BILL NUMBER: SB 1528	CHAPTERED  09/29/06

	CHAPTER  666
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 29, 2006
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 29, 2006
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 29, 2006
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 23, 2006
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 15, 2006
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 26, 2006
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MARCH 27, 2006

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Bowen

                        FEBRUARY 23, 2006

   An act to add and repeal Section 14132.38 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code, relating to Medi-Cal.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1528, Bowen  Medi-Cal: covered services: pregnancy.
   Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is
administered by the State Department of Health Services and under
which qualified low-income persons receive health care benefits,
including certain perinatal services.
   This bill would provide that home infusion treatments with
tocolytic agents for pregnant women are covered under the Medi-Cal
program, subject to utilization controls and guidelines or protocols,
as prescribed, until January 1, 2010.  The bill would require the
department, by October 1, 2009, to prepare, or contract for the
preparation of, a report evaluating the medical effectiveness and
cost-effectiveness of these treatments, as specified.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Section 14132.38 is added to the Welfare and
Institutions Code, to read:
   14132.38.  (a) Home infusion treatments with tocolytic agents for
pregnant women shall be covered under this chapter. This coverage
shall be subject to both of the following:
   (1) Utilization controls.
   (2) Clinical guidelines or protocols as outlined in peer-reviewed
professional journals.
   (b) By October 1, 2009, the department shall prepare, or contract
for the preparation of, a report evaluating the medical effectiveness
and cost-effectiveness of infusion treatments with tocolytic agents.
The report shall determine, to the extent possible, changes in the
health, birth weight, and length of term for newborns using tocolytic
treatments, and shall provide a comparison to a representative
control population that does not use tocolytic treatments. The report
shall include a summary of peer-reviewed research findings on the
effectiveness of tocolytic agents in the medical literature.
  (c) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2010,
and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute,
that is enacted before January 1, 2010, deletes or extends that date.