(a)  This section applies to policies of health insurance, as defined by subdivision (b) of Section 106. The requirements of this section apply to all health care services covered by a health insurance policy.

(b)  Notwithstanding Section 10133.5, a health insurer shall comply with the timely access requirements in this section, but a specialized health insurance policy as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 106, other than a specialized mental health insurance policy, is exempt from the provisions of this section, except as specified in paragraph (6) and subdivision (c).

(1)  A health insurer shall provide or arrange for the provision of covered health care services in a timely manner appropriate for the nature of the insured’s condition, consistent with good professional practice. An insurer shall establish and maintain provider networks, policies, procedures, and quality assurance monitoring systems and processes sufficient to ensure compliance with this clinical appropriateness standard. An insurer that uses a tiered network shall demonstrate compliance with the standards established by this section based on providers available at the lowest cost-sharing tier.

(2)  A health insurer shall ensure that all insurer and provider processes necessary to obtain covered health care services, including, but not limited to, prior authorization processes, are completed in a manner that assures the provision of covered health care services to an insured in a timely manner appropriate for the insured’s condition and in compliance with this section.

(3)  If it is necessary for a provider or an insured to reschedule an appointment, the appointment shall be promptly rescheduled in a manner that is appropriate for the insured’s health care needs, and ensures continuity of care consistent with good professional practice, and consistent with the objectives of Section 10133.5, the regulations adopted pursuant to Section 10133.5, and this section.

(4)  Interpreter services required by Section 10133.8 of this code and Article 12.1 (commencing with Section 2538.1) of Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations shall be coordinated with scheduled appointments for health care services in a manner that ensures the provision of interpreter services at the time of the appointment, consistent with Section 2538.6 of Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations, without imposing delay on the scheduling of the appointment. This subdivision does not modify the requirements established in Sections 10133.8 and 10133.9 of this code and Section 2538.6 of Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations, or approved by the department pursuant to Section 2538.6 of Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations for an insurer’s language assistance program.

(5)  In addition to ensuring compliance with the clinical appropriateness standard set forth in paragraph (1), a health insurer shall ensure that its contracted provider network has adequate capacity and availability of licensed health care providers to offer insureds appointments that meet the following timeframes:

(A)  Urgent care appointments for services that do not require prior authorization: within 48 hours of the request for appointment, except as provided in subparagraph (H).

(B)  Urgent care appointments for services that require prior authorization: within 96 hours of the request for appointment, except as provided in subparagraph (H).

(C)  Nonurgent appointments for primary care: within 10 business days of the request for appointment, except as provided in subparagraphs (H) and (I).

(D)  Nonurgent appointments with specialist physicians: within 15 business days of the request for appointment, except as provided in subparagraphs (H) and (I).

(E)  Nonurgent appointments with a nonphysician mental health care or substance use disorder provider: within 10 business days of the request for appointment, except as provided in subparagraphs (H) and (I).

(F)  Commencing July 1, 2022, nonurgent follow-up appointments with a nonphysician mental health care or substance use disorder provider: within 10 business days of the prior appointment for those undergoing a course of treatment for an ongoing mental health or substance use disorder condition, except as provided in subparagraph (H). This subparagraph does not limit coverage for nonurgent followup appointments with a nonphysician mental health care or substance use disorder provider to once every 10 business days.

(G)  Nonurgent appointments for ancillary services for the diagnosis or treatment of injury, illness, or other health condition: within 15 business days of the request for appointment, except as provided in subparagraphs (H) and (I).

(H)  The applicable waiting time for a particular appointment may be extended if the referring or treating licensed health care provider, or the health professional providing triage or screening services, as applicable, acting within the scope of their practice and consistent with professionally recognized standards of practice, has determined and noted in the relevant record that a longer waiting time will not have a detrimental impact on the health of the insured.

(I)  Preventive care services, as defined in subdivision (e), and periodic follow up care, including standing referrals to specialists for chronic conditions, periodic office visits to monitor and treat pregnancy, cardiac, mental health, or substance use disorder conditions, and laboratory and radiological monitoring for recurrence of disease, may be scheduled in advance consistent with professionally recognized standards of practice as determined by the treating licensed health care provider acting within the scope of their practice.

