(a)This section, except for subdivision (i), applies to a disability insurance policy that provides coverage for hospital, medical, or surgical benefits, excluding a specialized health insurance policy and a policy that provides excepted benefits as described in Sections 2722 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 300gg-21) and 2791 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 300gg-91) of the federal Public Health Service Act, subject to Section 10198.61.
(b)Notwithstanding any other law, a disability insurance policy shall cover the costs for COVID-19 diagnostic and screening testing and health care services related to the diagnostic and screening testing approved or granted emergency use authorization by the federal Food and Drug Administration for COVID-19, regardless of whether the services are provided
by an in-network or out-
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(a)
This section, except for subdivision (i), applies to a disability insurance policy that provides coverage for hospital, medical, or surgical benefits, excluding a specialized health insurance policy and a policy that provides excepted benefits as described in Sections 2722 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 300gg-21) and 2791 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 300gg-91) of the federal Public Health Service Act, subject to Section 10198.61.
(b)
Notwithstanding any other law, a disability insurance policy shall cover the costs for COVID-19 diagnostic and screening testing and health care services related to the diagnostic and screening testing approved or granted emergency use authorization by the federal Food and Drug Administration for COVID-19, regardless of whether the services are provided
by an in-network or out-of-network provider. Coverage required by this section shall not be subject to copayment, coinsurance, deductible, or any other form of cost sharing. Services related to COVID-19 diagnostic and screening testing include, but are not limited to, hospital or health care provider office visits for the purposes of receiving testing, products related to testing, the administration of testing, and items and services furnished to an insured as part of testing. Services related to COVID-19 diagnostic and screening testing do not include bonus payments for the use of specialized equipment or expedited processing.
(1)
To the extent a health care provider would have been entitled to receive cost sharing but for this section, the insurer shall reimburse the health care provider the amount of that lost cost sharing.
(2)
A disability insurance policy shall not impose
prior authorization or any other utilization management requirements on COVID-19 diagnostic and screening testing.
(3)
With respect to an insured, a health insurer shall reimburse the provider of the testing according to either of the following:
(A)
If the health insurer has a specifically negotiated rate for COVID-19 diagnostic and screening testing with such provider in effect before the public health emergency declared under Section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 247d), such negotiated rate shall apply throughout the period of such declaration.
(B)
If the health insurer does not have a specifically negotiated rate for COVID-19 diagnostic and screening testing with such provider, the insurer may negotiate a rate with such provider.
(4)
For an out-of-network provider with whom an insurer does not have a specifically negotiated rate for COVID-19 diagnostic and screening testing and health care services related to testing, an insurer shall reimburse the provider for all testing items or services in an amount that is reasonable, as determined in comparison to prevailing market rates for testing items or services in the geographic region where the item or service is rendered. An out-of-network provider shall accept this payment as payment in full, shall not seek additional remuneration from an insured for services related to testing, and shall not report adverse information to a consumer credit reporting agency or commence civil action against the insured.
(5)
Beginning six months
after the federal public health emergency expires, an insurer shall no longer be required to cover the cost sharing for COVID-19 diagnostic and screening testing and health care services related to testing when delivered by an out-of-network provider, except as otherwise required by law. All other requirements of this subdivision shall remain in effect after the federal public health emergency expires.
(c)
(1)
A disability insurance policy shall cover without cost sharing any item, service, or immunization that is intended to prevent or mitigate COVID-19 and that is either of the following with respect to the individual insured:
(A)
An evidence-based item or service that had in
effect on January 1, 2025, a rating of “A” or “B” in the
recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task
Force or any modification or supplement to that recommendation adopted pursuant to Section 120164 of the Health and Safety Code.
(B)
An immunization that
as of January 1, 2025, had in effect a recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or any modification or supplement to that recommendation adopted pursuant to Section 120164 of the Health and Safety Code, regardless of whether the immunization is recommended for routine use.
(2)
The items, services, and immunizations described in paragraph (1) that were in effect as of January 1, 2025, shall be covered upon the enactment of the act that added this paragraph.
(3)
Any modification or supplement to the recommendations described in paragraph (1) shall be covered no later
than 15 business days after the date on which the State Department of Public Health publishes the updated recommendations pursuant to Section 120164 of the Health and Safety Code.
(4)
To the extent a health care provider would have been entitled to receive cost sharing but for this section, the insurer shall reimburse the health care provider the amount of that lost cost sharing.
(5)
(A)
A disability insurance policy subject to this subdivision shall not impose any cost-sharing requirements, including a copayment, coinsurance, or deductible, for any item, service, or immunization described in paragraph (1), regardless of whether such service is delivered by an in-network or out-of-network provider.
(B)
A disability insurance policy shall not impose cost sharing for any items or services that are necessary for the furnishing of an item, service, or immunization described in paragraph (1), including, but not limited to, provider office visits and vaccine
administration, regardless of whether the service is delivered by an in-network or out-of-network provider.
(C)
With respect to an insured, a health insurer shall reimburse the provider of the immunization according to either of the following:
(i)
If the health insurer has a negotiated rate with such provider in effect before the public health emergency declared under Section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 247d), such negotiated rate shall apply throughout the period of such declaration.
