# Virginia SB172: Health insurance claims; electronic information or attachments accepted, delayed effective date.

Virginia SB172, Health insurance claims; electronic information or attachments accepted, delayed effective date., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Stella G. Pekarsky (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-06 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0201)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB172-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB172
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Health insurance claims; electronic information or attachments accepted, delayed effective date.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-08
- Last action: 2026-04-06, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0201)
- Sponsor: Stella G. Pekarsky (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 8 (207 yes, 4 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

Health insurance; carrier business practices; electronic attachments. Provides that, in the following contexts, information may be submitted by a provider to a health insurance carrier through electronic attachment, as defined in the bill: (i) information related to services rendered as required by the carrier in its provider contract; (ii) information related to any defect or impropriety that prevents the carrier from deeming a health insurance claim a clean claim, as defined in existing law; and (iii) information required to establish medical necessity, benefit coverage, or prior authorization of services, or to conduct reconsideration activities. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027. This bill is identical to HB 676.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Electronic insurance paperwork for health providers: benefit, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, covered Virginia insurers must accept electronic service records, claim corrections, and coverage or authorization records. Submissions must meet applicable federal standards and contract procedures; insurers cannot demand paper or fax when compliant electronic files suff…
- State commission cannot decide individual claim disputes: cost, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, Virginia's State Corporation Commission cannot decide individual disputes under these insurance business and claims-payment rules. The Commission still oversees compliance with the rules, but that authority does not include deciding individual cases.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Stella G. Pekarsky (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-02-24 | House | Passed House | pass | 97 | 1 |   |
| 2026-02-19 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce | pass | 17 | 3 |   |
| 2026-01-30 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 38 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-29 | Senate | Commerce and Labor Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-29 | Senate | Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-28 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-28 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-26 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute | pass | 15 | 0 |   |

## Actions (30)

- 2026-04-06: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0201) (Governor)
- 2026-04-06: Approved by Governor-Chapter 201 (Effective 1/1/2027) (Governor)
- 2026-03-23: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (SB172) (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-10: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB172ER) (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-02-24: Passed House (97-Y 1-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-24: Read third time (House)
- 2026-02-23: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-19: Reported from Labor and Commerce (17-Y 3-N) (House)
- 2026-02-04: Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce (House)
- 2026-02-04: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-04: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2026-01-30: Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (Senate)
- 2026-01-29: Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-01-29: Commerce and Labor Substitute agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-01-29: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate)
- 2026-01-29: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-01-28: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-01-28: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-01-28: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2026-01-28: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-01-27: Committee substitute printed 26106213D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-01-26: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-01-26: Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-08: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor (Senate)
- 2026-01-08: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102798D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216786.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216785.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-02-26: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1178967.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1178966.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-01-27: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1097472.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1097471.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-01-26: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096806.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096805.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083651.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083650.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed)
- HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed)
- HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed)
- HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216786.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216785.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1178967.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1178966.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1097472.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1097471.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096806.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096805.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083651.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083650.PDF)

## Related
- [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026)
- [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026)
- [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026)
- [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026)
- [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026)
- [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB172-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).