Bill > SB278

This bill modifies California law regarding the disclosure of HIV test results and public health records to improve care coordination and quality improvement for Medi-Cal (California's Medicaid) beneficiaries. Specifically, the bill allows state public health agency HIV surveillance staff to disclose personally identifying HIV test results to the State Department of Health Care Services and, if applicable, the Medi-Cal managed care plan the patient is assigned to. This disclosure is intended to proactively offer and coordinate care and treatment services or to administer quality improvement programs designed to enhance HIV care for Medi-Cal beneficiaries. To protect patient privacy, the bill requires the State Department of Health Care Services to develop a mechanism that allows Medi-Cal beneficiaries to opt out of having their personally identifying HIV information shared for these purposes. The bill also establishes civil and criminal penalties for unauthorized disclosure of confidential public health records, ranging from monetary fines to potential misdemeanor charges, depending on the nature and impact of the unauthorized disclosure. These changes aim to balance patient care coordination with individual privacy protections, ensuring that sensitive health information is shared only with proper consent and for specific, beneficial purposes.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB278