Mike Zapler at the San Jose Mercury News has the story about women getting a triple whammy… having to buy individual health insurance–which is already the most expensive, least efficient way to get coverage, having to pay more as a woman, and having to pay more to get basic services–like maternity.
It spotlights legislative efforts to ban gender discrimination in underwriting–AB 119 (Jones) + and SB54(Leno)–and to require the coverage of maternity care–AB 98 (De La Torre).
Speaking of legislation, another big week coming up in the legislature: Bills up in Assembly Health Committee on Tuesday include a health insurance rate regulation bill, AB1218(Jones), AB2(De La Torre) on rescissions, and several bills on Medi-Cal enrollments and eligibility.
The Senate Health Committee on Wednesday will consider different efforts to change MRMIP, the state’s “high risk” pool for those denied for pre-existing conditions, AB227(Alquist) and SB57(Aanestad), as well as broader health reform issues.
We’ll report on it right here, as well as on our Twitter account, at @healthaccess, or www.twitter.com/healthaccess