HB1119: HB1119 Labor and industrial relations; pharmacy care guidelines and pharmacy management networks under workers' compensation; provide

Under Georgia's workers' compensation law (O.C.G.A. Chapter 9 of Title 34), injured employees can currently get prescriptions from any pharmacy or doctor. This bill would add new rules limiting how much medication doctors can prescribe for off-label uses or custom-mixed compounded drugs, and how much pharmacists can dispense in the first week after an injury without going through the state's fee schedule. The bill also lets employers set up or contract with 'pharmacy management networks,' groups of pharmacies and doctors who agree to dispense medication to injured workers under a specific contract. Employers using these networks must notify workers about them, and any licensed pharmacy or doctor willing to follow the network's rules can join. Networks must register with the State Board of Workers' Compensation and pay a fee. The changes would take effect January 1, 2027.

• Limits providers prescribing off-label medications to injured workers to a 30-day supply, requiring documented medical necessity and prior authorization.
• Limits providers prescribing compounded (custom-mixed) medications to a 90-day total supply given in 30-day increments, with prior authorization required.
• Caps early dispensing of medications in the first seven days after an injury to a five-day supply for Schedule II and III drugs and 14 days for other medications.
• Allows employers to create or contract with 'pharmacy management networks' of pharmacies and doctors to serve injured workers, with required employee notice.
• Requires pharmacy management networks to register with the State Board of Workers' Compensation and pay a licensing fee, and to accept any willing, licensed pharmacy or doctor into the network.
• Exempts registered pharmacy management networks from Georgia's licensing rules for benefit plan administrators and pharmacy benefit managers.

The bill affects injured employees receiving workers' compensation benefits, doctors and pharmacists who prescribe or dispense medication to them, employers who provide workers' compensation coverage, and any pharmacy management networks employers set up or contract with, which must register with the state board.

Injured workers could see changes in how easily they can get certain medications, especially off-label or compounded drugs, and may be steered toward specific pharmacy networks chosen by their employer. Pharmacies and doctors would face new documentation, dispensing limits, and registration requirements to participate.

• New Code Section 34-9-201.1 defines terms like 'compounded medication,' 'off-label medication,' and 'pharmacy management network' and sets prescribing and dispensing limits.
• Subsection (c) requires prescribers to document medical necessity and get prior authorization before prescribing off-label or compounded medications, with specific supply caps.
• Subsection (d) limits early dispensing (within seven days of injury) to five days for Schedule II/III drugs and 14 days for other medications.
• Subsection (e) says dispensing providers in a contracted pharmacy management network are not bound by the standard fee schedule or supply limits.
• New Code Section 34-9-201.2 lets employers establish or contract with pharmacy management networks and requires notice to employees when networks are created or after a reported injury.
• Networks must register with the board, pay a licensing fee, accept any willing licensed provider, and cannot charge participating providers dispensing or enrollment fees.
• Injured employees with disputed or controverted claims cannot be forced to use the network's providers until compensability is established.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as January 1, 2027.

1. 2026-02-05House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
2. 2026-02-04House Second Readers (House)
3. 2026-02-03House First Readers (House)
4. 2026-02-02House Hopper (House)

• Kasey Carpenter (R, HD-004)Primary sponsor
• Josh Bonner (R, HD-073)
• Joseph Gullett (R, HD-019)
• Bill Yearta (R, HD-152)

• workers' compensation
• prescription drugs
• pharmacy regulation
• injured workers
• healthcare providers