§ 1206. — 1206. (Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 105, Sec. 13.)

California § 1206.

• Jurisdiction: California
• Code HSC: Health and Safety Code - HSC
• Div. 2.: DIVISION 2. LICENSING PROVISIONS
• Ch. 1.: CHAPTER 1. Clinics
• Art. 1.: ARTICLE 1. Definitions and General Provisions

Text

This chapter does not apply to the following:
(a)
Except with respect to the option provided with regard to surgical clinics in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 1204 and, further, with respect to specialty clinics specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 1204, any place or establishment owned or leased and operated as a clinic or office by one or more licensed health care practitioners and used as an office for the practice of their profession, within the scope of their license, regardless of the name used publicly to identify the place or establishment.
(b)
Any clinic directly conducted, maintained, or operated by the United States or by any of its departments, officers, or agencies, and any
primary care clinic specified in subdivision (a) of Section 1204 that is directly conducted, maintained, or operated by this state or by any of its political subdivisions or districts, or by any city. This subdivision does not preclude the department from adopting regulations that utilize clinic licensing standards as eligibility criteria for participation in programs funded wholly or partially under Title XVIII or XIX of the federal Social Security Act.
(c)
(1)
Any clinic conducted, maintained, or operated by a federally recognized Indian tribe or tribal organization, as defined in Section 1603 or 5304 of Title 25 of the United States Code, that is located on land recognized as tribal land by the federal government.
(2)
Any clinic conducted, maintained, or operated by a federally recognized Indian tribe or tribal organization, as defined in Section 1603 or
5304 of Title 25 of the United States Code, under a contract with the United States pursuant to the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (Public Law 93-638), regardless of the location of the clinic, except that if the clinic chooses to apply to the State Department of Public Health for a state facility license, then the State Department of Public Health will retain authority to regulate that clinic as a primary care clinic as defined by subdivision (a) of Section 1204.
(d)
A clinic conducted, operated, or maintained as outpatient departments of hospitals.
(e)
Any facility licensed as a health facility under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1250).
(f)
Any freestanding clinical or pathological laboratory licensed under Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 1200) of Division 2 of the Business and
Professions Code.
(g)
A clinic operated by, or affiliated with, any institution of learning that teaches a recognized healing art and is approved by the state board or commission vested with responsibility for regulation of the practice of that healing art.
(h)
A clinic that is operated by a primary care community or free clinic and that is operated on separate premises from the licensed clinic and is only open for limited services of no more than 40 hours a week. An intermittent clinic as described in this subdivision shall, however, meet all other requirements of law, including administrative regulations and requirements, pertaining to fire and life safety.
(i)
The offices of physicians in group practice who provide a preponderance of their services to members of a comprehensive group practice prepayment health
care service plan subject to Chapter 2.2 (commencing with Section 1340).
(j)
Student health centers operated by public institutions of higher education.
(k)
Nonprofit speech and hearing centers, as defined in Section 1201.5. Any nonprofit speech and hearing clinic desiring an exemption under this subdivision shall make application therefor to the director, who shall grant the exemption to any facility meeting the criteria of Section 1201.5. Notwithstanding the licensure exemption contained in this subdivision, a nonprofit speech and hearing center shall be an organized outpatient clinic for purposes of qualifying for reimbursement as a rehabilitation center under the Medi-Cal Act (Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code).
(
l
)
A clinic operated by a
nonprofit corporation exempt from federal income taxation under paragraph (3) of subsection (c) of Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, or a statutory successor thereof, that conducts medical research and health education and provides health care to its patients through a group of 40 or more physicians and surgeons, who are independent contractors representing not less than 10 board-certified specialties, and not less than two-thirds of whom practice on a full-time basis at the clinic.
(m)
Any clinic, limited to in vivo diagnostic services by magnetic resonance imaging functions or radiological services under the direct and immediate supervision of a physician and surgeon who is licensed to practice in California. This shall not be construed to permit cardiac catheterization or any treatment modality in these clinics.
(n)
A clinic operated by an employer
or jointly by two or more employers for their employees only, or by a group of employees, or jointly by employees and employers, without profit to the operators thereof or to any other person, for the prevention and treatment of accidental injuries to, and the care of the health of, the employees comprising the group.
(o)
