Bill > AB55

This bill modifies the licensing and Medi-Cal reimbursement requirements for alternative birth centers, which are clinics that provide comprehensive perinatal services and delivery care to pregnant women for less than 24 hours. The bill removes the previous requirement that alternative birth centers be certified as comprehensive perinatal service providers and instead requires them to provide perinatal services that are comprehensive in nature, aligned with midwifery and birth center care standards. It eliminates the previous requirement that birth centers be located near a hospital with emergency obstetrical capabilities and replaces it with a mandate for a detailed written hospital transfer policy. This policy must include specific provisions for medical complication referrals, care transfer arrangements, medical record sharing, estimated transfer times, and a clear emergency transfer plan. The bill also updates Medi-Cal reimbursement regulations for these facilities, ensuring that reimbursement rates are based on specific hospital rate calculations and do not exceed the center's charges to non-Medi-Cal patients. Additionally, the legislation includes a technical change to an existing reference and creates new requirements for alternative birth centers, which could potentially be considered a state-mandated local program. However, the bill stipulates that no specific reimbursement is required for implementing these changes.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB55