California Expands Efforts to Reflect Cultural Competency Related to Health Care of the Transgender, Gender Non-Conforming, and Intersex Community (SB 923)
Studies report many transgender patients encounter discrimination and difficulty accessing health care. California responded with Senate Bill 923.
This new law requires:
That health insurance companies provide cultural competency training for their staff and delegated entities who are in direct contact with patients who identify as transgender, gender non-conforming, and intersex (TGI);
That physician Continuing Medical Education (CME) include evidence-based culturally competent curriculum to help physicians provide inclusive care;
That health insurance companies include a list of in-network providers who offer gender-affirming services; and
That the relevant oversight agencies track and monitor complaints relating to TGI-inclusive care and publicly post findings in their annual reports or website.
Should a complaint be filed and found valid, a refresher course will be imposed on the person who had the complaint filed against them. The state agencies involved in enforcing this new law have the authority to impose sanctions to ensure compliance with the above-described requirements.
Finally, the California Health and Human Services Agency is tasked with creating a working group no later than March 1, 2023 to develop a quality standard for patient experience in order to measure cultural competency related to the TGI community and recommend training curriculum to provide trans-including healthcare.
For information regarding SB 923 or other new legislation, contact your legal counsel.