AB 1906 — Health care coverage: home test kits.

Summary

(1) Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care, and makes a willful violation of the act a crime. Existing law provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law requires a health care service plan contract or health insurance policy issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2002, to provide coverage for an annual cervical cancer screening test upon the referral of the patient's health care provider. This bill would require a health care service plan contract or health insurance policy, except for a vision-only, dental-only, or Medicare supplement contract or policy, issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027, to provide coverage without cost sharing for cervical cancer screening, including the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) -authorized or cleared self-collected cervical screening kits, when ordered or provided by an in-network provider and consistent with specified recommendations published by the State Department of Public Health. For health savings account-eligible plans or policies, the bill would require the above-described coverage only to the extent the plan is a high deductible health plan under specified federal law. Because a willful violation of the bill's requirements relative to health care service plans would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which health care services are provided to low-income individuals pursuant to a schedule of benefits. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. An annual cervical cancer test for screening or diagnostic purposes, upon the referral of a patient's physician, is a covered benefit under the Medi-Cal program to the extent required or permitted by federal law. This bill would instead include cervical cancer tests for screening that are ordered by a patient's health care provider and consistent with specified recommendations published by the State Department of Public Health as a covered benefit under the Medi-Cal program on or after January 1, 2027. The bill would additionally include FDA-authorized or cleared cervical cancer home test kits for screening that are ordered by a patient's health care provider and consistent with specified recommendations published by the State Department of Public Health and Medi-Cal policies as a covered benefit under the Medi-Cal program on or after January 1, 2027, without cost sharing, to the extent that federal financial participation is available and not otherwise jeopardized and any necessary federal approvals have been obtained. (3) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Bill Text

• Chaptered 09/27/26 - Chaptered html September 27, 2026
• Enrolled 09/02/26 - Enrolled html September 02, 2026
• Amended 08/21/26 - Amended Senate html August 21, 2026
• Amended 06/22/26 - Amended Senate Current pdf June 22, 2026
• Amended 06/08/26 - Amended Senate pdf June 08, 2026
• Introduced 02/12/26 - Introduced pdf February 12, 2026
• AB1906 View text html

AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.

This bill amends 2 section(s) of the California codes: Section 1367.66 of the Health and Safety Code; Section 10123.18 of the Insurance Code.

• Section 1367.66 of the Health and Safety Code

  nationally recognized clinical guidelines. (e) → any relevant recommendations published pursuant to Section 120164. (e) This section does not apply to a vision-only, dental-only, or Medicare supplement health care service plan contract. (f) (g) This section does not apply to Medi-Cal managed care plan contracts with the State Department of Health Care Services pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000), Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 14200), or Chapter 8.75 (commencing with Section 14591) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

