California has taken a significant step toward reducing care delays and administrative burdens with Governor Gavin Newsom’s signing of Senate Bill 306, a California Medical Association (CMA)-sponsored reform aimed at addressing prior authorization inefficiencies.
Authored by Senator Josh Becker, SB 306 modernizes the state’s prior authorization process by eliminating duplicative approval requirements and introducing new transparency standards to ensure patients receive timely, clinically appropriate care.
Prior authorization, a process requiring physician approval from health plans before treatment, has long been criticized for creating bottlenecks that delay patient care. The new law tackles these issues head-on by:
Allowing regulators to waive prior authorization for services that are almost always approved.
Requiring health plans to publish data revealing approval rates and patterns, improving accountability and public trust.
“This law is a decisive step toward ending wasteful prior authorization practices that too often delay or deny patients the care they need,” said CMA President Shannon Udovic-Constant, M.D. “By cutting out redundant requirements and increasing accountability, SB 306 puts patients’ health above paperwork. We thank Governor Newsom for his leadership and commitment to a more efficient, patient-focused health care system.”
SB 306 passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, underscoring the Legislature’s shared commitment to cutting red tape, protecting patients, and easing the administrative burden on physicians.
The legislation was part of the CMA’s 2025 sponsored bill package, reflecting the organization’s ongoing work to advance reforms that prioritize clinical judgment over bureaucracy in California healthcare.