Assembly Health advances package on HIV prevention, coverage rules, wildfire recovery and more

The Assembly Health Committee on April 29 advanced a set of health bills addressing HIV prevention, physician dispensing of medications, essential health benefits, wildfire-related behavioral health care and other topics.

The hearing included lengthy testimony from authors, patients and state health officials and produced committee votes sending most measures to the Appropriations Committee for further review. Lawmakers and stakeholders debated trade-offs among access, cost and regulatory burden as members sought amendments and additional technical work.

AB 224 (benchmarks for essential health benefits) The committee advanced AB 224, which would codify the state's planned additions to California's essential health benefits (EHB) benchmark if the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approves the state's proposed benchmark. The bill would add coverage for infertility services (including in vitro fertilization and artificial insemination), an annual hearing exam plus one hearing aid per ear every three years, and expanded durable medical equipment such as hospital beds, mobility devices and portable oxygen. Mary Watanabe of the Department of Managed Health Care described the stakeholder process and the documents the state plans to submit to CMS. Supporters said the changes would expand access to services not currently covered in many commercial plans; some hospitals and insurers asked for clarification on timing and implementation. The committee adopted technical amendments and voted to send the bill to Appropriations.

AB 554 (PrEP access;…