Day 26 - Feb. 29, 2008

The Senate took up SB 506, the SHAPE act, today.  The bill, offered by Rep. Carter would require schools to measure the body mass index (BMI) of all students twice annually, and then submit the results to the state. The bill would also monitor compliance with PE requirements.   If a school fails to comply with the law, they will be labeled an unhealthy school zone. Georgia, like the rest of the country, is in the midst of an obesity epidemic that has serious implications for children’s health as well as for costs of healthcare delivery.   Debate on SB 506 focused on whether it presented a real solution to the epidemic as well as whether BMI testing at school would subject children to ridicule.  SB 506 passed the Senate with a vote of 37 to 13.
 
The House insurance committee unanimously passed HB 1234.  the bill, sponsored by Rep Channell enacts the "Medicaid Care Management Organizations Act” which would revise Georgia's current definition pertaining to quality assessment fees on care management organizations for conformity purposes. It further amends administrative hearings and appeal permission relating to Medicaid program disputes. It also permits an administrative law judge to consolidate complaints or claims against a care management organization.