# Georgia HB 197: Insurance; health care provider to respond to a private review agent or utility review entity's attempt to discuss the patient's care; detail the effort

Georgia HB 197, Insurance; health care provider to respond to a private review agent or utility review entity's attempt to discuss the patient's care; detail the effort, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Michelle Au (Democrat), Sharon Cooper (Republican), Lee Hawkins (Republican) and 3 others; status signed, last action 2026-01-01 (Effective Date) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB197-2025-2026
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Georgia HB 197
- State: Georgia
- Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
- Title: Insurance; health care provider to respond to a private review agent or utility review entity's attempt to discuss the patient's care; detail the effort
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-30
- Last action: 2026-01-01, Effective Date
- Sponsors: Michelle Au (Democrat), Sharon Cooper (Republican), Lee Hawkins (Republican), Trey Kelley (Republican), Mark Newton (Republican), Deborah Silcox (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Health, Rules, General Bill
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 3 (389 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Insurers must offer selective care approval relief: benefit, low. Beginning January 1, 2026, this law applies to state-regulated health policies issued or renewed in Georgia. Insurers using prior authorization must maintain programs allowing fewer advance approval requirements for selected providers and services. These programs must use provider performance and a…
- Reviewers must seek provider input before denials: benefit, low. Beginning January 1, 2026, this law applies to state-regulated health policies issued or renewed in Georgia. When reviewers question whether care is medically necessary, they must try to discuss it before making an adverse decision. The discussion must involve the treating provider or a qualified d…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Michelle Au (Democrat), House
- Sponsor: Sharon Cooper (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Lee Hawkins (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Trey Kelley (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Mark Newton (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Deborah Silcox (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Kay Kirkpatrick (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-04 | House | Agree to Senate Substitute | pass | 162 | 0 | 6 |
| 2025-04-02 | Senate | PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE | pass | 53 | 0 | 1 |
| 2025-03-04 | House | PASSAGE | pass | 174 | 0 | 4 |

## Actions (20)

- 2026-01-01: Effective Date
- 2025-05-14: House Date Signed by Governor (House)
- 2025-05-14: Act 303
- 2025-04-09: House Sent to Governor (House)
- 2025-04-04: House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
- 2025-04-02: Senate Tabled (Senate)
- 2025-04-02: Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
- 2025-04-02: Senate Third Read (Senate)
- 2025-04-02: Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
- 2025-03-31: Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
- 2025-03-28: Senate Recommitted (Senate)
- 2025-03-20: Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- 2025-03-18: Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: House Third Readers (House)
- 2025-03-04: House Passed/Adopted (House)
- 2025-02-11: House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- 2025-02-04: House Second Readers (House)
- 2025-02-03: House First Readers (House)
- 2025-01-30: House Hopper (House)

## Bill text

- HB 197/AP* (v5): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/239305)

## Related bills

- SB 160: Reckless Stunt Driving; a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckless stunt driving; replace the forfeiture penalty (signed)
- SB 384: Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation for certain motor vehicles; provide (signed)
- SB 76: License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation; establish (signed)
- SB 406: "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact (signed)
- HB 1391: Specialty license plates; honor public safety officers; establish (signed)
- HB 1344: Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact (signed)

## Sources
- [HB 197/AP* (v5) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/239305)

## Related
- [SB 160: Reckless Stunt Driving; a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckles…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB160-2025-2026)
- [SB 384: Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB384-2025-2026)
- [SB 76: License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Servic…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB76-2025-2026)
- [SB 406: "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB406-2025-2026)
- [HB 1391: Specialty license plates; honor public safety officers; establish](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1391-2025-2026)
- [HB 1344: Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1344-2025-2026)
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- [Georgia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/georgia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB197-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-19).