Bill Text: CA AB904 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 904 (Prior Session Legislation)

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: Health care coverage: doulas.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Passed) 2023-10-07 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 349, Statutes of 2023. [AB904 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB904-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 904

Introduced by Assembly Member Calderon

February 14, 2023

An act to add Section 1367.626 to the Health and Safety Code, and to add Section 10123.868 to the Insurance Code, relating to health care coverage.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 904, as introduced, Calderon. Health care coverage: doulas.

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’s requirements a crime. Existing law provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law requires a health care service plan or health insurer to develop a maternal mental health program designed to promote quality and cost-effective outcomes. Existing law encourages a plan or insurer to include coverage for doulas.

This bill would require a health care service plan or health insurer, on or before January 1, 2025, to develop a maternal and infant health equity program that addresses racial health disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes through the use of doulas. The bill would authorize the departments to convene workgroups to examine the implementation of these programs. Because a willful violation of the provisions relative to health care service plans 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.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 1367.626 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:

1367.626.

(a) On or before January 1, 2025, a health care service plan shall develop a maternal and infant health equity program that addresses racial health disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes through the use of doulas.

(b) The department may convene a workgroup, composed of doulas, health care providers, consumer and community advocates, health plans, county representatives, and other stakeholders with experience with doula services as determined by the department, to examine the implementation of the programs required pursuant to subdivision (a).

SEC. 2.

Section 10123.868 is added to the Insurance Code, to read:

10123.868.

(a) On or before January 1, 2025, a health insurer shall develop a maternal and infant health equity program that addresses racial health disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes through the use of doulas.

SEC. 3.

No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.