SB 271: Powered wheelchairs: repair.

Existing law, the Sherman Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law, regulates the packaging, labeling, and advertising of drugs and devices, and is administered by the State Department of Public Health. Among other things, existing law prohibits a person from conducting a home medical device retail facility business in this state unless the person has obtained a license from the department and sets forth standards for operating that facility.

Existing law authorizes the department to waive any licensing requirements for a home medical device retail facility when, in the opinion of the department, a high standard of patient safety, consistent with good patient care, can be provided by the licensure of a home medical device retail facility that does not meet all of the requirements for licensure.

This bill would, except as specified, require an original equipment manufacturer of a powered wheelchair, as those terms are defined, to provide documentation, parts, embedded software, firmware, and tools used to inspect, diagnose, maintain, and repair the wheelchair to an owner or an independent repair provider for the purposes of providing service on the equipment in the state, on fair and reasonable terms and costs, as defined. The bill would also require an original equipment manufacturer, for a powered wheelchair that contains an electronic security lock or other security-related function, to provide any documentation, parts, embedded software, firmware, or tools needed to reset the lock or function when disabled in the course of providing services, as specified. The bill would require an independent repair provider to provide a written notice to a customer before providing repair services, as specified.

This bill would exempt from these requirements any trade secret information, as specified. The bill would subject an original equipment manufacturer who knowingly violates, or who should have reasonably known that they violated, these provisions to specified civil penalties. The bill would, in the case of a first violation, give an original equipment manufacturer who did not knowingly violate these provisions a 3-day right to cure the violation before a civil penalty is imposed. The bill would authorize a person injured by a violation of these provisions and the Attorney General or a district attorney to bring a civil action for this purpose, as specified. If the action is brought by the Attorney General or district attorney, the bill would require the penalty to be paid to specified entities or individuals, as provided.

Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services pursuant to a schedule of benefits. Existing law imposes requirements relating to complex rehabilitation technology services, including the repair of equipment and parts. Existing law authorizes the department to adopt utilization controls, as specified.

This bill would, beginning on January 1, 2025, and until January 1, 2029, prohibit the department from requiring prior authorization for the repair of a complex rehabilitation technology powered wheelchair if the cost of the repair does not exceed $1,250. The bill would also, beginning on January 1, 2025, and until January 1, 2029, prohibit a treatment authorization request for repair or replacement of a complex rehabilitation technology powered wheelchair from requiring a prescription or documentation of medical necessity from the treating practitioner for repairs or replacement if the complex rehabilitation technology powered wheelchair has already been approved for use by the patient, as specified.