Holding the Health Industry and Insurers Accountable
Once legislation is passed and signed into law, Health Access works to ensure that the law is properly implemented.
Working with state departments such as the Department of Managed Health Care and the Department of Insurance, we ensure that regulations written to enact the laws follow the intent of legislation and adequately protect consumers.
Health Access has been leading on these efforts, and has sponsored many pieces of patient protection legislation, including bills to create the original HMO Bill of Rights in the 1999, and the Hospital Fair Pricing Act of 2006. Major consumer protections in the Affordable Care Act have now led to enhanced protections in other areas such as preventing surprise medical bills and the ability to access care in a timely manner.
If you have an issue with your health care plan, you can contact the California Department of Managed Care Help Center at 1-888-466-2219.
California’s landmark 2017 law to prevent surprise medical bills served as a model for national legislation passed in 2020.
+ Related Posts
Timely Access
Affordable coverage is a key entry point to the health care system, but coverage is just the first step to getting the care you need. Getting care at the right time and place, and using that care wisely: That’s the hard part.
Read MoreNetwork Adequacy & Accurate Provider Directories
Consumers need accurate, up-to-date information about which providers are in their plan’s network so they can understand their options for care and avoid visiting costly out-of-network providers.
Read MoreStopping Surprise Medical Bills
Thanks to the federal No Surprises Act, over 6 million Californians are now protected from receiving certain surprise medical bills, which can wreak havoc on the finances of patients and their families
Read More