Georgia House of Representatives - 1995/1996 Sessions

HB 281 - Health insurance; dermatological services

Page Numbers - 1/ 2

Code Sections - 33-24-56

1. Jamieson  22nd         2. Hudson  156th           3. Porter  143rd
4. Parrish  144th         5. Parham  122nd


House Comm: H&E        /                Senate Comm: I&L        /               
House Vote: Yeas 95    Nays 5           Senate Vote: Yeas 48  Nays 2            
              ----------------------------------------                          
               House          Action         Senate                             
              ----------------------------------------                          
              1/13/95  Read 1st Time         2/9/95                             
              1/23/95  Read 2nd Time         2/16/95                            
              2/2/95   Favorably Reported    2/15/95                            
                       Committee Amend/Sub   Am                                 
              2/8/95   Read 3rd Time         3/10/95                            
              2/8/95   Passed/Adopted        3/10/95                            
                       Comm/Floor Amend/Sub  CA                                 
              3/14/95  Amend/Sub Agreed To                                      
              3/29/95  Sent to Governor                                         
              4/7/95   Signed by Governor                                       
              231      Act/Veto Number                                          
              7/1/95   Effective Date                                           
              ----------------------------------------                          
                                                                                
Code Sections amended: 33-24-56                                                 


HB 281                                             HB 281/AP

      H. B. No. 281 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
      By:  Representatives Jamieson of the 22nd, Hudson of the
      156th, Porter of the 143rd, Parrish of the 144th and Parham
      of the 122nd

                        A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                               AN ACT


  1- 1  To amend Article 1 of Chapter 24 of Title 33 of the Official
  1- 2  Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions
  1- 3  regarding insurance, so as to provide for the direct access
  1- 4  of patients to dermatological services; to provide for
  1- 5  legislative intent and findings; to provide for definitions;
  1- 6  to prohibit certain requirements of referral from a primary
  1- 7  care physician as a condition of coverage; to provide an
  1- 8  effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
  1- 9  purposes.

  1-10       BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

                         SECTION 1.

  1-11  Article 1 of Chapter 24 of Title 33 of the Official Code of
  1-12  Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions regarding
  1-13  insurance, is amended by adding a new Code section at the
  1-14  end thereof, to be designated Code Section 33-24-56, to read
  1-15  as follows:

  1-16    "33-24-56. (Index)

  1-17    (a) It is the intent of the General Assembly to encourage
  1-18    health care cost containment while preserving the quality
  1-19    of care offered to citizens of this state.  The General
  1-20    Assembly finds that there is an increasing number of
  1-21    health insurance benefit providers which require a
  1-22    referral from a primary care physician to a dermatologist
  1-23    as a condition of the payment of benefits to an insured
  1-24    patient.  The General Assembly finds that such a
  1-25    requirement as it relates to dermatological services may
  1-26    block unfairly a patient's choice of direct access to
  1-27    providers of health care services and may not be in the
  1-28    public interest.

  1-29    (b) As used in this Code section, the term:

  1-30      (1) 'Dermatological services' means services ordinarily
  1-31      and customarily rendered by a physician specializing in
  1-32      the practice of dermatology.


                             H. B. No. 281
                                 -1- (Index)

                                                   HB 281/AP

  2- 1      (2) 'Health benefit policy' means any individual or
  2- 2      group plan, policy, or contract for health care services
  2- 3      issued, delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in
  2- 4      this state by a health care corporation, health
  2- 5      maintenance organization, accident and sickness insurer,
  2- 6      fraternal benefit society, nonprofit hospital service
  2- 7      corporation, nonprofit medical service corporation, or
  2- 8      similar entity.

  2- 9    (c) No health benefit policy which is issued, delivered,
  2-10    issued for delivery, or renewed in this state on or after
  2-11    July 1, 1995, shall require as a condition to the coverage
  2-12    of dermatological services that an enrollee, subscriber,
  2-13    or insured first obtain a referral from a primary care
  2-14    physician, as such term is defined by the group plan,
  2-15    policy, or contract for health care services."

                         SECTION 2.

  2-16  This Act shall become effective on July 1, 1995.

                         SECTION 3.

  2-17  All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are
  2-18  repealed.

























                             H. B. No. 281
                                 -2- (Index)