Health care coverage: cervical cancer screening: human papillomavirus vaccination.

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 also provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Under existing law, health care service plan contracts and health insurance policies that include coverage for the treatment or surgery of cervical cancer are deemed to provide coverage for an annual cervical cancer screening test, upon the referral of the patient's physician and surgeon, nurse practitioner, or certified nurse midwife, as specified. This bill would make those provisions apply if the referral is made by a physician assistant, as specified. In addition, the bill would require those plan contracts and insurance policies to provide coverage for a human papillomavirus vaccination, as specified. Because a willful violation of the bill's requirements by a health care service plan would be a crime, the bill would impose 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.