[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6352824,"mediaKeyId","2222496-6088a0745f2d34813482d88578393220","parentId",2222496,"title","Parents, doctors push bill to require state health plan coverage for PANS/PANDAS treatments","audioSeconds",3509,"startMs",1559000,"endMs",5068000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2222496-6088a0745f2d34813482d88578393220&start=1559&end=5068","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2222496-6088a0745f2d34813482d88578393220/thumbnail_1559000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6352824/Georgia/Parents-doctors-push-bill-to-require-state-health-plan-coverage-for-PANSPANDAS-treatments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6352824-7f6eefcaeaa7292232953221bfe8ab15/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140798&Signature=P~gp0juOh2WXTpKsDxcqYsrzuJZbKhx49m8t56Yaj4z7-kV79s~BsSqeUe~zlN~knf65fcvdf01okQ2QElYDU4OwDVlzCHREmQc9Q5tvmV6PJ6ztM37YROcZVA66w5exZg9UPwSBUKt6Brv~OT42XRK~CHBopJ7BmMKHZjpwLG6LT3BwVbVEtbuQNkjsRaVXtAbOMZiLUCvCMF3fDebROhVna5JZJWF33zo1G9~C2VcOoOXQ6Pj9DojwuwcYCWwD9-YpD8BgtvyeEb23YBijnvpphS-Fy2wZziQ1BkVS1bO7lTMkkKSp~cR9AchUWFV5bK43tO2Q6bXCiAnXM2t1oQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Georgia State Legislature ","date","2025-02-03T00:00:00Z","article","House Bill 124, presented Jan. 8 to the Life and Health Insurance Subcommittee by Representative Mitchell Scoggins, would require coverage under the State Health Benefit Plan for health care services related to PANS and PANDAS, including specified therapies such as intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and ozone therapy.

The bill’s sponsor, Representative Mitchell Scoggins, described personal experience in his family and introduced parents and clinicians who testified about delayed diagnoses, extensive out-of-pocket costs, and clinical recommendations. \"This bill…deals in Title 33 and Title 45…so as to require coverage for health care services with PANS and PANDAS,\" Scoggins said, citing the two code titles the measure would affect.

Multiple parents testified about children who experienced abrupt behavioral and neurological declines after common infections and who later improved after receiving IVIG or other specialized care. Jessica Gowen, a parent advocate with the Southeastern PANS/PANDAS Association, summarized families’ experiences and described past legislative and clinical efforts, including a 2019 study committee and a demonstration project that was not implemented; she said early diagnosis and local clinical capacity reduce the need for costly IVIG infusions.

Several parents gave specific accounts: Ada Owens said her son Arthur developed severe tics, intrusive thoughts and a loss of basic skills after repeated infections and that two rounds of IVIG, which she said cost $21,000 for two infusions and $48,006.48 in total out-of-pocket expenses for the family, restored much of his functioning. Arthur, 12, addressed the panel and described his symptoms and recovery: \"It was horrible…The IVIG was a lifesaver,\" he said.

Lucy Ward, 16, told the committee she has received regular IVIG treatments at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and other centers and has had repeated seizures and hospital visits; she said she has received monthly IVIG infusions for several years and described substantial school absence and medical care prior to treatment. Sharon Zinn, a parent of a 7-year-old who has received monthly IVIG, said she has had to pay substantial out-of-pocket costs and travel for care and that some major Georgia pediatric centers had not recognized or treated PANS when her child presented.

Committee members asked about clinical markers and the course of illness. Witnesses said PANDAS is frequently triggered by streptococcal infections and PANS can be triggered by multiple infectious agents (strep, mycoplasma, influenza, COVID), and that early antibiotic and anti-inflammatory treatment is inexpensive when the condition is recognized early; IVIG is used in more severe or treatment-resistant cases. Jessica Gowen said the Cunningham Panel test is used by some providers and costs about $1,000; IVIG doses can cost $10,000 or more per infusion.

Representative Campbell, a co-sponsor, asked whether the current version of the bill changed to explicitly include IVIG and ozone therapy; Scoggins said it did. The bill, as written for the hearing, would apply to the State Health Benefit Plan rather than imposing a private-market mandate on all insurers, though members asked about premiums and whether private insurers could raise rates; witnesses and the sponsor said the measure was limited to the state employee plan for now and that data from other states indicates a small premium impact if local diagnosis and treatment capacity exist.

