Health Equity & Inclusion
Knowledge is Power: Consumers Deserve to Know Their Rights to Timely Access to Care & Language Assistance
SB 1135 empowers consumers with the information they need to ensure that they receive care when they need it, and in a language they can understand. These two simple steps will make quality health care more accessible not just to those in my clinic, but to all Californians.
Key Patient Rights Legislation Up Next Week
Yesterday, the Assembly Health Committee passed one consumer protection measure, SB 923 (Hernandez) on a vote of 17-0, to prevent mid-year increases in co-payments and other cost-sharing by a health plan. Other key legislation also authored by Senate Health Committee Chair Dr. Ed Hernandez and sponsored by Health Access California to protect patients from unfair […]
Budget Update: Health Priorities for California Consumers
This post was written by Tam Ma, Policy Counsel. The Assembly and Senate budget committees completed their review of the Governor’s May Revision and finalized their respective versions of the 2016-17 budget. The budget conference committee will begin meeting next week to reconcile the differences between actions taken by the two houses. The Legislature must […]
Patient-Protection Bills Moving Forward in Legislature
With the legislative session in full-swing, Health Access California’s bills are moving full steam ahead! Last week, SB 908 and SB 1135 both passed the Senate Health Committee. SB 1135 (Monning) helps consumers know there are time limits on how long they have to wait to get health care appointments and who to complain to if […]
Covered CA Board Takes Big Steps on Standardized Benefit Design and Quality/Equity Measures; Considers New Barriers to Special Enrollment
Thursday’s Covered California Board meeting, the first since the last day of open enrollment 2013, offered a deep dive on the standardized benefit designs and the quality/equity framework that will guide contracting with insurers for the next 3-year cycle (2017-2019), and a heated discussion about the new documentation requirements that insurers are calling for to qualify […]
Covered California Open Enrollment Started Sunday!
Yesterday marked the official start of Covered CA open enrollment, which will run through January 31, 2016. For coverage effective January 1, people must enroll by December 31, 2015. As always, Medi-Cal enrollment is open year-round and individuals experiencing any life transitions (losing a job or moving, among many qualifying events for Special Enrollment) may […]
HHS Proposed Regulations Barring Discrimination on Basis of Sex, Gender, Gender Identity, Race and National Origin, Disability, and Age Need Work: Deadline to Comment is November 9, 2015
Last month the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a proposed rule implementing Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, which extends civil rights protections under Title VI, Title IX, the Age Discrimination Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), among others, to health programs that receive any federal funds. No […]
Covered California Board Meeting Highlights from October 8, 2015
With less than one month before open enrollment (November 1 – January 31), the Board focused mainly on this year’s research-driven “no wrong door” approach to maximizing enrollment and facilitating thoughtful plan selection using shop and compare tools, quality ratings, and reaching out to enrollees who look like they could benefit from enhanced silver plans […]