GOP Leadership Picks Up Where 2010 Session Left Off
ATLANTA – Representative Steve Davis (R-McDonough) announced today the introduction of House Bill 167, the Insurance Delivery Enhancement Act (IDEA) of 2011. This legislation reforms current insurance law and allows private companies to come together under a Trade Association Clause when purchasing group policies. Removing this restriction allows normally unaffiliated business to increase the size of their own private insurance pools which will lower their employees’ premiums.
“This is an important market-based solution that will help bring the cost of medical care down at no cost to the tax payers,” said Rep Davis. “This law will give immediate relief to the citizens of Georgia especially with the turbulent future of healthcare costs over the next couple of years.”
HB 167 also includes a prompt pay provision that will require third party administrators to pay for service claims in a uniform and timely fashion the same as primary care insurance. If the third party administrators fail to do this, they would pay a penalty. This will primarily affect small practices that operate on tight finances.
“Requiring prompt payment will help bring medical cost down because doctors and physicians will be able to better anticipate when they will receive payments, enabling them to budget more appropriately,” added Rep. Davis.
IDEA passed overwhelmingly in both chambers in the 2010 session but was not signed into law. Rep. Davis reintroduced the bill with five other Republican Chairman as co-sponsors, including Representatives Howard Maxwell, Carl Rogers, John Meadows, Sharon Cooper, and Bill Hembree.
For more information on HB 167, please click here.
Representative Steve Davis represents the citizens of District 109, which includes portions of Henry County. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 2004, and currently serves as the Chairman of the Information & Audits Committee and as the Secretary of the State Planning & Community Affairs Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations, Insurance, State Institutions & Property, and Transportation committees.
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