Health Facilities and Health Insurance - Palliative Care - Required Access and Coverage (Edna G. Neal Palliative Care Act)

Summary

The bill mandates that hospitals, nursing homes, hospices and other licensed long‑term care facilities provide a dedicated palliative‑care program and inform patients of this option at diagnosis, treatment planning and admission. It also obligates insurers, nonprofit health plans and HMOs to cover a range of palliative services and limits copays, coinsurance and deductibles to the level of comparable medical care. The goal is to improve quality of life for seriously ill patients and reduce disparities in access.

AI-generated summary — may be incomplete or inaccurate. Verify against the official bill text.

Hearings

• Health — Bill Hearing
  Health · Mar 13, 2026

History

1. Mar 13, 2026Hearing canceled
2. Mar 13, 2026Hearing 3/13 at 3:00 p.m.
3. Mar 13, 2026Hearing 3/13 at 1:30 p.m.
4. Feb 13, 2026Hearing canceled
5. Feb 13, 2026Hearing 3/13 at 1:00 p.m.
6. Feb 13, 2026Hearing 3/11 at 1:00 p.m.
7. Feb 12, 2026First Reading Health

Sponsors

• Woods · sponsor
• Alston
• J. Long
• Turner

Bill text

Opens the legislature’s own copy.

Similar bills in other states

Loading the map of where bills like this one were filed.

Topics

Share