Gov. Brian Kemp has made quite an effort to reinforce the state of health in Georgia. After signing a flurry of new bills on education, he switched focus. Some bills focus on insurance, and others on health care in general.
First, House Bill (HB) 89 was passed. It requires healthcare providers and pharmacies to provide the Maternal Mortality Review Committee with psychiatric or other clinical records.
The point of the bill is to create a system that keeps track of suspicious or unusual deaths. To promote efficiency, the bill removes the requirement that a medical examiner's inquiry for pregnant female deaths be done through a regional perinatal center.
Second, HB 94 was passed to secure fertility for women undergoing cancer treatment. The bill requires coverage for standard fertility preservation services when a woman undergoes medically necessary treatment for cancer or some other condition.
HB 94 also repeals some conflicting provisions in the Official Code of Georgia.
Third, HB 428 was passed to codify the right to in vitro fertilization for individuals in Georgia. This bill comes as a response to the debate around birth control.
Abortion in the state is heavily regulated, but in vitro fertilization always comes as a topic of discussion.
Finally, HB 584 was passed to shift the responsibility of health programs. It reassigns licensing and oversight of certain treatments and programs from the Department of Community Health to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.
The treatment programs in question include drug abuse treatment and education programs, narcotic treatment programs, and adult residential mental health programs. The bill largely relates to food, drugs, and mental health.
Kemp commented on the necessity of these bills. He thanked the General Assembly for passing them along. He believes these measures will ensure that Georgia is the best state to work and live.
Kemp stated, “Today I signed legislation supporting the health and wellness of hardworking Georgians and promoting the history and culture of communities in this great state.”
