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 requires a health care service plan contract issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2021, that provides hospital, medical, or surgical coverage to provide coverage for medically necessary treatment of mental health and substance use disorders, under the same terms and conditions applied to other medical conditions, as specified.
For provider contracts issued, amended, or renewed on and after January 1, 2023, this bill would require a health care service plan that provides coverage for mental health and substance use disorders and credentials health care providers of those services for the health
care service plan’s networks, to assess and verify the qualifications of a health care provider within 45 days after receiving a completed provider credentialing application. The bill would authorize an applicant to make a written request for a temporary credential if the health care service plan has not approved or denied the completed application within 45 days of receipt, and would require the health care service plan to issue the temporary credential, unless the applicant has reported a history of malpractice, substance abuse or mental health issues, or disciplinary action on their application. Because a violation of the bill’s requirements 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.