Disclosures
- How we make money: Some links may earn us a referral fee at no cost to you. Fees never affect scores, rankings, or what we cover, and we accept no paid placement.
- How this was researched: Everything on this page comes from public vendor documentation, regulators, and third-party sources, each linked below with the date we checked it. We did not test these products hands-on.
- Not advice: General business software information, not medical, legal, billing, or compliance advice. Confirm current prices, state rules, and BAA terms directly with the vendor before you buy.
Quick answer
California prescribers must consult CURES before the first Schedule II to IV prescription and at least every six months after that while the substance remains part of treatment [1]. A practice can use the CURES web portal or an EHR connected through the DOJ Information Exchange Web Service (IEWS) [2]. Bamboo Health and DrFirst, two intermediaries used by EHRs in our comparison, appear on the DOJ list of approved IEWS entities [3]. That listing does not by itself confirm that a given EHR's California connection is live; ask the vendor.
How EHRs connect to CURES
An entity operating a health IT system can connect directly by signing an MOU with the DOJ, with a $1,500 fee to establish connectivity and the maintenance fee waived until further notice; or it can work through an approved IEWS entity without its own MOU [2]. These fees apply to the entity operating the system, not to an individual practice using a vendor's connection.
California status and published PDMP costs by EHR
| EHR | California or state coverage | Published PDMP cost |
|---|---|---|
| TheraNest (Ensora Health) | PDMP in eRx + PDMP add-on; state coverage not published [4] Vendor-reported | $45/mo per therapist plus $135 one-time (includes eRx and EPCS) [5] |
| CharmHealth | Appriss PMP Gateway; California not confirmed [6] Vendor-reported | $100 one-time per provider; partner fees may apply [7] |
| OptiMantra | MDToolbox lists California as connected with a fee [8]; integration through MDToolbox and Bamboo Health, optional [9] Documentation reviewed | No OptiMantra or MDToolbox fee; Bamboo fee amount not published [9][8] |
| PracticeQ (IntakeQ) | Bamboo Health account, eligible states [10] Documentation reviewed | Bamboo fees not published by PracticeQ |
| Osmind | Integrated; states not listed [11] Vendor-reported | One-time setup per practice per state, amount not published [11] |
| AdvancedMD | PDMP integration included in EPCS fee; state list not published [12] Vendor-reported | EPCS typically $35/mo [12] |
| ICANotes | Bamboo Health via ScriptSure; California listed as not funding Bamboo access [13] Documentation reviewed | Paid to Bamboo, generally around $50/yr per provider [13] |
| Valant | Vendor says 43 states included; California not specified [14] Vendor-reported | Included per vendor [14] |
| SimplePractice | Via DrFirst; not available in Guam, Kentucky, New York [15] Documentation reviewed | $699 one-time per practice plus $6.25/mo per clinician (waived in subsidized states) [15] |
| TherapyNotes | Not covered in our sources Not publicly disclosed | Not published |
| Practice Fusion | Six states only; not California [16] Vendor-reported | Not applicable in California |
| DrChrono | Bamboo Health PMP Gateway; California not confirmed [17] Documentation reviewed | Possible Bamboo fees in non-funded states [17] |
| Tebra (formerly Kareo) | Appriss; California not confirmed [18] Vendor-reported | $500 one-time per facility plus about $50 per user per year [18] |
How we researched this page
From the California DOJ, the Health and Safety Code, and vendor documentation. We did not run a CURES query in any product.
Sources
- California Health and Safety Code 11165.4. Checked 2026-10-21.
- California DOJ: CURES Information Exchange Web Service (IEWS). Checked 2026-10-23.
- California DOJ: Approved Health Information Technology Systems (CURES IEWS). Checked 2026-10-23.
- TheraNest: ePrescription (EPCS and optional PDMP tool). Checked 2026-10-23.
- Ensora Health: TheraNest pricing and add-ons. Checked 2026-10-23.
- CharmHealth: PDMP gateway interface. Checked 2026-10-21.
- CharmHealth: EHR pricing and add-ons. Checked 2026-10-23.
- MDToolbox: State PMP map (integration availability and fee status by state). Checked 2026-10-22.
- OptiMantra Help: e-prescribing (eRx) FAQs. Checked 2026-10-22.
- PracticeQ help: ePrescribe, set up PDMP reporting (Bamboo Health). Checked 2026-10-23.
- Osmind: Plans and pricing, including FAQ. Checked 2026-10-21.
- AdvancedMD: Software pricing and FAQ. Checked 2026-10-21.
- ICANotes Help: PDMP in ICANotes+. Checked 2026-10-22.
- Valant blog: EHR for psychiatric prescribers (vendor-written). Checked 2026-10-21.
- SimplePractice Support: Adding PDMP to your account. Checked 2026-10-21.
- Practice Fusion: EPCS and PDMP. Checked 2026-10-21.
- DrChrono Support: Setting up your Bamboo Health integration. Checked 2026-10-21.
- Tebra: Pricing and FAQ. Checked 2026-10-21.