CA AB257

Establishes the "Equal Access to Specialty Care Everywhere" demonstration project requiring the California Health and Human Services Agency to create a grant program for telehealth specialty care networks serving Medi-Cal beneficiaries at safety-net providers

Qualifying providers include rural health clinics, federally qualified health centers, critical access hospitals, and community health centers where at least 50% of patients are uninsured or enrolled in Medi-Cal, or the provider is in a medically underserved area

Grant applicants must partner with at least 10 qualifying providers and demonstrate a record of supporting health care delivery in underserved communities

Grantees must use funds to establish specialist networks, provide health information technology and technical assistance, and ensure interoperable electronic health record communication between primary and specialty care providers

Requires an independent evaluation assessing success in reducing access barriers, improving cost-effectiveness, increasing specialist capacity, and strengthening public health resiliency, with findings to be publicly disseminated