Does California SB 1120 (Physicians Make Decisions Act) require Human Oversight?

California • enforcing

Yes — 1 provision

Requirements at a glance

This regulation imposes 13 specific requirements for Human Oversight across 1 provision:

Physician Supervision of AI

Copy link to this provision

Obligation:
Human Oversight
enforcing
Effective:
Jan 1, 2025
Risk tier:
high-risk
Scope:
Health care service plans and disability insurers, including specialized plans and insurers, that use AI, an algorithm, or another software tool for utilization review or utilization management based in whole or part on medical necessity, or contract with or otherwise work through an entity that does so. The AI-specific rules cover prospective, retrospective, and concurrent review of covered-service requests. For health care service plans only, § 1367.01(k)(7) conditions application to a Medi-Cal managed care plan on necessary federal approvals and no jeopardy to federal financial participation, and § 1367.01(m) excludes the specified religious prayer or spiritual-healing care decisions; those provisions do not appear in Insurance Code § 10123.135

Requirements

RequirementDetails
Licensed clinical decision makerA medical-necessity determination must be made only by a licensed physician or a licensed health care professional competent to evaluate the specific clinical issues involved. The decision maker must review and consider the requesting provider's recommendation, the enrollee's or insured's medical or other clinical history as applicable, and individual clinical circumstances (§ 1367.01(k)(2); Ins. Code § 10123.135(j)(2))
Tool may not make adverse medical-necessity decisionThe artificial intelligence, algorithm, or other software tool shall not deny, delay, or modify health care services based in whole or part on medical necessity (§ 1367.01(k)(2); Ins. Code § 10123.135(j)(2))
Clinical basis and no group-only basisAs applicable, the tool must base its determination on the enrollee's or insured's medical or clinical history, individual clinical circumstances presented by the requesting provider, and other relevant clinical-record information; it does not base its determination solely on a group dataset
Legal criteria and non-supplantingTool criteria and guidelines must comply with the governing code and applicable state and federal law, and the tool must not supplant health care provider decision-making
Nondiscrimination and equitable applicationTool use must not directly or indirectly discriminate in violation of state or federal law and must be fairly and equitably applied, including under applicable federal Department of Health and Human Services regulations and guidance
Auditability and written oversightThe tool must be open to inspection for audit or compliance review; disclosures about its use and oversight must appear in the required written policies and procedures
Performance reviewTool performance, use, and outcomes must be periodically reviewed and revised to maximize accuracy and reliability
Patient-data purpose limitPatient data may not be used beyond its intended and stated purpose, consistent with the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act and HIPAA as applicable
No direct or indirect harmThe tool does not directly or indirectly cause harm to the enrollee or insured
Covered review timingThe AI-specific subdivision applies to utilization review or utilization management functions that prospectively, retrospectively, or concurrently review covered-service requests
Federal guidanceCovered plans and disability insurers must comply with applicable federal Department of Health and Human Services rules and guidance on AI, algorithms, or other software tools
Medi-Cal managed care qualification, plans onlyHealth and Safety Code § 1367.01(k) applies to a Medi-Cal managed care plan only to the extent the State Department of Health Care Services obtains necessary federal approvals and federal financial participation is not otherwise jeopardized (§ 1367.01(k)(7)); the parallel Insurance Code section has no such clause
Religious-care exception, plans onlyHealth and Safety Code § 1367.01 does not apply to decisions for the care or treatment of the sick who depend on prayer or spiritual means for healing in the practice of religion described by § 1270(a) (§ 1367.01(m)); the parallel Insurance Code section has no such clause

Penalties

ViolationFine
Health care service plan failureDepartment of Managed Health Care director may order an administrative penalty for each failure, after appropriate notice and an opportunity for hearing; the penalty is not the director's exclusive remedy (§ 1367.01(h)(6))
Disability insurer failureInsurance Commissioner may order an administrative penalty for each failure, after appropriate notice and an opportunity for hearing; the penalty is not the commissioner's exclusive remedy (Ins. Code § 10123.135(h)(6))
View full regulation View obligation Obligation matrix