Direct primary care practices have become popular alternatives to the traditional insurance medical practice model. Direct primary care practices cut out insurance companies from the provider-patient relationship. This post intends to outline the recent history of direct primary care in Georgia and the relevant rules that practices must comply with to establish a direct primary care practice. If you have questions regarding this blog post or migrating to a direct primary care practice, you may contact us at (404) 685-1662 (Atlanta) or (706) 722-7886 (Augusta), or by email, info@littlehealthlaw.com. You may also learn more about our law firm by visiting www.littlehealthlaw.com.
History: Senate Bill 18 in 2019
In 2019, Georgia became the 26th state to designate in its insurance code that Direct Primary Care practices are “not insurance” by passing Senate Bill 18. At the time, 3.2 million Georgians were living in areas facing a severe physician shortage. Dubois & Mesa, SB 18 – Direct Primary Care, Ga. St. Univ. L. Rev., Vol. 36:1, p. 136 (2019). In supporting the bill, Senator Kay Kirkpatrick said:
It is a way for people who can’t afford high dollar plans to get the majority of their care handled for a reasonable and predictable amount of money and is also a way for people to keep their primary care doctor if they change plans or if their doctor is not in their insurance network.
Dubois, SB 18 – DIRECT PRIMARY CARE, p. 136. Continue reading ›