Department of Health Care Access and Information.

Assembly Member Schiavo's legislation expands California's health care workforce data collection to include information about insurance coverage waiting periods for health care workers. The Department of Health Care Access and Information's annual workforce report to the Legislature would now track trends in employer-sponsored health coverage waiting periods and recommend policies to address coverage gaps.

The bill requires health facilities, clinics, home health agencies, and hospices to report annually whether their health care workers face waiting periods before receiving employer-sponsored coverage. Starting in 2027, these facilities must specify which employee classifications are eligible for immediate coverage upon hiring and document any applicable waiting periods. The Department must integrate these new reporting requirements with existing facility reports to minimize administrative burden.

This expansion builds upon the Department's current mandate to analyze health care workforce education and employment trends, supply and demand patterns, and program outcomes. The additional data aims to provide the Legislature with a more complete picture of health care worker benefits and coverage access across different facility types and worker categories.