Plain English Breakdown
The official text mentions exceptions ('except as specified') but does not list what those specific exceptions are.
AB-1682: Requiring Health Plans to Cover Scalp Cooling
This law requires health insurance plans and Medi-Cal, if federal rules allow it, to cover scalp cooling treatments prescribed for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy starting in January 2027.
What This Bill Does
- Requires new or renewed health care service plan contracts and health insurance policies issued on or after January 1, 2027, to cover scalp cooling as defined by the bill.
- Mandates that a health care provider must prescribe the treatment for use with chemotherapy for persons with cancer.
- Expands Medi-Cal benefits to include scalp cooling only if federal funding is available and necessary approvals are obtained.
- States that willful violations of these rules regarding health care service plans would be considered a crime under existing law.
Who It Names or Affects
- Health insurance companies and health care service plans in California
- People with cancer who receive chemotherapy prescriptions from a provider
- Medi-Cal recipients, subject to federal funding and approval conditions
Terms To Know
- Scalp cooling
- A treatment defined by the bill that is prescribed for use with chemotherapy.
- Medi-Cal
- California's health care program administered by the State Department of Health Care Services for qualified low-income individuals.
Limits and Unknowns
- The Medi-Cal coverage only happens if federal money is available and necessary approvals are obtained.
- Specific exceptions to the insurance requirement exist but are not detailed in this summary text.
- No state reimbursement is required for local agencies under a specified reason.