Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City) has introduced Assembly Bill (AB) 577, legislation designed to protect patients with serious illnesses, such as cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. The bill aims to ensure that patients can receive essential infusions and prescription drugs directly from their own doctors if deemed necessary for their well-being.

      According to Wilson, the bill was written to address hardships experienced by patients who currently have to travel to distant infusion centers or other healthcare facilities for treatments. AB 577 seeks to give physicians the ability to manage and administer these treatments in their own offices.

      “It is vital that physicians have the ability to manage and administer treatments within their own offices, especially for those who are medically frail or have a history of allergic reactions,” said Wilson regarding the bill.

      The bill has garnered support from various medical organizations, including the California Rheumatology Alliance and oncology associations. Dr. Millie Das, president of the Association of Northern California Oncologists, and Dr. Ashkan Lashkari, president of the Medical Oncology Association of Southern California, expressed strong support for the legislation. They emphasized that the bill would help protect oncology care from unnecessary interference by pharmaceutical benefit managers (PBMs) and insurance companies.

      “Protecting the doctor-patient relationship in oncology is crucial to saving lives,” the association wrote in a statement supporting the new law.

      Samy Metyas, President of the California Rheumatology Alliance, echoed this sentiment, stressing that treatment decisions should be made solely between a patient and their healthcare provider, free from the influence of insurance or profit-driven interests.

      If passed, AB 577 will prevent health plans, PBMs, and insurers from imposing restrictive policies that limit a physician’s ability to administer treatments within their own practice, thereby improving access and care for vulnerable patients across the state.