orthotic or prosthetic devices. The Department of Community Health and Georgia's health insurers are also affected.

If funded, state employees, teachers, and university system workers would gain a guaranteed right to insurance coverage for braces, artificial limbs, and similar medically necessary devices, coverage they currently are not guaranteed under this specific state law. Whether it happens at all depends on a future budget appropriation.

• Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 33-24-59.35(a)(3), changing when the orthotic and prosthetic device coverage mandate does and does not apply to state-run health plans.
• Section 1 adds state employees, public school teachers and employees, and Board of Regents members, employees, retirees, and dependents to the plans covered starting January 1, 2027.
• Section 1 deletes the prior exclusion for Medicaid managed care contracts with the Department of Community Health, removing that carve-out from the law.
• Section 1 preserves the exclusion for self-funded, employer-sponsored plans regulated exclusively under the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).
• Section 2 makes the entire Act effective only if the General Assembly specifically appropriates funds for it, starting on the later of the appropriations act's effective date or the start of the funded fiscal year.

1. 2026-05-11Act 516
2. 2026-05-11Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
3. 2026-04-10Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
4. 2026-04-02House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
5. 2026-03-31Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub As Amended (Senate)
6. 2026-03-25House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
7. 2026-03-25House Third Readers (House)
8. 2026-03-20House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)

• Marty Harbin (R, SD-016)Primary sponsor
• Larry Walker (R, SD-020)
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)
• Randy Robertson (R, SD-029)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)
• RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-038)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-052)
• Ricky Williams (R, SD-025)
• Matt Reeves (R, HD-099)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 4, 2026

   42 yea, 11 nay (2 not voting, 0 absent)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #618

2. PassedHouse voteMarch 25, 2026

   165 yea, 2 nay (1 not voting, 8 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #763

3. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   50 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 3 absent)

   Agree To House Substitute As Amended: Senate Vote #921

4. PassedHouse voteApril 2, 2026

   160 yea, 6 nay (5 not voting, 5 absent)

   Agree To Senate Amend To House Sub: House Vote #850

• health insurance mandates
• state employee benefits
• prosthetic and orthotic coverage
• teacher health benefits
• Medicaid