SACRAMENTO - Assembly Member Hector De La Torre (D-South Gate) introduced Assembly Bill 598 today which seeks to ensure that patients can choose from a larger list of doctors and other health care providers by requiring that all contracts between doctors and health networks be fair, reasonable, and transparent.

"With a health care crisis in Los Angeles County, we need to knock down barriers that prohibit doctors and other health providers from providing much needed services to California patients," said Assembly Member De La Torre.

Currently, individuals enrolled in health plans regulated by the Department of Managed Health Care or the Department of Insurance are entitled by law to receive accessible quality health and medical services. To ensure access to care, insurers and service plans are required to have an adequate network of health care providers.

Unfortunately, patient access becomes limited when health providers opt not to participate in certain health networks because they do not understand or are not properly notified of key provisions in their contracts. In some cases, the contract provisions are unfair, or, worse yet, illegal.

Specifically, AB 598 requires regulatory approval of contracts between providers and health contracting agents, periodic review of the contracts, and stronger notification requirements of any amendments to the contracts. The goal of AB 598 is to provide a level of certainty and standardization in the contracting process for health care providers.

"Ultimately, health care consumers suffer when a fewer number of doctors are available for them to choose from", continued Assembly Member De La Torre. "AB 598 will help protect consumers by making it easier for doctors to sign up with various health plans serving California."

AB 598 is sponsored by the California Medical Association.