A community mental health center, as defined in Section 5667 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(p)
(1)
A clinic operated by a nonprofit corporation exempt from federal income taxation under paragraph (3) of subsection (c) of Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, or a statutory successor thereof, as an entity organized and operated exclusively for scientific and charitable purposes and that satisfied all of the following requirements on or before January 1, 2005:
(A)
Commenced conducting medical research on or before January 1, 1982, and continues to conduct medical research.
(B)
Conducted research in, among other areas, prostatic cancer, cardiovascular disease, electronic neural prosthetic devices, biological effects and medical uses of lasers, and human magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy.
(C)
Sponsored publication of at least 200 medical research articles in peer-reviewed publications.
(D)
Received grants and contracts from the National Institutes of Health.
(E)
Held and licensed patents on medical technology.
(F)
Received charitable contributions and bequests totaling at least five million dollars ($5,000,000).
(G)
Provides health care services to patients only:
(i)
In conjunction with research being conducted on procedures or applications not approved or only partially approved for payment (I) under the Medicare program pursuant to Section 1359y(a)(1)(A) of Title 42 of the United States Code, or (II) by a health care service plan registered under Chapter 2.2 (commencing with Section 1340), or a disability insurer regulated under Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 10110) of Part 2 of Division 2 of the Insurance Code; provided that services may be provided by the clinic for an additional period of up to three years following the approvals, but only to the extent necessary to maintain clinical expertise in the procedure or application for purposes of actively providing training in the procedure or application for physicians and surgeons unrelated to the clinic.
(ii)
Through physicians and surgeons who, in the aggregate, devote no more than 30 percent of their professional time for the entity operating the clinic, on an annual basis, to direct patient care activities for which charges for professional services are paid.
(H)
Makes available to the public the general results of its research activities on at least an annual basis, subject to good faith protection of proprietary rights in its intellectual property.
(I)
Is a freestanding clinic, whose operations under this subdivision are not conducted in conjunction with any affiliated or associated health clinic or facility defined under this division, except a clinic exempt from licensure under subdivision (m). For purposes of this subparagraph, a freestanding clinic is defined as “affiliated” only if it directly, or indirectly
through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, a clinic or health facility defined under this division, except a clinic exempt from licensure under subdivision (m). For purposes of this subparagraph, a freestanding clinic is defined as “associated” only if more than 20 percent of the directors or trustees of the clinic are also the directors or trustees of any individual clinic or health facility defined under this division, except a clinic exempt from licensure under subdivision (m). Any activity by a clinic under this subdivision in connection with an affiliated or associated entity shall fully comply with the requirements of this subdivision. This subparagraph does not apply to agreements between a clinic and any entity for purposes of coordinating medical research.
(2)
By January 1, 2007, and every five years thereafter, the Legislature shall receive a report from each clinic meeting the
criteria of this subdivision and any other interested party concerning the operation of the clinic’s activities. The report shall include, but not be limited to, an evaluation of how the clinic impacted competition in the relevant health care market, and a detailed description of the clinic’s research results and the level of acceptance by the payer community of the procedures performed at the clinic. The report shall also include a description of procedures performed both in clinics governed by this subdivision and those performed in other settings. The cost of preparing the reports shall be borne by the clinics that are required to submit them to the Legislature pursuant to this paragraph.
(q)
A primary care clinic operated as part of a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) organization, as defined in Section 460.6 of Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations and approved by the State Department of Health Care Services
pursuant to Section 14592 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, that exclusively serves PACE participants, as defined in Section 460.6 of Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(1)
A primary care clinic approved by the State Department of Health Care Services pursuant to Section 14592 of the Welfare and Institutions Code to operate exclusively as part of a PACE organization may provide services to individuals who are being assessed for eligibility to enroll in the PACE program for not more than 60 calendar days after an individual submits an application for enrollment.
(2)
If the State Department of Health Care Services determines that a primary care clinic approved to operate exclusively as part of a PACE organization has provided services to individuals other than those enrolled in the PACE program, or who are being assessed for eligibility pursuant to paragraph (1), the
