In a medical emergency, you may be thinking a lot of things – am I ok? Do I need help? Can I get to a hospital? The things you should not be thinking are “can I afford the ambulance ride I need?” or “is this ambulance provider in my network?” Yet many Californians have received […]
Twenty Takeaways from 2020
Protecting Our Progress and Confronting the Challenges of COVID-19 Like most Californians, we had high hopes for progress in 2020. The year began in earnest with the implementation of expanded access and affordability to coverage for hundreds of thousands of Californians, and ambitious plans to increase health industry oversight to control costs, improve quality and […]
NEW REPORT: CA Compromise to Stop Surprise Medical Bills is Working and is the Best Solution for a Federal Fix
A Health Access report released today highlights new data showing the success of California’s compromise solution to stop surprise medical bills. The report demonstrates how AB 72, signed into law three years ago, has been successful in protecting patients from surprise bills which occur when patients go to an in-network hospital or facility but then […]
Legislation Protecting Patients From Surprise Emergency Room Bills Passes CA State Assembly
The California State Assembly passed AB 1611 by Assemblymember David Chiu and Senator Scott Wiener to end surprise emergency room bills on a 48-9 vote. AB 1611 is a key patient protection that would also lower the costs of health care for California consumers. The bill faced opposition from industry lobbyists who argued that the status quo […]
Legislation Protecting Patients From Surprise Emergency Room Bills Passes Assembly Health Committee
The California State Assembly Health Committee yesterday passed AB 1611 by Assemblymember David Chiu and Senator Scott Wiener to end surprise emergency room bills on a 11-0 vote. After an emergency room visit, some California patients still receive a “balance bill” which is the difference between what the hospital charged for the service and what the […]
Momentum on a Statewide Solution to End Surprise Emergency Room Bills
On Tuesday, April 16th Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital announced a proposal to be considered by the San Francisco Health Commission to end the practice of “balance billing,” where insured patients get billed the remaining balance after insurer payment of an emergency room bill. This practice can leave patients with bills in the tens of […]
California Enacts Strongest in Nation Protections Against Surprise Out-of-Network Medical Bills
California consumers now enjoy the nation’s strongest protections from surprise medical bills.
Year of 2016 in Review: When We Work, We Win
The Presidential election will be what 2016 is remembered for–and for good reason, given how massively consequential it will be, on countless issues and even our national identity. Health Access California has been actively organizing for the #Fight4OurHealth in California to be ready for the renewed national debate in 2017 on health policy and health care. […]
How California’s New Law to Prevent Surprise Medical Bills Helps Move the Nation Forward – One Patient at a Time
The best way to understand just what this AB 72 will mean for Californians is to talk to one of the people whose life has been affected by surprise bills.
Governor Brown To Decide This Month on Strongest-In-Nation Patient Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills
These unexpected medical bills are a shock to family finances at an already stressful time. This long-standing injustice in our health system is even more intolerable as these bills could financially destabilize many of the lower-income families who are newly insured under the ACA. California health consumers can’t wait any longer for this important protection.