CA AB2043

Requires the State Department of Health Care Services to ensure that public paratransit service operators are not unfairly burdened with the fiscal costs of providing nonemergency medical and nonmedical transportation to Medi-Cal beneficiaries.

Authorizes the department to direct Medi-Cal managed care plans to reimburse public paratransit operators at the department's fee-for-service rates for nonemergency medical and nonmedical transportation trips that do not include fixed-route service.

Requires the department to engage with public paratransit service operators by June 1, 2026, to understand their unique challenges and issue updated guidance ensuring the fiscal burden is not unfairly placed on public operators.

Implementation is conditioned on receipt of necessary federal approvals and availability of federal financial participation.