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Panel creation, reporting rules proposed to enforce mental-health parity
Summary
HB 612 would establish a parity review panel inside the Behavioral Health Coordinating Council, require standardized reporting and public education, and give the state tools to pursue noncompliant insurers; the committee gave the bill a due-pass recommendation.
The committee gave a due-pass recommendation to House Bill 612, which would strengthen oversight and enforcement of mental-health parity in Georgia by creating a statutory parity review panel, mandating standardized reporting, and directing outreach and education for consumers and providers.
Sponsor Representative Katie Dempsey said the bill "strengthen[s] the oversight of mental health insurance coverage in Georgia by holding insurers accountable for parity compliance, creating a formal mechanism to review and address complaints and mandate reporting from health care providers." She described empowering a state-led panel "with punitive power over noncompliant insurers" (not providers) and adding the insurance commissioner to the Behavioral Health Coordinating Council.
Under the bill language explained to the committee, the parity panel would be housed in the Behavioral Health Coordinating Council and include designees from state agencies (Community Health, Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, Human Services, and the insurance commissioner) plus appointed clinicians, senior executives from mental-health systems, and advocates appointed by legislative leaders. The panel could review insurer reports, require additional information, prepare educational materials in multiple languages, and recommend penalties to the insurance commissioner or the Department of Community Health for violations.
Caitlin Ward of The Carter Center’s mental health programs said she supports HB 612 and urged stronger public education, noting that "the health care complaint portal on the Department of Insurance's website does not include any information regarding mental health and parity, and it is very difficult to navigate." She added that public reporting by insurers required under prior law is not standardized and that the comparisons the state now receives are insufficient to demonstrate compliance with parity rules.
Jeffrey Breedlove, speaking for the Georgia Council for Recovery and other recovery groups, thanked lawmakers and said delays in enforcing parity measures have real-world consequences. "The number 1 cause of death in Georgia right now for Georgians 18 to 45 is overdose and fentanyl poisoning," Breedlove said, urging action to reduce barriers to treatment.
Representative Todd Jones and Representative David Ralston’s prior work on parity (House Bill 1013 in 2022) was cited by Representative Barry Oliver, who framed HB 612 as a step to implement stronger enforcement mechanisms called for in earlier legislation and national guidance.
On funding, the sponsor told the committee no appropriation has yet been requested; implementation staff and a support team would be subject to available funding and could be proposed in a future budget amendment once the panel's work plan is developed.
A motion to give HB 612 a due-pass recommendation carried by voice vote. The bill will move forward for further consideration in the legislative process.
