Governor Gavin Newsom has signed SB 1473, which requires health plans and insurers to cover therapeutics approved or granted emergency use authorization by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – to treat COVID-19 or any other disease that the Governor has declared a public health emergency – regardless of the provider’s network status. The bill also prohibits cost sharing and utilization management for such therapeutics, similar to existing rules related to testing and vaccines.

This bill will help ensure that people diagnosed with COVID-19 can be expeditiously connected with therapeutic treatment to decrease related morbidity and mortality.

SB 1473 also extends the coverage requirements for testing, vaccines and therapeutics for six months after the end of a public health emergency.