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's requirements a crime. Existing law provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law sets forth specified coverage requirements for plan contracts and insurance policies, and limits the copayment, coinsurance, deductible, and other cost sharing that may be imposed for specified health care services.
This bill would require a health care service plan contract or health insurance policy issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, to include coverage for portable high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) purifiers and filters for enrollees or insureds who are pregnant or diagnosed with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The bill would prohibit a portable HEPA purifier and filter covered pursuant to these provisions from being subject to a deductible, coinsurance, or copayment requirement.
Because a willful violation of these provisions by a health care service plan would be a crime, this 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.
This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.