Update on MCO (Managed Care Organization) Tax DHCS Director Jennifer Kent opened with an update on the MCO tax and the need to revise it to meet new federal guidelines to broaden the base to all health plans (learn more here). Last Spring, the Governor called a special session to resolve this and related Medicaid financing […]
Most Patient Protection Bills Clear Final Hurdle, En Route to Governor’s Desk; Tobacco Measures Still Pending
Earlier today the California Senate voted 25-10, on a bipartisan basis, to pass legislation to prevent patients from facing surprise out-of-network medical bills after they receive care in in-network hospitals or other facilities. Sponsored by Health Access California, AB533 (Bonta) would protect patients from “surprise” bills from out-of-network doctors when they did the right thing by going to […]
Final Week of Legislative Session: Where We Stand on Key Bills Protecting Consumers
Key patient protection bills hang in the balance this week, as Friday is the deadline for bills to pass from final floor votes in the California legislature to the Governor’s desk. In this last week of California’s legislative session, amendments have been taken on the key bills impacting health care consumers, but the substance of Health […]
Senate Appropriations Committee Hears Key Health Access Bill and Special Session Tobacco Control Legislation
Yesterday, the Senate Appropriations Committee heard Health Access sponsored bill, AB 533 (Bonta) on “surprise billing” and select special session tobacco control bills. AB 533 (Bonta), which would protect consumers from surprise bills from out-of-network doctors when a consumer does the right thing by going to an in-network hospital, lab or imaging center was not voted […]
The Latest on Health Care Bills
This week, the Assembly and Senate Health Committee as well as the Committees on Governmental Organization and Business and Professions heard a number of bills, including key health measures, including Medi-Cal Estate Recovery (SB 33), County Organized Health Systems (SB 260), Rate Review for Large Group Insurers (SB 546)–all passing out of committee. The big […]
BUDGET DEAL DETAILS: ONE STEP CLOSER ON #HEALTH4ALL, OTHER HHS RESTORATIONS NOT INCLUDED
This afternoon, the Senate Budget Committee met to review details of the budget deal announced on Tuesday by Governor Brown, Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, and Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin de León. Most notably, the agreed upon 2015-16 state budget includes a historic expansion of full-scope Medi-Cal for low-income children regardless of immigration status. While […]
Budget Conference Committee Closes Out on Health Issues
The Budget Conference Committee met this afternoon to take final action on items on the health agenda. Health advocates were pleased the actions taken to restore some benefits, improve provider rates, extend coverage to undocumented kids and lay the groundwork for covering adults, and invest in critical public health programs. The actions taken today represent agreements […]
Budget Conference Committee Considers Health Investments
The Budget Conference Committee convened its first hearing today and health items were at the top of the committee’s agenda. The conference committee is chaired by Senator Leno and include Assemblywoman Shirley Weber (vice chair), Senators Ricardo Lara and Jim Nielsen, and Assemblymembers Richard Bloom and Melissa Melendez. The committee heard the items but left […]
Legislative Re-Cap: After the First Deadline…
Last Friday was the deadline for all policy committees in the California legislature to hear and report on all bills with fiscal implications–and the good news is that many key bills of interest to health care consumers have passed their first critical hearing. While some bills stalled (including almost all of those Health Access opposed but […]
Senate Health Committee Hearing – Wed, April 29, 2015
Yesterday the Senate Health Committee met for the last time before the May 1st deadline for all fiscal bills. Out of the 25 bills on the committee’s agenda, a handful that were of prime interest to Health Access and health care advocates. These include: SB 203 (Monning) on sugar sweetened beverages safety warnings; SB 346 (Wieckowski) on hospital […]