Specialty care network: telehealth and other virtual services.

Assembly Member Flora's proposal to establish a telehealth specialty care network aims to bridge gaps in California's healthcare delivery system through a demonstration project serving safety-net providers. The Equal Access to Specialty Care Everywhere initiative would create a virtual services network connecting rural health clinics, community health centers, and other qualifying providers with specialist care resources.

The California Health and Human Services Agency would oversee a grant program supporting organizations that establish networks of at least 50 qualifying providers serving Medicare, Medi-Cal, and uninsured patients. To receive funding, grantees must implement interoperable electronic health records enabling coordination between specialists and primary care providers. The program prioritizes behavioral and maternal health services, with the agency determining additional specialty areas for inclusion.

The demonstration project includes specific requirements for measuring outcomes. Grantees must evaluate their performance in addressing specialist workforce shortages, reducing patient wait times, increasing provider sustainability in underserved areas, and optimizing care utilization. The initiative requires regular reporting to assess progress toward these objectives. While the legislation authorizes funding for program administration and infrastructure, it explicitly prohibits using funds for direct patient care reimbursement.

Implementation depends on legislative appropriation through the state budget or separate legislation. The program builds upon existing telehealth regulations and network adequacy standards for health plans, with participating providers required to maintain compliance with current access requirements while expanding virtual specialty care options.