(

a) A health care service plan that contracts with a pharmacy benefit manager for management of any or all of its prescription drug coverage shall require the pharmacy benefit manager to do all of the following:

(1) Comply with the provisions of

Section 1385.003.

(2) Register with the department pursuant to the requirements of this article, or, if licensure of the pharmacy benefit manager is required pursuant to this article, obtain a license and keep it in good standing with the department.

(3) Exercise good faith and fair dealing in the performance of its contractual duties to a health care service plan.

(4) Comply with the requirements of

Chapter 9.5 (commencing with

Section 4430) of Division of the Business and Professions Code, as applicable.

(5) Inform all pharmacists under contract with or subject to contracts with the pharmacy benefit manager of the pharmacist’s rights to submit complaints to the department under

Section 1371.39 and of the pharmacist’s rights as a provider under

Section 1375.7. (

b) Contracts issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, between a health care service plan and a pharmacy benefit manager shall require the pharmacy benefit manager to submit to the Department of Health Care Access and Information all information required to be reported pursuant to

Chapter 8.5 (commencing with

Section 127671) of Part of Division 107. (

c) A pharmacy benefit manager shall notify a health care service plan in writing of any activity, policy, or practice of the pharmacy benefit manager that directly or indirectly presents a conflict of interest that interferes with the discharge of the pharmacy benefit manager’s duty to the health care service plan to exercise good faith and fair dealing in the performance of its contractual duties pursuant to subdivision (a).