SACRAMENTO: Senator Anna M. Caballero (D-Salinas) introduced the final in a series of bills designed to improve health access and outcomes for all Californians, and particularly those in rural areas throughout her district where care is the hardest to obtain. This would include a comprehensive plan for the state to address the current IT limitations and disparities faced by physicians and physician practices in remote areas.

Her bill package is set to include the following:

• SB 365- Medi-Cal E-Consult Coverage:

This bill would require Medi-Cal to reimburse all participating primary care providers, including those who operate out of a federally qualified health center (FQHC) or rural health clinic (RHC), for e-consult services. This bill creates reimbursement equity between primary care providers and specialist providers when assisting patients through the use of e-consults, and increases health care access to patients by reducing wait times for non-urgent concerns

• SB 371- Health Information Exchange:

SB 371 creates a framework to allow the technology challenges faced by physicians and physician practices, without existing access to Health Information Exchange (HIE) technologies, to be addressed. The structure will be inclusive of many different types and technologies of data exchange, and includes five main concepts:

-Allows physicians to use a form of data exchange that works best for them

-Reestablishes the state as a key transparency, support, assistance, and convener for the HIE

-Leverages federal and private sources of funding to help lagging physician practices

-Expands broadband access to low and underserved regions of the state, thereby closing the digital divide

-Modernizes the state’s own public health information infrastructure to ensure key access to public health data.

• SB 395- Healthy Options and Prevention Education (HOPE) Act: Electronic Cigarettes:

SB 395 imposes an additional retail tax on vape products, effectively closing a loophole in the tobacco product tax. Numerous studies have found that tobacco tax increases lead to reduced tobacco use, especially among young adults. Considering the negative health impact of vaping and the prevalence of availability of products in underserved minority communities, SB 395 creates the Healthy Options and Prevention Education (HOPE) Act. The proceeds of the tax on vaping products will be used for tobacco prevention and education programs, and will issue grants to students from disadvantaged backgrounds pursuing an education in the Health field to combat the long-term negative impacts of tobacco products.

• SB 409- Pharmacy COVID-19 Testing:

SB 409 would authorize a pharmacist or a pharmacy to perform, under specified conditions, any aspect of any FDA-approved test for the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, or influenza that is classified as waived under CLIA (The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988). The CDC has acknowledged that the flu and COVID-19 are both respiratory illnesses that are caused by different viruses and may be difficult to differentiate based on symptoms alone without testing to confirm a diagnosis. Pharmacists already provide certain CLIA waived tests, so in an effort to increase efficiency, SB 409 secures temporary authority for pharmacists to perform CLIA-waived tests for influenza and COVID during the declared disaster. This bill also seeks a more permanent solution through statutory changes that facilitate authority for pharmacists to perform CLIA-waived COVID and influenza testing in a safe manner.

 “My Health Access and Outcomes bill package was thoughtfully put together with the unique needs of the most underserved in mind.” said Senator Caballero. “The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted disparities already in existence in our rural communities. Ensuring that there is equity in access to healthcare has always been a top priority for me, and I feel certain that my legislation will help accomplish those goals.”

For inquiries or interviews, please contact Elisa Rivera at (209) 726-5495

Senator Anna M. Caballero represents the 12^th Senate District, composed of Merced, Madera and San Benito Counties, and portions of Fresno, Monterey, and Stanislaus Counties.

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