25 LC 57 0258
House Bill 866
By: Representatives Barton of the 5
th
, Taylor of the 173
rd
, Hawkins of the 27
th
, Cooper of the
45
th
, and Newton of the 127
th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 2 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the
1
Department of Community Health, so as to provide for a pilot program to improve the2
management of inpatient insulin levels in rural hospital organizations and for other purposes;3
to provide that such program be conducted by the Rural Health System Innovation Center;4
to provide for a grant program; to provide for the center to establish grant criteria and5
amounts; to provide for a report; to provide for definitions; to provide for automatic repeal;6
to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date conditioned on appropriations;7
to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.8
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:9
SECTION 1.10
Chapter 2 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Department11
of Community Health, is amended by revising Code Section 31-2-2, relating to definitions,12
as follows:13
"31-2-2.14
As used in this chapter, the term:15
H. B. 866
- 1 - 25 LC 57 0258
(1) 'Board' means the Board of Community Health established under Code
16
Section 31-2-3.17
(2) 'Center' means the Rural Health System Innovation Center established under Code
18
Section 31-2-16 within the department's State Office of Rural Health.19
(2)(3) 'Commissioner' means the commissioner of community health established under20
Code Section 31-2-6.21
(3)(4) 'Department' means the Department of Community Health established under Code22
Section 31-2-4.23
(4)(5) 'Predecessor agency or unit' means the Department of Community Health, the24
Division of Public Health of the Department of Human Resources, and the Office of25
Regulatory Services of the Department of Human Resources.26
(5)(6) 'State health benefit plan' means the health insurance plan authorized under27
Article 1 of Chapter 18 of Title 45 and Part 6 of Article 17 of Chapter 2 of Title 20.28
(6)(7) 'State Personnel Board' means the board established under Article IV, Section III29
of the Constitution."30
SECTION 2.31
Said chapter is further amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:32
"31-2-16.1.33
(a) As used in this Code section, the term 'rural hospital organization' shall have the same34
meaning as provided in Code Section 31-8-9.1.35
(b) The center shall conduct a pilot program to improve the management of inpatient36
insulin levels in rural hospital organizations, reduce adverse patient incidents, and provide37
data on insulin management to primary care physicians upon patient discharge.38
(c)(1) Consistent with the pilot program's purposes as provided for in subsection (b) of39
this Code section, the center may establish a grant program to utilize and disburse40
funding to rural hospital organizations and physician groups to purchase technology,41
H. B. 866
- 2 - 25 LC 57 0258
software, and equipment to track and manage inpatient insulin levels, receive specialty42
consultation and training in appropriate management of inpatient insulin levels in rural43
hospital settings, and to carry out any other purpose of the pilot program.44
(2) The center shall establish grant criteria and make award decisions; provided,45
however, that the center shall consider the following:46
(A) A high presence of diabetes in patients presenting for treatment at the rural hospital47
organization;48
(B) A commitment by the rural hospital organization to utilize technology enabled49
tools to track inpatient insulin levels and improve precision in administering insulin;50
(C) A structured partnership with a larger health system or physician practice group51
with expertise in endocrinology and diabetes management to assist the rural hospital52
organization in using data from technology to improve patient care; and53
(D) An established plan to provide primary care physicians with data on insulin54
management for their patients upon discharge to reduce hospital readmission and55
improve outpatient outcomes.56
(d) The pilot program established pursuant to this Code section shall be abolished and this57
Code section shall stand repealed on January 1, 2027.58
(e) No later than December 31, 2026, upon the receipt of data collected from the pilot59
program, the center shall file a report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the60
Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the chairpersons of the House Committee on61
Health, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, the House Committee on62
Appropriations, the Senate Appropriations Committee, and the Office of Health Strategy63
and Coordination. Such report shall include a summary detailing the outcomes of the pilot64
program and shall also be published and made available and accessible to the public."65
H. B. 866
- 3 - 25 LC 57 0258
SECTION 3.
66
(a) This Act shall become effective only if funds are specifically appropriated for the67
purposes of this Act in an Appropriations Act enacted by the General Assembly.68
(b) If funds are so appropriated, then this Act shall become effective on the later of:69
(1) The date on which such Appropriations Act becomes effective; or70
(2) The beginning date of the fiscal year for which such appropriations are made.71
SECTION 4.72
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.73
H. B. 866
- 4 -