SB 530: Medi-Cal: time and distance standards.

Official summary

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

Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services, under fee-for-service or managed care delivery systems. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions.

Existing law establishes, until January 1, 2026, certain time and distance and appointment time standards for specified Medi-Cal managed care covered services, consistent with federal regulations relating to network adequacy standards, to ensure that those services are available and accessible to enrollees of Medi-Cal managed care plans in a timely manner, as specified.

This bill would extend the operation of those standards to January 1, 2029. The bill would also require a managed care plan to ensure that each subcontractor network complies with certain appointment time standards unless already required to do so. The bill would require a plan to demonstrate to the department each subcontractor network’s compliance with time or distance and appointment time standards, as specified.

Existing law permits the department to authorize a managed care plan to use clinically appropriate video synchronous interaction, as defined, as a means of demonstrating compliance with the time or distance standards.

Under this bill, the use of telehealth providers to meet time or distance standards would not absolve the managed care plan of responsibility to provide a beneficiary with access, including transportation, to in-person services if the beneficiary prefers. The bill would set forth other related provisions with regard to the use of telehealth.

Existing law permits the department, upon request of a managed care plan, to authorize alternative access standards for the time or distance standards under certain conditions.

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. October 6, 2025Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 418, Statutes of 2025.
2. October 6, 2025Approved by the Governor.
3. September 22, 2025Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 11 a.m.
4. September 10, 2025Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 32. Noes 6. Page 2838.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
5. September 9, 2025In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
6. September 9, 2025Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 78. Noes 1. Page 3076.) Ordered to the Senate.
7. September 4, 2025Ordered to third reading.
8. September 4, 2025Read third time and amended.
9. September 2, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
10. August 29, 2025From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (August 29).
11. August 20, 2025August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.
12. July 16, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (July 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.