Healthcare

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. Existing law requires a health care service plan contract that includes terms requiring binding arbitration for dispute settlement to provide a specified disclosure to subscribers or enrollees. Existing law, the California Arbitration Act, provides a statutory framework for the enforcement of contractual arbitration under California law. Existing law establishes standards for arbitration, and requires a court to vacate an arbitration award if it makes certain findings. This bill would require the Attorney General to oversee compliance by health care service plans with specified provisions regulating the use of binding arbitration to settle disputes. The bill would authorize the Attorney General to require reports from health care service plans for this purpose. The bill would also require the Attorney General to notify the director of the department of any corrective action taken pursuant to these provisions.

SCR 7 is a Senate resolution (not a law) that formally acknowledges the health benefits of adopting permanent standard time instead of changing clocks for daylight saving time. It cites medical evidence linking biannual time changes to health issues like medical errors, heart attacks, and sleep disruption, particularly affecting shift workers and students. The resolution notes support from medical associations and references how Arizona, Hawaii, and other regions already use permanent standard time. It does not change timekeeping laws but urges consideration of permanent standard time as a health and safety measure.

Existing law provides for the regulation of various chemicals, including chemicals contained in drugs, dietary supplements, and food products. This bill would prohibit an entity, as defined, from manufacturing, distributing, or offering for sale in this state a product that contains tianeptine or that is marketed as containing tianeptine. The bill would make a violation of these provisions punishable by a civil penalty not to exceed $2,500 for a first violation and not to exceed $5,000 for each subsequent violation, upon an action brought by the Attorney General, a city attorney, or a county counsel. The bill would entitle a prevailing plaintiff to an award of reasonable attorney's fees and costs.

(1) Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of physicians and surgeons by the Medical Board of California and requires the board to adopt and administer standards for the continuing education of those licensees. Existing law requires the board, in determining its continuing education requirements, to consider including a course in menopausal mental or physical health. This bill would delete that requirement of the board. The bill would require, beginning July 1, 2026, and until July 1, 2032, a qualifying physician and surgeon, as defined, who completes continuing medical education courses in perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopausal care to receive 2 hours of credit for each hour completed of that coursework, as specified. Existing law, the Osteopathic Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of osteopathic physicians and surgeons by the Osteopathic Medical Board of California and requires the board to adopt and administer standards for the continuing education of those licensees. This bill would require osteopathic physicians and surgeons to receive the same credit as described above for completed coursework relating to perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopausal care. (2) 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 also provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law sets forth specified coverage requirements for health care service plan contracts and health insurance policies. This bill would require a health care service plan contract or health insurance policy that covers outpatient prescription drugs, except as specified, that is issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, to include coverage for evaluation and treatment options for symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. The bill would require a health care service plan or health insurer to annually provide clinical care recommendations, as specified, for hormone therapy to all contracted primary care providers who treat individuals with perimenopause and menopause. 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. (3) 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.