SB 257: Pregnancy As a Recognized Event for Nondiscriminatory Treatment (PARENT) Act.

Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care and makes a willful violation of the act a crime. Existing law provides for the regulation of disability insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law requires a health care service plan or disability insurer to allow an individual to enroll in or change their health benefit plan as a result of a specified triggering event. Existing law prohibits a health care service plan contract or disability insurance policy issued, amended, renewed, or delivered on or after July 1, 2003, from imposing a copayment or deductible for specified maternity services that exceeds the most common amount of the copayment or deductible imposed for services provided for other covered medical conditions.

This bill, the Pregnancy As a Recognized Event for Nondiscriminatory Treatment (PARENT) Act, would make pregnancy a triggering event for purposes of enrollment or changing a health benefit plan. The bill would prohibit a health care service plan contract or disability insurance policy issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, that provides coverage for maternity services or newborn and pediatric care services from taking specified actions based on the circumstances of conception, including denying, limiting, or seeking reimbursement for maternity services or newborn and pediatric care services because the enrollee or insured is acting as a gestational carrier. Because a willful violation of these provisions by a health care service plan would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.