clinic shall apply for licensure with the State Department of Public Health. A clinic required to obtain licensure from the State Department of Public Health pursuant to this paragraph shall apply for the license not later than 60 calendar days following the determination by the State Department of Health Care Services described in this paragraph. The clinic shall not accept any new participants in the PACE program until licensure is obtained.
(3)
This subdivision shall become operative only if the Director of Health Care Services determines, and communicates that determination in writing to the State Department of Public Health, that operating standards compliance programs consistent with subdivisions (d) and (e) of Section 14592 of the Welfare and Institutions Code have been established. A primary care clinic described in subdivision (c) of Section 14592 of the Welfare and Institutions Code shall remain under the oversight and regulatory
authority of the State Department of Public Health until the Director of Health Care Services communicates their written determination to the State Department of Public Health.
(r)
(1)
A clinic, including any location thereof, operated by a nonprofit corporation exempt from federal income taxation under paragraph (3) of subsection (c) of Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, or a statutory successor thereof, as an entity organized and operated exclusively to provide health care services and health education services within the Los Angeles County Service Planning Area 6, is located in a Clinic Service Area, as defined in paragraph (3), and satisfies all of the following requirements:
(A)
Provides health care services and health education services solely within a Clinic Service Area, as defined in paragraph (3).
(B)
Provides health care services to patients through an independent agreement with a multispecialty medical group of 26 or more physicians and surgeons who represent not less than 10 board-certified specialties, and not less than two-thirds of whom practice on a full-time basis at the clinic by July 1, 2021.
(C)
Serves substantial beneficiaries of a “federal health care program,” as that term is defined in subsection (f) of Section 1320a-7b of Title 42 of the United States Code and indigent and uninsured individuals pursuant to an authorized and adopted charity care policy.
(D)
Participates in a graduate medical education program that is administered by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital, as described in Section 14165.50 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, in furtherance of its charitable mission to
reduce health care disparities in a Clinic Service Area, as defined in paragraph (3), through the training and retention of physicians and surgeons by 2022.
(2)
(A)
By July 1, 2022, and every five years thereafter, a clinic that is exempt from licensing provisions pursuant to this subdivision shall provide the Legislature with a report that includes all of the following:
(i)
A copy of the current Community Health Needs Assessment, developed by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital.
(ii)
A community needs assessment for physicians and surgeons, including an analysis of the clinic’s role in physician and surgeon recruitment and retention, and meeting the community needs for a physician and surgeon workforce.
(iii)
A copy of
the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital’s most recent Internal Revenue Service Form 990, Schedule H, including a description of the federally-funded payer mix, and identification of the clinic as a component of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital’s community benefit activities.
(iv)
The clinic’s role in the hospital-sponsored graduate medical education program.
(v)
An analysis of how the clinic impacted physicians and surgeons practicing or providing services in the Clinic Service Area prior to January 1, 2020.
(B)
A report to be submitted pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
(3)
For purposes of this subdivision, “Clinic Service Area” means the
geographic area within any ZIP Code that is located within six miles of the physical location of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital, as described in Section 14165.50 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(s)
(1)
From May 15, 2028, to September 15, 2028, inclusive, a clinic that meets all of the following requirements:
(A)
Approved by the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
(B)
Is either of the following:
(i)
Conducted, operated, or maintained by a California licensed health care practitioner acting within the scope of their license.
(ii)
Operated by or affiliated with a health facility, as defined in subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 1250.
(C)
Provides health care services at either of the following:
(i)
A competition, noncompetition, athlete village, training, or support site designated by the committee.
(ii)
An event in this state sanctioned by the committee.
(2)
This subdivision exempts a clinic from this chapter only for health care services provided at the locations described in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1).
(3)
For purposes of this subdivision, “committee” means the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Legislative History

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 105, Sec. 13. (AB 144) Effective September 17, 2025.