UAPD has expressed its support for SB 242, introduced by Senator Josh Newman (D-Fullerton). This bill would require a health care service plan or health insurer to contract with its health care providers to reimburse, at a reasonable rate, their business expenses that are medically necessary to comply with a public health order to render treatment to patients, to protect health care workers, and to prevent the spread of diseases causing public health emergencies.
In the words of Senator Newman:
The pandemic has forced smaller California health care providers to absorb steep operational costs in order to safely provide care to their patients,” said Newman. “Under existing law, insurance providers are not required to reimburse doctors for these essential purchases and as a consequence, a great number of small- to medium-sized physician practices throughout the state have been pushed to the brink of insolvency.