Health insurance policies; require coverage for certain obesity treatments.

HB 27 would have required most health insurance plans in Mississippi to cover obesity treatments - including surgeries like gastric bypass and prescriptions - when a physician certifies medical necessity for patients with a body mass index (BMI) 30% above their ideal weight. It prohibited insurers from imposing extra deductibles or coinsurance for these treatments beyond standard levels and mandated reimbursement rates equal to Medicare’s for healthcare providers. The bill applied to all individual and group health plans sold in Mississippi, directly affecting residents with qualifying obesity and insurers offering coverage. It was scheduled to take effect July 1, 2026, but died in committee in February 2026 and never became law.