[sivanmz]

California protections against balance/surprise medical billing are not enforceable when an employee is covered by a "self-insured" or "self-funded" employer plan. California doesn't regulate that plan, and also cannot intervene in the billing between the provider, patient and insurance. Most medium to large employers are using such plans which means that employees are not protected from such billing.

http://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/110-health/60-resou...

"Does the New Law Apply to Everyone? The new law applies to people with health insurance policies or plans regulated by the California Department of Insurance or the California Department Managed Health Care that were issued, amended, or renewed on or after July 1, 2017. It does not apply to Medi-Cal plans, Medicare plans or “self-insured plans.”"