Existing federal law, the Community First Choice Option (CFCO) program, authorizes states to provide home- and community-based attendant services and supports to eligible Medicaid enrollees, as specified. Existing federal law provides federal financial participation for a state that provides services under the CFCO program. Existing state law establishes the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, administered by the State Department of Social Services and counties, under which qualified aged, blind, and disabled persons are provided with services in order to permit them to remain in their own homes. Existing law requires the state and counties to share the annual cost of providing IHSS pursuant to a specified cost ratio. Existing law requires all counties to have a rebased County IHSS Maintenance of Effort (MOE) and requires the rebased MOE to be adjusted for the annualized cost of increases in provider wages, health benefits, or other benefits, as prescribed. Existing law, commencing July 1, 2026, requires a county to pay, separate from the rebased County IHSS MOE payment, a 100% share of the enhanced federal financial participation that would have been received if the state ceases to receive that funding for the provision of services due to noncompliance of timely case reassessment for the federal CFCO program. This bill would require the department to, on or before July 1, 2029, prepare and submit to the Legislature a report on the amount of the above-described payments made by counties due to noncompliance of timely case reassessment for the federal CFCO program.
Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care, and makes a willful violation of the act a crime. Existing law provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law requires a health care service plan contract or health insurance policy to provide coverage for behavioral health treatment for pervasive developmental disorder or autism. Existing law requires this treatment to be provided under a prescribed treatment plan that is reviewed no less than every 6 months by the qualified autism service provider. This bill would prohibit a health care service plan or health insurer from imposing restrictions on the utilization of authorized treatment hours within the treatment plan's 6-month authorization period. The bill would require authorized hours to remain available for use throughout the authorization period if the use of the hours is consistent with the treatment plan and clinical guidelines, and is documented in the treatment plan and progress reports. Because a willful violation of these provisions by a health care service plan would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. Existing law establishes community college districts throughout the state, under the administration of community college district governing boards, and authorizes these districts to provide instruction at the community college campuses they operate. Existing law establishes a statewide baccalaureate degree program that authorizes up to a total of 30 baccalaureate degree programs at community college districts to be approved per academic year, as provided. This bill would require the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to develop a Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing Pilot Program that authorizes select community college districts to offer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. The bill would limit the pilot program to 10 community college districts statewide and would require the chancellor's office to identify and select eligible community college districts based on specified criteria. The bill would require the chancellor's office to develop a process designed to assist community college districts with nursing programs that are applying for national accreditation for the purpose of qualifying for the pilot program, as provided. The bill would require each participating community college district to give priority registration for enrollment in the pilot program to students with an associate degree in nursing from that community college district. The bill would require the Legislative Analyst's Office to conduct an evaluation of the pilot program to determine the effectiveness of the program and the need to continue or expand the program, as specified, to be submitted to the Legislature on or before July 1, 2034. The bill would repeal these provisions as of January 1, 2036.
This measure would recognize and affirm the important role of artists, arts organizations, creative arts therapists, and arts for health initiatives in supporting behavioral health, promoting recovery, strengthening community resilience, and contributing to public safety. The measure would encourage and recognize exploration, support, and integration of arts and behavioral health within California's health care, behavioral health, and community-based systems.
This measure would recognize that sudden cardiac arrest is a critical issue facing student athletes and provide that the Legislature supports the important work nonprofit organizations are doing to raise awareness of sudden cardiac arrest, increase preventative screenings, and reduce the number of cases.
Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services through fee-for-service (FFS) or managed care delivery systems. The Medi-Cal program is in part governed by, and funded pursuant to, federal Medicaid program provisions. Under existing law, pharmacist services are a benefit under the Medi-Cal program, subject to federal approval, as specified. Existing law authorizes the department to provide and administer Medi-Cal pharmacy services under a single statewide FFS delivery system, commonly known as the Medi-Cal Rx program. The department has implemented a transition of Medi-Cal pharmacy services, through Medi-Cal Rx, from managed care to FFS as a result of a 2019 executive order by the Governor. This bill would require the department to issue guidance clarifying Medi-Cal managed care plan obligations to cover pharmacist services, as specified. The bill would require the department to update its model evidence of coverage to explicitly include coverage of pharmacist services. The bill would also require the department to take appropriate corrective action for failure to comply with existing provisions of law relating to Medi-Cal coverage of pharmacist services or the issued guidance. The bill would authorize the department to implement, interpret, or make specific these provisions by means of all-plan letters, plan letters, or other similar instructions, without taking any further regulatory action.