(J)  A referral to a specialist by a primary care provider or another specialist shall be subject to the relevant time-elapsed standard in subparagraph (A), (B) or (D), unless the requirements in subparagraph (H) or (I) are met, and shall be subject to the other provisions of this section.

(6)(A)  The following types of health insurance policies shall be subject to the requirements in subparagraph (B):

(i)  A health insurance policy covering the pediatric oral or vision essential health benefit.

(ii)  A specialized health insurance policy that provides coverage for the pediatric oral essential health benefit, as defined in paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 10112.27.

(iii)  A specialized health insurance policy that covers dental benefits only, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 106.

(B)  In addition to ensuring compliance with the clinical appropriateness standard set forth in paragraph (1), each health insurance policy specified in subparagraph (A) shall ensure that contracted oral or vision provider networks have adequate capacity and availability of licensed health care providers, including generalist and specialist dentists, ophthalmologists, optometrists, and opticians, to offer insureds appointments for covered oral or vision services in accordance with the following requirements:

(i)  Urgent appointments within the plan network shall be offered within 72 hours of the time of request for appointment, if consistent with the insured’s individual needs and as required by professionally recognized standards of dental practice.

(ii)  Nonurgent appointments shall be offered within 36 business days of the request for appointment, except as provided in clause (iii).

(iii)  Preventive care appointments shall be offered within 40 business days of the request for appointment.

(iv)  The applicable waiting time for a particular appointment in this paragraph may be extended if the referring or treating licensed health care provider, or the health professional providing triage or screening services, as applicable, acting within the scope of the provider’s practice and consistent with professionally recognized standards of practice, has determined and noted in the relevant record that a longer waiting time will not have a detrimental impact on the health of the insured.

(7)  An insurer shall ensure it has sufficient numbers of contracted providers to maintain compliance with the standards established by this section.

(A)  This section does not modify the requirements regarding accessibility established by Article 6 (commencing with Section 2240) of Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations.

(B)  An insurer shall ensure timely access to covered health care services as required by this section, including applicable time-elapsed standards, by assisting an insured to locate available and accessible contracted providers in a timely manner appropriate for the insured’s health needs. An insurer shall arrange for the provision of services outside the insurer’s contracted network if unavailable within the network if medically necessary for the insured’s condition. Insured costs for medically necessary referrals to nonnetwork providers shall not exceed applicable in-network copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles.

(8)  An insurer shall provide or arrange for the provision, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, of triage or screening services by telephone, as defined in subdivision (f).

(A)  An insurer shall ensure that telephone triage or screening services are provided in a timely manner appropriate for the insured’s condition, and that the triage or screening waiting time does not exceed 30 minutes.

(B)  An insurer may provide or arrange for the provision of telephone triage or screening services through one or more of the following means: insurer-operated telephone triage or screening services, telephone medical advice services pursuant to Section 10279, the insurer’s contracted primary care and mental health care or substance use disorder provider network, or other method that provides triage or screening services consistent with this section.

(i)  An insurer that arranges for the provision of telephone triage or screening services through contracted primary care and mental health care and substance use disorder providers shall require those providers to maintain a procedure for triaging or screening insured telephone calls, which, at a minimum, shall include the employment, during and after business hours, of a telephone answering machine, an answering service, or office staff, that shall inform the caller of both of the following:

(I)  Regarding the length of wait for a return call from the provider.

(II)  How the caller may obtain urgent or emergency care, including, if applicable, how to contact another provider who has agreed to be on call to triage or screen by phone, or if needed, deliver urgent or emergency care.

(ii)  An insurer that arranges for the provision of triage or screening services through contracted primary care and mental health care and substance use disorder providers who are unable to meet the time-elapsed standards established in subparagraph (A) shall also provide or arrange for the provision of insurer-contracted or operated triage or screening services, which shall, at a minimum, be made available to insureds affected by that portion of the insurer’s network.

(iii)  An unlicensed staff person handling insured calls may ask questions on behalf of a licensed staff person to help ascertain the condition of an insured so that the insured may be referred to licensed staff. However, an unlicensed staff person shall not, under any circumstances, use the answers to those questions in an attempt to assess, evaluate, advise, or make a decision regarding the condition of an insured or determine when an insured needs to be seen by a licensed medical professional.

