Kemp signs 10 Healthcare legislations into law

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has been busy signing legislation following the conclusion of the 2019 Georgia General Assembly.

Last week, Kemp signed several pieces of legislation that he says will dramatically improve Georgia’s healthcare.

During the signing, Kemp said, quote, “Today, we signed healthcare legislation into law to improve access, lower costs, and increase the quality of care for countless Georgians – no matter their zip code. By giving cancer patients access to the treatment they desperately need, incentivizing competition, removing bureaucratic obstacles to quality care, and establishing innovative pilot projects to compact debilitating illnesses, Georgia will continue to lead on health care,” end quote.

There were five House Bills signed into law, including:

HB 186 which revises the provisions regarding the sale or lease of a hospital by a hospital authority;

HB 321 extends the sunset provisions in the hospital Medicaid financing program;

HB 63 requires health benefit plans to establish step therapy protocols;

HB 287 creates an income tax for certain physicians serving as community-based faculty physicians;

HB 290 establishes a pilot program to provide pre-exposure assistance to persons at risk of HIV infection.

There were five Senate Bills signed into law, those include:

SB 16 relates to physicians, assistants, and others, to enter into an interstate compact known as the “Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Act;”

SB 18 is the Direct Primary Care Act;

SB 168 revises certain definitions related to nurses;

SB 184 relates to state employees’ health insurance plan and will ensure that services covered and furnished by a federally qualified health center are reimbursed at no less than the Medicare maximum;

SB 207 changes the name and board’s membership under the Georgia Board of Physician Workforce.