Existing law, the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA) , generally prohibits a provider of health care, a health care service plan, or a contractor from disclosing medical information regarding a patient, enrollee, or subscriber without first obtaining an authorization, unless a specified exception applies. Existing law makes a violation of the CMIA that results in economic loss or personal injury to a patient punishable as a misdemeanor. Existing law requires specified businesses that electronically store or maintain medical information on the provision of sensitive services on behalf of a provider of health care, health care service plan, pharmaceutical company, contractor, or employer to develop capabilities, policies, and procedures, on or before July 1, 2024, to enable certain security features, including limiting user access privileges and segregating medical information related to gender affirming care, abortion and abortion-related services, and contraception, as specified. This bill would also require those specified businesses to enable the above-specified capabilities, policies, and procedures for those security features, as specified. Because the bill would expand the scope of an existing crime, it would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing law establishes the Department of Health Care Access and Information to oversee and administer various health programs, including, among others, the California Reproductive Health Equity Program. Under existing law, this program provides grant funding to safety net providers of abortion and contraception services to offset the costs of providing uncompensated care to patients with low incomes who would otherwise lack access to care. Existing law establishes the California Reproductive Health Equity Fund, and, within the limits of funds available, authorizes the department to award grants that, in the department's judgment, best promote the purposes of the program. This bill would establish the Safe Delivery Fund Pilot Program, until January 1, 2030, which would be administered by the department to provide funding to hospitals to offset uncompensated standby costs associated with maintaining specialty physician coverage, advanced practice provider coverage, and hospital staffing necessary to safely provide deliveries and related inpatient specialty services. The bill would require a hospital to meet specified requirements to qualify for the program, including, among other things, that the hospital can demonstrate that the hospital serves a geographically isolated population and that loss of obstetric services would significantly impact access to maternity care. This bill would establish the Safe Delivery Fund, and would require moneys in the fund to be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the department for the purposes of the program. The bill would require the hospital to use the funds from the program for salaries, benefits, insurance, contracted physician compensation, contracted advanced practice provider compensation, or other expenses attributable to maintaining standby clinical capacity. The bill would require the program to reimburse a hospital quarterly based on the number of deliveries performed per day using a specified schedule. The bill would prohibit the department from awarding a hospital more than $5,000,000 per year. This bill would require a participating hospital, by April 1, 2027, and quarterly thereafter, to submit to the department specified data, including, among other things, maintenance of specialty staffing and service availability. The bill would authorize the department to conduct annual audits or program reviews, as specified. The bill would require a hospital to meet all of the program requirements for continued participation in the program.
Existing law defines a request regarding resuscitative measures to mean a written document, signed by an individual with capacity or legally recognized health care decisionmaker and the individual's physician that directs a health care provider regarding resuscitative measures, as prescribed. Existing law includes a prehospital "do not resuscitate" form, as developed by the Emergency Medical Services Authority or other substantially similar form, and Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment form (POLST form) , as approved by the Emergency Medical Services Authority as requests regarding resuscitative measures. This bill would replace the term "Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment" with "POLST," or "Portable Orders Listing Scope of Treatment." The bill would authorize a request regarding resuscitative measures to be entered into by an individual with capacity or a health care agent, conservator with health care decisionmaking authority, or surrogate, as defined, and a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant, as specified. The bill would specify that a request regarding resuscitative measures is entirely voluntary and the provision of care or admission to a facility cannot be conditioned on completion of or refusal to complete a POLST or prehospital "do not resuscitate" order. Existing law prescribes requirements for forms for requests regarding resuscitative measures, including, among other things, that the form be signed by the executing parties. The bill would specify that an electronic signature, as defined, is sufficient for any signature required for a request regarding resuscitative measures. Under this bill, a request regarding resuscitative measures executed in another state or jurisdiction that complies with the laws of that state or jurisdiction or the laws of California is considered valid and enforceable in California to the same extent as a request regarding resuscitative measures validly executed in California. The bill would specify that, in the absence of knowledge to the contrary, a physician or other health care provider may presume that a request regarding resuscitative measures, whether executed in another state or jurisdiction or in California, is valid and unrevoked. The bill would make conforming changes.