(ii)
If the health insurer does not have a negotiated rate with such provider, the insurer may negotiate a rate with such provider.
(D)
For an out-of-network provider with whom a disability insurer does not have a negotiated rate for an item,
service, or immunization described in paragraph (1), an insurer shall reimburse the provider for all such items or services, including any items or services that are necessary for the furnishing of an item, service, or immunization described in paragraph (1), in an amount that is reasonable, as determined in comparison to prevailing market rates for such items or services in the geographic region in which the item or service is rendered. An out-of-network provider shall accept this payment as payment in full, shall not seek additional remuneration from an insured, and shall not report adverse information to a consumer credit reporting agency or commence civil action against the insured for items, services, and immunizations described in paragraph (1), including any items or services that are necessary for the furnishing of an item, service, or immunization described in paragraph (1).
(E)
Beginning six months after the federal public health
emergency expires, an insurer shall no longer be required to cover the cost sharing for any item, service, or immunization described in paragraph (1) and to cover any items or services that are necessary for the furnishing of the items, services, or immunizations described in paragraph (1) when delivered by an out-of-network provider, except as otherwise required by law. All other requirements of this section shall remain in effect after the federal public health emergency expires.
(6)
A disability insurer subject to this subdivision shall not impose prior authorization or any other utilization management requirements on any item, service, or immunization described in
paragraph (1) or to items or services that are necessary for the furnishing of the items, services, or immunizations described in subparagraph (B) of paragraph
(5).
(d)
The commissioner may issue guidance to insurers regarding compliance with this section. This guidance shall not be subject to the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). The department shall consult with the Department of Managed Health Care in issuing the guidance specified in this subdivision.
(e)
This section, excluding subdivision (i), shall apply retroactively beginning from the Governor’s declared State of Emergency related to the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic on March 4, 2020.
(f)
For purposes of this section:
(1)
“Diagnostic testing” means all of the following:
(A)
Testing intended to identify current or past infection and performed when a person has signs or symptoms consistent with COVID-19, or when a person is asymptomatic but has recent known or suspected exposure to SARS-CoV-2.
(B)
Testing a person with symptoms consistent with COVID-19.
(C)
Testing a person as a result of contact tracing efforts.
(D)
Testing a person who indicates that they were exposed to someone with a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19.
(E)
Testing a person after an individualized clinical assessment by a licensed health care provider.
(2)
“Screening testing” means tests that are intended to identify
people with COVID-19 who are asymptomatic and do not have known, suspected, or reported exposure to SARS-CoV-2. Screening testing helps to identify unknown cases so that measures can be taken to prevent further transmission. Screening testing includes all of the following:
(A)
Workers in a workplace setting.
(B)
Pupils, faculty, and staff in a school setting.
(C)
A person before or after travel.
(D)
At home for someone who does not have symptoms associated with COVID-19 and does not have a known exposure to someone with COVID-19.
(g)
This section does not relieve an insurer from continuing to cover testing as required by federal law and guidance.
(h)
The department shall hold insurers accountable for timely access to services required under this section and coverage requirements established under federal law, regulations, or guidelines.
(i)
(1)
This subdivision applies to a disability insurance policy issued, amended, or renewed on or after the operative date of this subdivision that covers hospital, medical, surgical, or prescription drug benefits, excluding a specialized health insurance policy that provides coverage only for dental or vision benefits, with respect to therapeutics for COVID-19 covered under the policy, which shall include therapeutics approved or granted emergency use authorization by the federal Food and
Drug Administration for treatment of COVID-19 when prescribed or furnished by a licensed health care provider acting within their scope of practice and the standard of care.
(2)
A disability insurer shall reimburse a provider for the therapeutics described in paragraph (1) at the specifically negotiated rate for those therapeutics, if the insurer and provider have negotiated a rate. If the insurer does not have a negotiated rate with a provider, the insurer may negotiate a rate with the provider.
(3)
For an out-of-network provider with whom a disability insurer does not have a negotiated rate for the therapeutics described in paragraph (1), a disability insurer shall reimburse the provider for the therapeutics in an amount that is reasonable, as determined in comparison to prevailing market rates for the therapeutics in the geographic region in which the therapeutic was delivered.
An out-of-network provider shall accept this payment as payment in full, shall not seek additional remuneration from an insured, and shall not report adverse information to a consumer credit reporting agency or commence civil action against the insured for therapeutics described in this subdivision.
(4)
A disability insurer shall cover COVID-19 therapeutics without cost sharing, regardless of whether the therapeutics are provided by an in-network or out-of-network provider, and without utilization management. If a provider would have been entitled to receive cost sharing but for this section, the disability insurer shall reimburse the provider for the amount of that lost cost sharing. A provider shall accept this payment as payment in full, shall not seek additional remuneration from an insured, and shall not report adverse information to a consumer credit reporting agency or commence civil action against the insured for therapeutics pursuant
to this subdivision.
(5)
Beginning six months after the federal public health emergency expires, a disability insurer shall no longer be required to cover the cost sharing for COVID-19 therapeutics delivered by an out-of-network provider, unless otherwise required by law. All other requirements of this subdivision shall remain in effect after the federal public health emergency expires.