health insurance and access to health care services.”

AB 2699 ensures that only health care professionals who are in good standing and with current, valid licenses or certificates would be allowed to provide patient care in California for no more than 10 calendar days per sponsored event.

AB 2699, which is sponsored by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, was authored by Bass after two health fairs in Los Angeles had over 13,000 individuals turn out to receive care, only to have some in need of care turned away due to a shortage of volunteer health care professionals. The out-of-state health care volunteers on hand were prohibited from administering direct patient care due to current law that prevents licensed out-of-state professionals from providing services in California.

Bass, a former Physician Assistant in Los Angeles, added “This bill is critical because without health insurance, people who do not have access to care will forgo treatment until they end up in an emergency room. AB 2699 will create an environment where those who are uninsured or underinsured have an opportunity to seek care at sponsored events from out-of-state health care professionals who are competent in their scope of practice.”