Existing law, the Respiratory Care Practice Act, establishes the Respiratory Care Board of California to license and regulate respiratory care practitioners. Existing law authorizes the board to employ an executive office, as specified. Existing law establishes fees for license and examination requirements for respiratory care practitioners, including an initial license fee of no more than $300 and a license renewal fee at $230, as specified. Existing law authorizes the board to increase the license renewal fee, by regulation, to no more than $330. Existing law repeals the existence of the board and the authority for employment of an executive officer on January 1, 2027. This bill would extend the operation of the existence of the board and the executive officer to January 1, 2031, and would delete the initial license fee provision. The bill would increase the license renewal fee to $330 and would authorize the board to increase the license renewal fee, by regulation, to $375. Existing law establishes requirements for licensure as a respiratory care practitioner and generally prohibits an applicant for licensure from being licensed without first successfully passing the National Board for Respiratory Care's Therapist Multiple-Choice Examination, at the cut-off level required to qualify for the Clinical Simulation Examination, and the Clinical Simulation Examination, or any succeeding examinations. This bill would revise the above provision to instead prohibit an applicant from being licensed under these provisions without first successfully passing the National Board for Respiratory Care's Respiratory Therapy Examination, at the cut-off level required to qualify for the Registered Respiratory Therapist credential, or any succeeding examinations. Existing law authorizes the board to order the denial, suspension, or revocation of, or the imposition of probationary conditions upon, a license of a respiratory care practitioner for certain specified acts, including the commission of any fraudulent, dishonest, or corrupt act that is substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of a licensee. Existing law further requires the board to revoke or suspend a license for the conviction of a crime that is substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of a licensee. Existing law deems a crime involving sexual misconduct or attempted sexual misconduct, regardless of whether committed with a patient, to be a substantially related crime and requires the board to revoke a license for sexual contact with a patient or for the commission of, or conviction for, a sex offense, as defined. This bill would additionally require the board to suspend the license of a respiratory care practitioner convicted of specified felonies, regardless of whether the offense was committed in the course of practice, and notwithstanding any other provision. The bill would require the board to revoke the license if the specified conviction becomes final. The bill would authorize the board to decline to impose or to set aside a suspension in the interest of justice and would require the board to rescind a license suspension or revocation if the conviction is overturned, as provided. The bill would authorize a licensee to request a hearing to determine the appropriate level of discipline and would prohibit an administrative law judge from considering expert testimony regarding whether the conviction is substantially related to the practice of respiratory care. The Respiratory Care Practice Act authorizes the board to promulgate regulations defining specified levels of respiratory care, with each requiring a greater degree of training or skill to perform. Existing law specifies the lowest level as basic services, which are tasks or services that do not require a respiratory assessment and only require manual, technical skills, or data collection. Existing law, the Vocational Nursing Practice Act, limits a licensed vocational nurse to basic respiratory tasks and services, as prescribed. Existing law exempts from the Respiratory Care Practice Act specified tasks performed by a licensed vocational nurse. In this regard, existing law authorizes a licensed vocational nurse to perform respiratory tasks and services under specified circumstances that vary depending on the task or service, the nurse's training, demonstrated competency, and employer, and the setting in which the task or service is performed, as provided. Specifically, existing law authorizes a licensed vocational nurse who is employed by a home health agency to perform respiratory tasks and services identified by the board if, on or before January 1, 2028, the licensed vocational nurse has completed patient-specific training satisfactory to their employer, and, on and after that date, the licensed vocational nurse has completed that training in accordance with guidelines promulgated by the board, in collaboration with the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians of the State of California. This bill would expand the respiratory tasks and services a licensed vocational nurse is authorized to perform. In this regard, the bill would remove the above requirement that a licensed vocational nurse be employed by a home health agency to perform respiratory tasks and services identified by the board, and would, instead, authorize a licensed vocational nurse to perform these services in expanded settings, including, among others, congregate living health facilities, group homes, and adult residential facilities. The bill would authorize a licensed vocational nurse to perform certain suctioning tasks, as specified. Existing law specifies that the Respiratory Care Practice Act is not intended to limit, preclude, or otherwise interfere with the practice of other licensed personnel carrying out authorized and customary duties and functions. This bill would provide that certain activities are not considered to be practicing respiratory care, including documenting observations and gathering and reporting data to another health care provider, as specified.
