§ 123114. — 123114. (Added by Stats. 2020, Ch. 101, Sec. 3.)

(a)
A health care provider shall not charge a fee to a patient for filling out forms or providing information responsive to forms that support a claim or appeal regarding eligibility for a public benefit program.
(b)
A health care provider shall provide information responsive to those portions of the form for which the health care provider has the information necessary to provide a medical opinion. If the health care provider does not have the information necessary to provide a medical opinion, the health care provider may inform the patient if an examination is necessary to obtain the information.
(c)
If a health care provider conducts an examination pursuant to subdivision (b), the health care provider shall provide information responsive to those portions of the form for which the health care provider has a medical opinion.
(d)
For the purposes of this section, a public benefit program includes the Medi-Cal program, the In-Home Supportive Services Program, the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Program for the Aged, Blind and Disabled (SSI/SSP) benefits, federal veterans service-connected compensation and nonservice connected pension disability benefits, discharge of a federal student loan based on total and permanent disability, CalFresh, the Cash Assistance Program for Aged, Blind, and Disabled Legal Immigrants, and a government-funded housing subsidy or tenant-based housing assistance program.
(e)
Notwithstanding any other law, a health care provider may honor a request to disclose a patient record or complete a public benefit form that contains the written or electronic signature of the patient or the patient’s personal representative.

Legislative History

Added by Stats. 2020, Ch. 101, Sec. 3. (AB 2520) Effective January 1, 2021.