(a) (1) The department shall establish standard measures and annual benchmarks for equity and quality in health care delivery.

(2) A standard measure or annual benchmark shall not be adopted, updated, or revised in any manner without being discussed during at least one public meeting of the Health Equity and Quality Committee before the meeting in which the committee makes recommendations to the director.

(3) Standard measures and annual benchmarks shall sunset at most every five years from the date the department establishes standard measures and annual benchmarks pursuant to paragraph (1). To continue the standard measures and annual benchmarks, the department shall conduct a public assessment, at least one year before the sunset, of whether the measures and benchmarks are improving quality and equity, consistent with this article.

(b) In establishing the standard measures and annual benchmarks pursuant to subdivision (a), the department shall consider the recommendations made by the Health Equity and Quality Committee pursuant to Section 1399.870, as well as stakeholder comments on draft standards and benchmarks.

(c) After the department establishes the standard measures and benchmarks pursuant to subdivision (a), a health care service plan shall comply with the annual benchmarks and shall demonstrate compliance in reports submitted to the department pursuant to Section 1399.872.

(d) (1) On or before January 1, 2026, a health care service plan and its subcontracted health care service plans shall have and maintain National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) accreditation.

(2) This subdivision does not apply to a health care service plan that contracts with the State Department of Health Care Services to provide health care services to Medi-Cal beneficiaries. NCQA accreditation for these plans shall be in accordance with § 14184.203 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(e) Throughout the development, implementation, and updating of the standard measures and annual benchmarks pursuant to this section, the department shall coordinate with the State Department of Health Care Services, the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, the California Health Benefit Exchange, CalPERS, and the State Department of Public Health.

(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 143, Sec. 14. (AB 133) Effective July 27, 2021.)