Health care coverage: portable HEPA purifiers.

Assembly Member Caloza's health coverage mandate requires large group health plans and insurers to provide portable HEPA air purifiers to pregnant individuals and those diagnosed with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who reside in counties under wildfire emergency declarations. The coverage requirement, taking effect for plans issued or renewed after January 1, 2026, applies when a healthcare provider prescribes the device and extends until one year after the emergency declaration ends.

The legislation establishes specific parameters for implementation, capping covered purifier costs at $500 with inflation adjustments and defining qualifying devices as those removing 99% of airborne particles 10 microns or larger. Health plans must notify eligible members about this coverage within 30 days of a wildfire emergency declaration. The mandate extends to beneficiaries of the Public Employees' Retirement System and State Teachers' Retirement System health plans but excludes Medicare supplement policies, specialized dental or vision plans, and Medi-Cal managed care contracts.

The bill's urgency clause, citing research linking wildfire smoke exposure during pregnancy to increased preterm birth risk and respiratory complications for those with asthma or COPD, enables the provisions to take effect immediately upon enactment rather than the standard January 1 implementation date. This accelerated timeline reflects the measure's focus on time-sensitive public health protections during wildfire events.