Bill > AB257

This bill establishes a demonstration project called "Equal Access to Specialty Care Everywhere" aimed at improving specialty healthcare access for Medi-Cal beneficiaries through telehealth and virtual services. The project will create a grant program to support specialty care networks serving safety-net providers, such as rural health clinics and community health centers. Eligible applicants must partner with at least 10 qualifying providers and have a proven track record of supporting healthcare in underserved communities. The grant funding will be used to develop specialist networks, provide health information technology, and support care coordination, but cannot be used to directly pay for patient services. The project's key objectives include increasing specialist capacity, reducing patient access barriers, improving healthcare provider sustainability in rural areas, and enhancing care coordination. The California Health and Human Services Agency will administer the program, arrange an independent evaluation, and ensure that lessons learned are publicly shared. Implementation is subject to legislative appropriation, and the project aims to help healthcare providers meet network adequacy standards while addressing healthcare disparities and improving service efficiency.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB257