California 2023 2023-2024 Regular Session

California Assembly Bill AB576 Enrolled / Bill

Filed 09/12/2023

                    Enrolled  September 12, 2023 Passed IN  Senate  September 11, 2023 Passed IN  Assembly  May 31, 2023 Amended IN  Assembly  March 30, 2023 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 576Introduced by Assembly Member Weber(Coauthors: Assembly Members Boerner, Pellerin, Aguiar-Curry, Cervantes, Quirk-Silva, and Wilson)(Coauthor: Senator Ashby)February 08, 2023 An act to add Section 14131.07 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to Medi-Cal. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 576, Weber. Medi-Cal: reimbursement for abortion.Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law provides that abortion is a covered benefit under Medi-Cal. Existing regulation authorizes reimbursement for specified medications used to terminate a pregnancy through the 70th day from the first day of the recipients last menstrual period.This bill would require the department, by March 1, 2024, to review and update Medi-Cal coverage policies for medication abortion to align with current evidence-based clinical guidelines. After the initial review, the bill would require the department to update its Medi-Cal coverage policies for medication abortion as needed to align with evidence-based clinical guidelines.The bill would require the department to allow flexibility for providers to exercise their clinical judgment when services are performed in a manner that aligns with one or more evidence-based clinical guidelines.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY  Appropriation: NO  Fiscal Committee: YES  Local Program: NO Bill TextThe people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 14131.07 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:14131.07. (a) (1) By March 1, 2024, the department shall review and update Medi-Cal coverage policies for medication abortion to align with current evidence-based clinical guidelines.(2) After the initial review, the department shall update its Medi-Cal coverage policies for medication abortion as needed to align with evidence-based clinical guidelines.(b) For purposes of subdivision (a), the department shall allow flexibility for providers to exercise their clinical judgment when services are performed in a manner that aligns with one or more evidence-based clinical guidelines.

 Enrolled  September 12, 2023 Passed IN  Senate  September 11, 2023 Passed IN  Assembly  May 31, 2023 Amended IN  Assembly  March 30, 2023 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 576Introduced by Assembly Member Weber(Coauthors: Assembly Members Boerner, Pellerin, Aguiar-Curry, Cervantes, Quirk-Silva, and Wilson)(Coauthor: Senator Ashby)February 08, 2023 An act to add Section 14131.07 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to Medi-Cal. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 576, Weber. Medi-Cal: reimbursement for abortion.Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law provides that abortion is a covered benefit under Medi-Cal. Existing regulation authorizes reimbursement for specified medications used to terminate a pregnancy through the 70th day from the first day of the recipients last menstrual period.This bill would require the department, by March 1, 2024, to review and update Medi-Cal coverage policies for medication abortion to align with current evidence-based clinical guidelines. After the initial review, the bill would require the department to update its Medi-Cal coverage policies for medication abortion as needed to align with evidence-based clinical guidelines.The bill would require the department to allow flexibility for providers to exercise their clinical judgment when services are performed in a manner that aligns with one or more evidence-based clinical guidelines.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY  Appropriation: NO  Fiscal Committee: YES  Local Program: NO 

 Enrolled  September 12, 2023 Passed IN  Senate  September 11, 2023 Passed IN  Assembly  May 31, 2023 Amended IN  Assembly  March 30, 2023

Enrolled  September 12, 2023
Passed IN  Senate  September 11, 2023
Passed IN  Assembly  May 31, 2023
Amended IN  Assembly  March 30, 2023

 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION

 Assembly Bill 

No. 576

Introduced by Assembly Member Weber(Coauthors: Assembly Members Boerner, Pellerin, Aguiar-Curry, Cervantes, Quirk-Silva, and Wilson)(Coauthor: Senator Ashby)February 08, 2023

Introduced by Assembly Member Weber(Coauthors: Assembly Members Boerner, Pellerin, Aguiar-Curry, Cervantes, Quirk-Silva, and Wilson)(Coauthor: Senator Ashby)
February 08, 2023

 An act to add Section 14131.07 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to Medi-Cal. 

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 576, Weber. Medi-Cal: reimbursement for abortion.

Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law provides that abortion is a covered benefit under Medi-Cal. Existing regulation authorizes reimbursement for specified medications used to terminate a pregnancy through the 70th day from the first day of the recipients last menstrual period.This bill would require the department, by March 1, 2024, to review and update Medi-Cal coverage policies for medication abortion to align with current evidence-based clinical guidelines. After the initial review, the bill would require the department to update its Medi-Cal coverage policies for medication abortion as needed to align with evidence-based clinical guidelines.The bill would require the department to allow flexibility for providers to exercise their clinical judgment when services are performed in a manner that aligns with one or more evidence-based clinical guidelines.

Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law provides that abortion is a covered benefit under Medi-Cal. Existing regulation authorizes reimbursement for specified medications used to terminate a pregnancy through the 70th day from the first day of the recipients last menstrual period.

This bill would require the department, by March 1, 2024, to review and update Medi-Cal coverage policies for medication abortion to align with current evidence-based clinical guidelines. After the initial review, the bill would require the department to update its Medi-Cal coverage policies for medication abortion as needed to align with evidence-based clinical guidelines.

The bill would require the department to allow flexibility for providers to exercise their clinical judgment when services are performed in a manner that aligns with one or more evidence-based clinical guidelines.

## Digest Key

## Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 14131.07 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:14131.07. (a) (1) By March 1, 2024, the department shall review and update Medi-Cal coverage policies for medication abortion to align with current evidence-based clinical guidelines.(2) After the initial review, the department shall update its Medi-Cal coverage policies for medication abortion as needed to align with evidence-based clinical guidelines.(b) For purposes of subdivision (a), the department shall allow flexibility for providers to exercise their clinical judgment when services are performed in a manner that aligns with one or more evidence-based clinical guidelines.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

## The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 14131.07 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:14131.07. (a) (1) By March 1, 2024, the department shall review and update Medi-Cal coverage policies for medication abortion to align with current evidence-based clinical guidelines.(2) After the initial review, the department shall update its Medi-Cal coverage policies for medication abortion as needed to align with evidence-based clinical guidelines.(b) For purposes of subdivision (a), the department shall allow flexibility for providers to exercise their clinical judgment when services are performed in a manner that aligns with one or more evidence-based clinical guidelines.

SECTION 1. Section 14131.07 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:

### SECTION 1.

14131.07. (a) (1) By March 1, 2024, the department shall review and update Medi-Cal coverage policies for medication abortion to align with current evidence-based clinical guidelines.(2) After the initial review, the department shall update its Medi-Cal coverage policies for medication abortion as needed to align with evidence-based clinical guidelines.(b) For purposes of subdivision (a), the department shall allow flexibility for providers to exercise their clinical judgment when services are performed in a manner that aligns with one or more evidence-based clinical guidelines.

14131.07. (a) (1) By March 1, 2024, the department shall review and update Medi-Cal coverage policies for medication abortion to align with current evidence-based clinical guidelines.(2) After the initial review, the department shall update its Medi-Cal coverage policies for medication abortion as needed to align with evidence-based clinical guidelines.(b) For purposes of subdivision (a), the department shall allow flexibility for providers to exercise their clinical judgment when services are performed in a manner that aligns with one or more evidence-based clinical guidelines.

14131.07. (a) (1) By March 1, 2024, the department shall review and update Medi-Cal coverage policies for medication abortion to align with current evidence-based clinical guidelines.(2) After the initial review, the department shall update its Medi-Cal coverage policies for medication abortion as needed to align with evidence-based clinical guidelines.(b) For purposes of subdivision (a), the department shall allow flexibility for providers to exercise their clinical judgment when services are performed in a manner that aligns with one or more evidence-based clinical guidelines.



14131.07. (a) (1) By March 1, 2024, the department shall review and update Medi-Cal coverage policies for medication abortion to align with current evidence-based clinical guidelines.

(2) After the initial review, the department shall update its Medi-Cal coverage policies for medication abortion as needed to align with evidence-based clinical guidelines.

(b) For purposes of subdivision (a), the department shall allow flexibility for providers to exercise their clinical judgment when services are performed in a manner that aligns with one or more evidence-based clinical guidelines.