The following may be attributed to Jeff Breedlove, Chief of Policy for the Georgia Council on Substance Abuse
We are appreciative that HB 1013 advanced out of the Senate HHS Committee, and we thank Chairman Ben Watson and the Committee for their efforts.
However, there is still work to be done on HB 1013 and Parity. We appreciate the opportunity to continue to contribute to the important work on HB 1013.
Parity is the defining issue for both the General Assembly and millions of Georgians in 2022.
The House bill confirms the state’s definitions of “medical necessity” on mental health treatment and Substance Use Disorder treatment must come from standard clinical protocols, and not be determined by Big Insurance and their Special Interest lobbyists.
Regrettably, the Senate substitute bill would shift that ultimate determination back to the very Big Insurance Special Interest lobbyists who, for the past 14 years, have actively discriminated against both peers and our families.
It is our hope, as the process moves forward, Georgia peers and families, as well as the historic coalition of 54 organizations, will have our voices heard and that the General Assembly will pass Parity language which is Pro Peer and Pro Family as opposed to this extraordinarily disappointing language passed by Senate HHS which empowers Big Insurance to continue their discrimination and greed.
