Medi-Cal: behavioral health: data sharing.

Assembly Member Krell's behavioral health data sharing legislation mandates electronic information exchange among Medi-Cal managed care plans, county specialty mental health plans, and Drug Medi-Cal programs to coordinate patient care. The measure adds requirements for these entities to share specified member data while maintaining compliance with federal and state privacy protections.

The California Department of Health Care Services must develop implementation guidance through stakeholder consultation by March 2026, with final standards published by January 2027. This guidance will establish minimum data elements, sharing frequency, and formatting requirements aligned with the state's Data Exchange Framework. The data sharing obligations take effect 180 days after the guidance is issued.

The legislation maintains existing privacy safeguards, explicitly preserving protections under HIPAA and federal substance use disorder confidentiality regulations. All data exchange must adhere to state rules governing permissible health information sharing between providers and plans. The department will oversee implementation through formal notices and bulletins directing affected entities to exchange information according to the new requirements.