§ 1385.004. — 1385.004. (Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 21, Sec. 13.)

(a)
A health care service plan that contracts with a pharmacy benefit manager for management of any or all of its prescription drug coverage shall require the pharmacy benefit manager to do all of the following:
(1)
Comply with the provisions of Section 1385.003.
(2)
Register with the department pursuant to the requirements of this article, or, if licensure of the pharmacy benefit manager is required pursuant to this article, obtain a license and keep it in good standing with the department.
(3)
Exercise good faith and fair dealing in the performance of its contractual duties to a health care service plan.
(4)
Comply with the requirements of Chapter 9.5 (commencing with Section 4430) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, as applicable.
(5)
Inform all pharmacists under contract with or subject to contracts with the pharmacy benefit manager of the pharmacist’s rights to submit complaints to the department under Section 1371.39 and of the pharmacist’s rights as a provider under Section 1375.7.
(b)
Contracts issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, between a health care service plan and a pharmacy benefit manager shall require the
pharmacy benefit manager to submit to the Department of Health Care Access and Information all information required to be reported pursuant to Chapter 8.5 (commencing with Section 127671) of Part 2 of Division 107.
(c)
A pharmacy benefit manager shall notify a health care service plan in writing of any activity, policy, or practice of the pharmacy benefit manager that directly or indirectly presents a conflict of interest that interferes with the discharge of the pharmacy benefit manager’s duty to the health care service plan to exercise good faith and fair dealing in the performance of its contractual duties pursuant to subdivision
(a).

Legislative History

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 21, Sec. 13. (AB 116) Effective June 30, 2025.