Assembly Health Committee advances bills on nurse practitioner death certificates, Medi‑Cal diapers and provider directories

SACRAMENTO — The California State Assembly Health Committee on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, voted to send a package of health bills to the next stage of review, moving measures that would allow nurse practitioners to sign death certificates, expand Medi‑Cal diaper coverage, require notification to cities about new recovery‑housing licenses and tighten requirements for health plan provider directories and customer assistance.

Why it matters: The bills the committee advanced touch everyday access to care — from administrative steps that can speed funerary and benefit processes, to programs intended to reduce barriers to finding in‑network providers and to ease financial strain on families who cannot afford diapers. Several measures also address behavioral‑health pathways and administrative processes that lawmakers and advocates say currently slow or block care.

Nurse practitioners and death certificates (AB 583) AB 583, sponsored by Assemblymember Pellerin, would authorize nurse practitioners to sign death certificates. Supporters said the change would reduce delays for families and for funeral arrangements where a physician may not have provided prior care. Sarani Quan, a nurse practitioner at West County Health Centers, testified that she was often the longtime primary caregiver for patients but could not sign their death certificates, leaving families waiting for documents needed for benefits and services. "When she passed away ... I was not able to sign her death certificate," Quan said in testimony, adding that mortuaries and families had urged the change. Committee members supported the bill and it was moved out of committee.

Notification of new alcohol and drug recovery or treatment licenses (AB 492) AB 492, by Assemblymember Valencia and sponsored by the League of California Cities, would require the Department of Health Care Services to notify cities and counties when it issues an initial license for a new alcohol or drug recovery or treatment facility in a jurisdiction. Norma Campos Kurtz, an Anaheim city council member, described neighborhood impacts from unlicensed or rapidly proliferating recovery housing and said early notice would allow local governments to coordinate and communicate with residents. The committee voted to move AB 492 to appropriations.

Provider directories and insurer assistance (AB 280; AB 787 and related measures) Two bills seeking to address long‑standing problems with inaccurate health plan provider directories were advanced. Assemblymember Aguiar‑Curry’s AB 280 would require health plans to verify provider information annually, set accuracy benchmarks (beginning at 60 percent and rising toward 95 percent over several years) and authorize plans to use a centralized utility to reduce administrative burden. A related measure (filed as AB 787 in this hearing) would require plans to respond to consumer requests for assistance — for example, providing a vetted list of available providers within specified business days when consumers call the insurer for help.

Supporters, including Health Access California and clinicians, described widespread "ghost networks" that leave patients unable to find in‑network providers, sometimes with severe consequences for patients in crisis. "Consumers deserve accurate provider directories," Katie Van Dynes of Health Access California said. Insurer trade groups — the California Association of Health Plans and the Association of California Life and Health Insurance Companies — said they shared the goal but raised concerns about enforcement, provider participation and cost, and asked to continue negotiations; they were recorded in opposition or as having concerns. Both measures were moved to appropriations.

Medi‑Cal coverage for medically necessary diapers (AB 636) Assemblymember Ortega’s AB 636 would require Medi‑Cal to cover medically necessary diapers for children ages 21 and under when clinically needed, amending the state’s existing medical‑necessity definition that currently restricts coverage for many young children. Gabby Davidson of the California Association of Food Banks testified that diaper costs can exceed $80–$100 per month per child, imposing hardship on low‑income families and food banks. The committee voted to send AB 636 to appropriations.

Credentialing, ACEs screening, radiology supervision and other bills - AB 1041 (Bennett) would standardize and speed physician credentialing by requiring a uniform credentialing form and a 90‑day review timeline for insurers and plans; supporters argued it would reduce credentialing delays that block access, while insurers requested further stakeholder work. The committee moved the bill as amended. - AB 29 (Arambula) would allow community health workers and doulas to be reimbursed by Medi‑Cal for conducting trauma‑informed Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) screenings; proponents said community‑based workers are trusted and can expand screening reach. The committee advanced the bill to appropriations. - AB 416 (Krell) would allow designated emergency physicians to place involuntary holds under existing mental‑health law (so‑called 5150 holds) in order to reduce prolonged emergency department waits for patients needing inpatient psychiatric care. Emergency‑medicine and psychiatric physician groups supported the change as a means to relieve ER bottlenecks; disability‑rights and some county behavioral‑health groups expressed concerns that the bill could increase involuntary hospitalizations or shift patients into locked facilities without sufficient county oversight. The committee voted to send AB 416 to the Judiciary Committee for further consideration. - AB 460 (Chen) would allow remote (audio/video) supervision by a licensed radiologist when a technologist administers contrast for imaging, provided qualified personnel are on site to respond to adverse reactions; sponsors said the change aligns California law with federal CMS policy and would reduce delays in rural and community hospitals. The bill was moved to appropriations. - AB 789 (chair) would remove a state definition’s tie to the federal Affordable Care Act for the term "unreasonable rate increase," ensuring state regulators retain authority to review insurer rate proposals even if federal law changes. The committee advanced the bill.

Votes at a glance - AB 583 (Pellerin) — Authorize nurse practitioners to sign death certificates — moved out of committee (due passed to appropriations). - AB 492 (Valencia) — Require DHCS to notify local governments when it issues an initial license for a new alcohol or drug recovery/treatment facility — moved out of committee (due passed to appropriations). - AB 280 (Aguiar‑Curry) — Provider directory accuracy and centralized utility authority — moved out of committee (due passed to appropriations). - AB 787 (Pappen/Pepin file) — Insurer assistance to consumers and response timelines — moved out of committee (due passed to appropriations / as amended). - AB 636 (Ortega) — Expand Medi‑Cal medically necessary diaper coverage for children — moved out of committee (due passed to appropriations). - AB 1041 (Bennett) — Uniform credentialing and 90‑day review timeline — moved out of committee (due pass as amended to appropriations). - AB 29 (Arambula) — Medi‑Cal reimbursement for ACEs screenings by community health workers and doulas — moved out of committee (due passed to appropriations). - AB 416 (Krell) — Authorize designated emergency physicians to place 5150 holds (involuntary psychiatric holds) — moved to Judiciary Committee (due passed to judiciary). - AB 460 (Chen) — Allow real‑time remote supervision for contrast administration when qualified on‑site personnel are present — moved out of committee (due passed to appropriations). - AB 789 (Chair) — Remove federal tieback for definition of "unreasonable rate increase" — moved out of committee (due passed to appropriations).

What’s next: All measures moved to appropriations will be considered in that committee before potentially moving to the Assembly floor; AB 416 was referred to the Judiciary Committee for further review. Sponsors, committees and opposing parties flagged the need for further stakeholder negotiation on several measures, notably the provider‑directory bills and the credentialing measure.

Meeting context: The hearing included direct testimony from clinicians, city officials, health‑care advocates and insurer representatives. Committee members asked clarifying questions about county oversight for psychiatric holds, provider participation in any centralized directory utility, telehealth security for remote supervision, and timelines for directory accuracy benchmarks.

— Reporting by the Assembly Health Committee hearing record.