The subcommittee received testimony but did not vote on HB 124 at the hearing. Supporters asked lawmakers to consider the bill to prevent families from bearing very high out-of-pocket costs and to expand access to timely diagnosis and treatment for affected children.

Why it matters: Parents and clinicians told the committee that delayed recognition of PANS/PANDAS leads to severe, potentially long-term neurological and psychiatric impairment, and that coverage for targeted therapies could be decisive for children’s outcomes. Supporters pointed to clinical programs opening in Georgia and to other states that have enacted coverage or related measures.

What’s next: The bill will continue through the committee process; no committee vote was recorded at this session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","02.03.25 Insurance Life & Health Subcommittee","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 124, presented Jan. 8 to the Life and Health Insurance Subcommittee by Representative Mitchell Scoggins, would require coverage under the State Health Benefit Plan for health care services related to PANS and PANDAS, including specified therapies such as IVIG and ozone therapy.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature Georgia , Georgia","taxId",77688,"location","Georgia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6352826,"House panel hears bill to clarify military exclusion in group life policies",556,980000,1536000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2222496-6088a0745f2d34813482d88578393220&start=980&end=1536","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2222496-6088a0745f2d34813482d88578393220/thumbnail_980000.jpg","/articles/6352826/Georgia/House-panel-hears-bill-to-clarify-military-exclusion-in-group-life-policies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6352826-25bbd2644ec4f23bb6a63fc9b92d032e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140798&Signature=P773bqmWaD0njx~wD0Hsu5kOaazzotzuvo705IbWRBn6xl7tYf-jJx15qGXAGSEAf04sGGdt1eXQ1SiTinFTpVkt6NjoNES~4zY6EusyAK2A8KqgyyP3e0SH5c5FKAWVTqYPLte4Yka31-DcCVatKgeCyjR0pJUF6EbMVeEsNIiQy0qHkDhtRfovqPpS6HcDrAmDdE0RJrGEnYJUwt6rLr54ckSCK5edg-rZ2v6okIM12r8roCi1lK4NIXaVoQiN-aW8NV4577fESIq2zbYmVZauWlzegf-A7NOQ3KyXL27rhno8BrRGvdmvweeODPRGqpdX9GfP5CnzIw1g-UVxTw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 182, introduced to the Life and Health Insurance Subcommittee on Jan. 8, would revise language in group life insurance policies that the bill’s sponsor and the state Insurance Department say currently leads to overly broad exclusions for active-duty military service members.

The measure was presented by Chairman Lumsden of the subcommittee, who described differences between individual and group life policies and said the bill matches exclusions in individual policies to make the statute’s intent clearer. \"If you'll look at the bill, House Bill 182, LC 520667, the language that you have here, before you, accomplishes that purpose,\" Lumsden said.

Insurance Commissioner King urged support, saying the current statutory language has produced situations where families were denied benefits after accidents while service members were off duty. \"I want to disclose…after 42 years of service for our nation, I'm pretty passionate about making sure that we take care of our service members,\" Commissioner King said, describing a case brought to his attention in which a soldier who died in a traffic accident while on leave was denied coverage because of how the exclusion was interpreted.

Representative Sandra G. Scott, a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army, thanked lawmakers for the bill and called for bipartisan clarity so insurers and policyholders are not left with ambiguity. Representative Matt Reeves said the bill could affect thousands of service members and veterans across Georgia, noting an estimated 8,000 active-duty service members live in Gwinnett County and that statewide impacts are larger.

The subcommittee did not take a vote; the hearing was informational and the bill will proceed through the committee process described by the chair. No formal amendments or votes were recorded at the subcommittee meeting.

Why it matters: Supporters said the bill would prevent families from being denied life-insurance payments when a service member’s death or injury occurred while not engaged in combat or other high-risk military activity. Opponents were not recorded during the hearing.

What’s next: Because the committee heard the bill but did not vote, HB 182 will move forward through the usual subcommittee and committee steps before any floor action.","A Georgia House life-and-health subcommittee heard testimony on House Bill 182, which would tighten the wording of military exclusions in group life insurance so active-duty service members not serving in combat zones are not automatically excluded from benefits.","actionData","errors"]

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Parents, doctors push bill to require state health plan coverage for PANS/PANDAS treatments

House panel hears bill to clarify military exclusion in group life policies