HB 1122: Insurance; group or individual accident and sickness plans; provisions

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a form of atherosclerosis that narrows arteries in the legs and raises the risk of heart attack, stroke, amputation, and death. Many people at risk are never screened for it. This bill adds new sections to Georgia law requiring health benefit policies, the state employee health plan, and Medicaid to cover a PAD screening test, such as ankle-brachial index testing, at least once every 12 months for defined 'at-risk individuals,' including people 65 or older and younger people with diabetes or other risk factors. The coverage requirement for private and individual health benefit policies takes effect January 1, 2027, and applies to policies issued or renewed on or after that date, but does not apply to self-funded employer plans governed by federal law. The state employee plan and Medicaid coverage requirements only take effect if the General Assembly specifically appropriates funding for them in a future budget act.

• Requires health benefit policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027 to cover a peripheral artery disease screening test at least once every 12 months for at-risk individuals.
• Defines 'at-risk individual' by age and risk factors such as diabetes, smoking history, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or family history of the disease.
• Exempts self-funded employer health plans governed by federal law (ERISA) from the new coverage requirement.
• Adds the same screening coverage requirement to the state employee health benefit plan, but only if the General Assembly appropriates specific funding for it.
• Requires Georgia Medicaid to cover the same screening for at-risk recipients, but only if the General Assembly appropriates specific funding, and directs the state to seek federal approval if needed.
• Bars insurers from applying special deductibles or copays to this screening that are not applied to other covered benefits.

People enrolled in private or group health insurance policies in Georgia, state government employees on the state health plan, Medicaid recipients, and insurers, health maintenance organizations, and other entities that issue health benefit policies in the state.

People at risk of peripheral artery disease, especially older adults, people with diabetes, smokers, and those with high blood pressure or cholesterol, would gain guaranteed access to a low-cost screening test that can catch the disease before it leads to amputation, stroke, or death.

• Section 1 lists legislative findings on how common and dangerous peripheral artery disease is, including that about 200,000 Americans suffer avoidable amputations from it yearly.
• Section 2 adds Code Section 33-24-59.37 requiring most health benefit policies to cover PAD screening tests yearly for at-risk individuals starting January 1, 2027, excluding ERISA self-funded plans.
• Section 3 adds Code Section 45-18-4.3 requiring the state employee health plan to cover the same screening, effective only with a specific budget appropriation.
• Section 4 adds Code Section 49-4-159.5 requiring Medicaid to cover the screening for at-risk recipients, effective only with a specific budget appropriation, and requires a state plan amendment if needed.
• Section 5 sets the general effective date as January 1, 2027, but ties the state plan and Medicaid provisions to future appropriations acts.
• Section 6 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2026-03-09Senate Read and Referred (Senado)
2. 2026-03-06House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Cámara de Representantes)
3. 2026-03-06House Third Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
4. 2026-03-04House Postponed (Cámara de Representantes)
5. 2026-03-03House Postponed (Cámara de Representantes)
6. 2026-02-24House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Cámara de Representantes)
7. 2026-02-10House Withdrawn, Recommitted (Cámara de Representantes)
8. 2026-02-04House Second Readers (Cámara de Representantes)

• Demetrius Douglas (D, HD-078)Patrocinador principal
• Mark Newton (R, HD-127)
• Carolyn Hugley (D, HD-141)
• Lee Hawkins (R, HD-027)
• Karlton Howard (D, HD-129)

1. AprobadaVotación: Cámara de Representantes6 de marzo de 2026

   167 a favor, 2 en contra (4 sin votar, 4 ausentes)

   Passage: House Vote #664

• health insurance coverage
• peripheral artery disease
• Medicaid benefits
• state employee health plan
• preventive screening