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Committee considers bill to require private insurers cover prostate screening for certain high‑risk men
Summary
The Senate Insurance and Labor Committee heard House Bill 373, introduced by Representative Glaze, which would require private major medical insurers to offer annual prostate screening for certain high‑risk men, including some men under age 50 with a family history.
The Senate Insurance and Labor Committee heard House Bill 373, introduced by Representative Glaze, which would require major medical insurers to offer an annual prostate cancer screening for men judged to be at higher risk, including men younger than 50 who have a family history of prostate cancer.
Representative Glaze said the bill focuses on early detection for high‑risk men and noted that, by the American Cancer Society figures cited in committee, “11,000 plus men in Georgia will actually get prostate cancer this year,” with a portion of those cases proving lethal if not caught early. Glaze said the bill would align coverage for private plans with clinical practice for high‑risk men and stated the average PSA test cost is roughly $33.
Whitney Griggs, director of health policy at Georgians for a Healthy Future, testified in support and described a personal family loss to aggressive prostate cancer. Griggs noted that PSA screening is not among the preventive services automatically required by the federal Affordable Care Act; she said therefore coverage is left to insurers and that codifying coverage for high‑risk men would reduce the chance of late‑stage diagnosis.
Committee members queried whether a similar measure had been enacted previously. One senator noted a related 2024 law (House Bill 384) requires insurers to notify men at age 40 and annually thereafter about coverage for PSA testing, but that the notification law does not itself mandate coverage. Representative Glaze said HB 373 would take the next step by requiring coverage for an annual PSA for identified high‑risk men and by clarifying insurer obligations.
Committee members asked about cost and age thresholds; Glaze said the typical PSA lab cost ranges from about $18 to $84, with an average near $33, and that the bill’s screening requirement would be implemented after a physician determines a patient’s high‑risk status where applicable.
No vote was taken during the hearing. Supporters urged the committee to consider the human‑impact testimony and to weigh a coverage requirement for younger high‑risk men as a preventive public‑health measure.
Ending: The committee closed the hearing after receiving testimony from advocates and medical professionals and said it would compare HB 373 to existing notification requirements before deciding on next steps.