  amended

• Section 10123.18 of the Insurance Code

  nationally recognized clinical guidelines. (e) SEC. 3.Section 14132 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:14132.The following is the schedule of benefits under this chapter:(a)Outpatient services are covered as follows:Physician, hospital or clinic outpatient, surgical center, respiratory care, optometric, chiropractic, psychology, podiatric, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, audiology, acupuncture to the extent federal matching funds are provided for acupuncture, and services of persons rendering treatment by prayer or healing by spiritual means in the practice of any church or religious denomination insofar as these can be encompassed by federal participation under an approved plan, subject to utilization controls.(b)(1)Inpatient hospital services, including, but not limited to, physician and podiatric services, physical therapy, and occupational therapy, are covered subject to utilization controls.(2)For a Medi-Cal fee-for-service beneficiary, emergency services and care that are necessary for the treatment of an emergency medical condition and medical care directly related to the emergency medical condition. This paragraph does not change the obligation of Medi-Cal managed care plans to provide emergency services and care. For the purposes of this paragraph, “emergency services and care” and “emergency medical condition” have the same meanings as those terms are defined in Section 1317.1 of the Health and Safety Code.(c)Nursing facility services, subacute care services, and services provided by any category of intermediate care facility for the developmentally disabled, including podiatry, physician, nurse practitioner services, and prescribed drugs, as described in subdivision (d), are covered subject to utilization controls. Respiratory care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and audiology services for patients in nursing facilities and any category of intermediate care facility for persons with developmental disabilities are covered subject to utilization controls.(d)(1)Purchase of prescribed drugs is covered subject to the Medi-Cal List of Contract Drugs and utilization controls.(2)Purchase of drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction or any off-label uses of those drugs are covered only to the extent that federal financial participation is available.(3)(A)To the extent required by federal law, the purchase of outpatient prescribed drugs, for which the prescription is executed by a prescriber in written, nonelectronic form on or after April 1, 2008, is covered only when executed on a tamper-resistant prescription form. The implementation of this paragraph shall conform to the guidance issued by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, but shall not conflict with state statutes on the characteristics of tamper-resistant prescriptions for controlled substances, including Section 11162.1 of the Health and Safety Code. The department shall provide providers and beneficiaries with as much flexibility in implementing these rules as allowed by the federal government. The department shall notify and consult with appropriate stakeholders in implementing, interpreting, or making specific this paragraph.(B)Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the department may take the actions specified in subparagraph (A) by means of a provider bulletin or notice, policy letter, or other similar instructions without taking regulatory action.(4)(A)(i)For the purposes of this paragraph, “nonlegend” has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 14105.45.(ii)Nonlegend acetaminophen-containing products, including children’s acetaminophen-containing products, selected by the department are covered benefits.(iii)Nonlegend cough and cold products selected by the department are covered benefits.(B)Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of → any relevant recommendations published pursuant to Section 120164 of the Health and Safety Code. (e) This section does not apply to a vision-only, dental-only, or Medicare supplement insurance policy. (f) SEC. 3. any relevant recommendations published pursuant to Section 120164 of the Health and Safety Code subject to medical necessity and utilization management controls, Cervical allow patients to self-collect samples and are United States Food and Drug Administration-authorized or cleared subject to medical necessity and utilization management controls, (2) A test described in paragraph (1) shall be ordered or provided by a patient’s health care provider and shall be consistent with both of the following: (A) Any relevant recommendations published pursuant to Section 120164 of the Health and Safety Code. (B) Medi-Cal policies.(3) Reimbursement for a test described in paragraph (1) shall use a clinically appropriate Current Procedural Terminology or Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System billing code in order to comply with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act requirements. (4) (5) (6) The coverage described in this subdivision is a covered benefit only to the extent that federal financial participation is available and not otherwise jeopardized and any necessary federal approvals have been obtained.(7) Notwithstanding any other law, the department, without taking any further regulatory action, may implement, interpret, or make specific this subdivision by means of all-county letters, plan letters, plan or provider bulletins, or similar instructions. SEC. 4.

  amended

Action History

1. September 08, 2026

   Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3:30 p.m.

2. August 28, 2026

   Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 78. Noes 0.).

3. August 27, 2026

   In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

4. August 27, 2026

   Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0.).

5. August 24, 2026

   Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

6. August 21, 2026

   Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

7. August 13, 2026

   From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 13).

8. August 13, 2026

   Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

9. June 29, 2026

   In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.

10. June 22, 2026

    Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

11. June 18, 2026

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (June 17).

12. June 08, 2026

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.

13. June 03, 2026

    Referred to Com. on HEALTH.

14. May 21, 2026

    In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

15. May 21, 2026

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 73. Noes 0. Page 5202.)

16. May 18, 2026

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

17. May 14, 2026

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 14).

18. May 14, 2026

    Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. (Page 5030.)

19. May 13, 2026

    In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

20. April 22, 2026

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

21. March 02, 2026

    Referred to Com. on HEALTH.

22. February 13, 2026

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 15.

23. February 12, 2026

    Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

• Cecilia M. Aguiar-Curry · Primary

Votes

Subjects