(9)  A health insurance policy providing coverage for the pediatric oral and vision essential health benefit, and a specialized health insurance policy that provides coverage for dental care expenses only, shall require that contracted providers employ an answering service or a telephone answering machine during nonbusiness hours, which provides instructions regarding how an insured may obtain urgent or emergency care, including, if applicable, how to contact another provider who has agreed to be on call to triage or screen by phone, or if needed, deliver urgent or emergency care.

(10)  An insurer shall ensure that, during normal business hours, the waiting time for an insured to speak by telephone with an insurer customer service representative knowledgeable and competent regarding the insured’s questions and concerns shall not exceed 10 minutes, or that the covered person will receive a scheduled call-back within 30 minutes.

(c)  Notwithstanding subdivision (b), a specialized health insurance policy, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 106, other than a specialized mental health insurance policy, is exempt from this section, except as specified in this subdivision. A specialized health insurance policy that provides coverage for dental care expenses only shall comply with paragraphs (1), (3), (4), (6), (7), (9), and (10) of subdivision (b).

(d)  An insurer shall incorporate the standards set forth in the insurer’s quality assurance systems and processes, as set forth in subdivision (b), and the processes as set forth in Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations, including Sections 2240.1, 2240.15, and 2240.16. An insurer shall not prevent, discourage, or discipline a contracting provider or employee for informing an insured or policyholder about the timely access standards.

(e)  For purposes of this section:

(1)  “Appointment waiting time” means the time from the initial request for health care services by an insured or the insured’s treating provider to the earliest date offered for the appointment for services inclusive of time for obtaining authorization from the insurer or completing any other condition or requirement of the insurer or its contracting providers.

(2)  “Preventive care” means health care provided for prevention and early detection of disease, illness, injury, or other health condition and includes, but is not limited to, all of the services required by all of the following laws:

(A)  Section 146.130 of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(B)  Section 10112.2 (incorporating the requirements of Section 2713 of the federal Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 300gg-13)).

(C)  Clause (ii) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 10112.27.

(3)  “Provider group” has the meaning set forth in subdivision (v) of Section 10133.15.

(4)  “Triage” or “screening” means the assessment of an insured’s health concerns and symptoms via communication with a physician, registered nurse, or other qualified health professional acting within their scope of practice and who is trained to screen or triage an insured who may need care for the purpose of determining the urgency of the insured’s need for care.

(5)  “Triage or screening waiting time” means the time waiting to speak by telephone with a physician, registered nurse, or other qualified health professional acting within their scope of practice and who is trained to screen or triage an insured who may need care.

(6)  “Urgent care” means health care for a condition which requires prompt attention, consistent with paragraph (2) of subdivision (h) of Section 10123.135.

(f)(1)  The department may issue guidance to insurers regarding annual timely access and network reporting methodologies. The development and adoption of these methodologies shall not be subject to the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code) until December 31, 2025.

(2)  Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the department may take compliance or disciplinary action, including imposition of administrative penalties, on the basis of noncompliance with any of the provisions of this section, including, but not limited to, timeframes for appointments and follow-up appointments.

(3)  The department may review and adopt standards, in addition to those specified in this article, concerning the availability of primary care physicians, specialty physicians, hospital care, and other health care, so that consumers have timely access to care. In so doing, the department shall consider the nature of physician practices, including individual and group practices, as well as the nature of the network. The department shall also consider various circumstances affecting the delivery of care, including urgent care, care provided on the same day, and requests for specific providers. If the department finds that insurers and health care providers have difficulty meeting these standards, the department may make recommendations to the Assembly Committee on Health and the Senate Committee on Health. The development and adoption of standards under this paragraph shall not be subject to the Administrative Procedure Act until December 31, 2028. The department shall consult with stakeholders in developing the standards and methodologies described in this section.

(g)  Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the department from developing additional standards to improve timely access to care and network adequacy.

Section 10133.54 is codified at https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=INS&division=2.&title=&part=2.&chapter=1.&article=2.