SB 32: Health care coverage: timely access to care.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law authorizes the provision of Medi-Cal benefits by a contracted managed care plan and requires that benefits provided by a managed care plan are subject to specified time and distance standards.

Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care and makes a willful violation of the act a crime. Existing law provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law requires a health care service plan or health insurer that provides or arranges for the provision of hospital or physician services to comply with specified timely access to care requirements, including ensuring that its network has adequate capacity and availability of licensed health care providers to offer enrollees and insureds appointments that meet specified timeframes. Existing law authorizes the department director to take enforcement action against health care plans that fail to comply with these provisions, including assessing administrative penalties.

This bill would require, on or before July 1, 2027, the Department of Managed Health Care, the Department of Insurance, and the State Department of Health Care Services to consult together and with stakeholders develop and adopt standards for the geographic accessibility of perinatal units to ensure timely access for enrollees and insureds, as specified. The bill’s provisions would become inoperative on July 1, 2033, and would be repealed on January 1, 2034.

Because a violation by a health care service plan of a standard adopted by the Department of Managed Health Care would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 2

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. August 29, 2025August 29 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.
2. August 29, 2025Coauthors revised.
3. July 16, 2025July 16 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.
4. July 2, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
5. June 19, 2025(Corrected June 20).
6. June 19, 2025From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
7. June 9, 2025Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
8. June 3, 2025In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
9. June 2, 2025Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 36. Noes 0. Page 1361.) Ordered to the Assembly.
10. May 23, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
11. May 23, 2025From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 1188.) (May 23).
12. May 16, 2025Set for hearing May 23.