This resolution urges Kaiser Permanente to withdraw its contract demands that could limit the input of Northern California behavioral health therapists, potentially leading to layoffs, increased outsourcing, and reliance on AI for patient care. The goal is to protect the quality of care for patients and ensure therapists have a say in their work.
Resolution urging Kaiser Permanente to drop its “Terrible Three” contract demands that would deny Northern California behavioral health therapists an appropriate voice in the care they provide and negatively impact the quality of care that patients receive due to the potential for layoffs of staff clinicians, increased outsourcing of care, and referral of larger numbers of patients onto artificial intelligence therapy platforms.
How it got here
This legislation originated from concerns about Kaiser Permanente's contract demands affecting behavioral health services in Northern California.
The Board held a hearing to discuss Kaiser Permanente's 'Terrible Three' contract demands affecting behavioral health clinicians, outlining the potential negative impacts on care quality.
Kaiser was required to pay penalties for making enrollees pay out of pocket for behavioral health treatment that should have been covered by insurance.
Kaiser was fined $50 million as part of a settlement for deficiencies in its behavioral health services and violations of patient rights.
A survey revealed that 75% of Kaiser behavioral health clinicians reported insufficient staffing to provide timely care.
The resolution urging Kaiser to drop its contract demands was prepared for introduction to the Board of Supervisors.
The resolution was introduced to the Board for immediate adoption without committee reference.
Reconstructed from attached documents & the official record