California § 1342.3 - A health care service plan contract that covers medical, surgical, and hospital b

§ 1342.3. A health care service plan contract that covers medical, surgical, and hospital b

(a) A health care service plan contract that covers medical, surgical, and hospital benefits, excluding a specialized health care service plan contract, shall cover, without cost sharing and without prior authorization or other utilization management, the costs of the following health care services to prevent or mitigate a disease when the Governor of the State of California has declared a public health emergency due to that disease: (1) An evidence-based item, service, or immunization that is intended to prevent or mitigate a disease and that is either of the following: (A) An item or service that, as of January 1, 2025, had in effect 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. (B) An immunization that, as of January 1, 2025, had in effect a recommendation of 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. (2) A health care service or product related to diagnostic and screening testing for the disease that is approved or granted emergency use authorization by the federal Food and Drug Administration, or is recommended by the State Department of Public Health or the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (3) Therapeutics approved or granted emergency use authorization by the federal Food and Drug Administration for the disease. (b) (1) The item, service, or immunization covered pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) shall be covered upon operation of the act that added this paragraph. (2) Any modification or supplement to the recommendations described in subparagraphs (A) or (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) shall be covered or removed from coverage 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. (c) For purposes of this section, “health care service plan” includes a Medi-Cal managed care plan that contracts with the State Department of Health Care Services pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) and Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 14200) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. The State Department of Health Care Services shall seek any federal approvals it deems necessary to implement this section. This section applies to a Medi-Cal managed care plan contract only to the extent that the State Department of Health Care Services obtains any necessary federal approvals, and federal financial participation under the Medi-Cal program is available and not otherwise jeopardized.