Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signed legislation into law July 16 that aims to curb instances of surprise medical billing in Georgia.
Three things to know:
1. The legislation, HB 888, outlines consumer protections against surprise billing. Under the law, health insurers can't send balance bills, commonly referred to as "surprise" medical bills, to members who received emergency services from an out-of-network healthcare provider.
2. Patients won't pay any more than their deductible, copay or in-network requirements in these situations.
3. The bill also requires the state's insurance department to run an all-payer health claims database and establish an arbitration process. Providers can request arbitration for additional payment from health insurers, but the patient wouldn't be involved in these discussions.