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Bill requiring more accurate health provider directories clears state Senate
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Bill requiring more accurate health provider directories clears state Senate
The state Senate Wednesday unanimously passed a bill that would require health insurance companies to provide California consumers with more accurate provider directories.
SB 137, authored by Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina), would require health plans to update their provider directories weekly. Under the measure, the updates would include office location; whether the provider is accepting new patients and which languages, other than English, are spoken by the provider and staff.
The measure would also require the Department of Managed Health Care and the Department of Insurance to develop a standard provider directory template.
Inaccurate lists of health providers have left a number of privately insured Californians with higher-than-expected bills from out-of-network doctors and other providers.
The bill, which is supported by Consumers Union, now goes to the state Assembly.
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