Timely access to health care.

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. Existing law also provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law requires each department to develop and adopt regulations to ensure that enrollees and insureds have access to needed health care services in a timely manner, and existing regulations set forth these timely access standards for specified health care appointments. This bill would declare the intent of the Legislature to ensure that patients receive timely access to health care services, including nonemergency followup appointments with mental health care providers within 10 business days.