Healing arts: licensure exemption.

Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of various healing arts practitioners by boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs. Existing law provides an exemption from these requirements for a health care practitioner licensed in another state who offers or provides health care for which he or she is licensed during a state of emergency, as defined, and upon request of the Director of the Emergency Medical Services Authority, as specified. This bill would also provide, until January 1, 2014, an exemption from the licensure and regulation requirements for a health care practitioner, as defined, licensed or certified in good standing in another state or states, who offers or provides health care services for which he or she is licensed or certified through a sponsored event, as defined, (1) to uninsured or underinsured persons, (2) on a short-term voluntary basis, (3) in association with a sponsoring entity that registers with the applicable healing arts board, as defined, and provides specified information to the county health department of the county in which the health care services will be provided, and (4) without charge to the recipient or a 3rd party on behalf of the recipient, as specified. The bill would also require an exempt health care practitioner to obtain prior authorization to provide these services from the applicable licensing board, as defined, and to satisfy other specified requirements, including payment of a fee as determined by the applicable licensing board. The bill would require the applicable licensing board to notify the sponsoring entity, as defined, of the sponsored event whether the board approves or denies a request for authorization to provide these services within 20 days of receipt of the request. The bill would also prohibit a contract of liability insurance issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2011, from excluding coverage of these practitioners or a sponsoring entity for providing care under these provisions. Because this bill would expand the definition of certain crimes, the bill would create a state-mandated local program. 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.