(a)
(1)Unless otherwise required by this chapter, a health care service plan contract issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2024, shall require an enrollee who receives covered services from a noncontracting ground ambulance provider to pay no more than the same cost-sharing amount that the enrollee would pay for the same covered services received from a contracting ground ambulance provider. This amount shall be referred to as the “in-network cost-sharing amount.”
(2)An enrollee shall not owe the noncontracting ground ambulance provider more than the in-network cost-sharing amount for services subject to this section. At the time of payment by the plan
to the noncontracting provider, the plan shall inform the enrollee and the noncontracting provider of the in-network
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(a)
(1)
Unless otherwise required by this chapter, a health care service plan contract issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2024, shall require an enrollee who receives covered services from a noncontracting ground ambulance provider to pay no more than the same cost-sharing amount that the enrollee would pay for the same covered services received from a contracting ground ambulance provider. This amount shall be referred to as the “in-network cost-sharing amount.”
(2)
An enrollee shall not owe the noncontracting ground ambulance provider more than the in-network cost-sharing amount for services subject to this section. At the time of payment by the plan
to the noncontracting provider, the plan shall inform the enrollee and the noncontracting provider of the in-network cost-sharing amount owed by the enrollee and shall disclose whether or not the enrollee’s coverage is regulated by the department or if the coverage is not state-regulated.
(b)
(1)
The in-network cost-sharing amount paid by the enrollee pursuant to this section shall count toward the limit on annual out-of-pocket expenses established under Section 1367.006.
(2)
Cost sharing arising pursuant to this section shall count toward any deductible in the same manner as cost sharing would be attributed to a contracting provider.
(3)
The in-network cost-sharing amount paid by the enrollee pursuant
to this section shall satisfy the enrollee’s obligation to pay cost sharing for the health service.
(c)
A noncontracting ground ambulance provider shall only advance to collections the in-network cost-sharing amount, as determined by the plan pursuant to subdivision (a), that the enrollee failed to pay.
(1)
A noncontracting ground ambulance provider, or an entity acting on its behalf, including a debt buyer or assignee of the debt, shall not do either of the following:
(A)
Report adverse information to a consumer credit reporting agency.
(B)
Commence civil action against the enrollee for a minimum of 12 months after the initial billing regarding amounts owed
by the enrollee pursuant to subdivision (a).
(2)
With respect to an enrollee, a noncontracting ground ambulance provider, or an entity acting on its behalf, including an assignee of the debt, shall not use wage garnishments or liens on primary residences as a means of collecting unpaid bills pursuant to this section.
(d)
(1)
Unless otherwise agreed to by the noncontracting ground ambulance provider and the health care service plan, the plan shall directly reimburse a noncontracting ground ambulance provider for ground ambulance services the difference between the in-network cost-sharing amount and an amount described, as follows:
(A)
If there is a rate established or approved by a local government,
at the rate established or approved by the governing body of the local government having jurisdiction for that area or subarea, including an exclusive operating area pursuant to Section 1797.85.
(B)
If the local government having jurisdiction where the service was provided does not have an established or approved rate for that service, the amount established by Section 1300.71 (a)(3)(B) of Title 28 of the California Code of Regulations.
(2)
A local government has jurisdiction over the ground ambulance transport if either of the following applies:
(A)
The ground ambulance transport is initiated within the boundaries of the local government’s regulatory jurisdiction.
(B)
In the case of ground ambulance transports provided on a mutual or automatic aid basis into another jurisdiction, the local government where the noncontracting ground ambulance provider is based.
(3)
A payment made by the health care service plan to the noncontracting ground ambulance provider for services as required in subdivision (a), plus the applicable cost sharing owed by the enrollee, shall constitute payment in full for services rendered.
(4)
Notwithstanding any other law, the amounts paid by a health care service plan for services under this section shall not constitute the prevailing or customary charges, the usual fees to the general public, or other charges for other payers for an individual ground ambulance provider.
(e)
A health care service plan or a provider may seek relief in any appropriate court for the purpose of resolving a payment dispute. A ground ambulance provider may use a health care service plan’s existing dispute resolution processes.
(f)
Ground ambulance service providers remain subject to the balance billing protections for Medi-Cal beneficiaries under Section 14019.4 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(g)
This section does not apply to a Medi-Cal managed health care service plan or any entity that enters into a contract with the State Department of Health Care Services pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000), Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 14200), and Chapter 8.75 (commencing with Section 14591)
of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.