Bills of Interest to Consumer Advocates
Health Access California sponsors, supports, and tracks legislation impacting health care consumers and implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
2016 Legislative Scorecard (PDF)
2016 Bill Tracking Matrix (PDF)
- Updated bill matrix is posted every Monday
2016 Patient’s Rights Agenda (PDF)
- AB 72 (Bonta, Bonilla, Dahle, Gonzalez, Maienschein, Santiago, and Wood) Stop Surprise Bills
- SB 10 (Lara) Health4All: Expanding Access to Covered California to All Californians, Regardless of Immigration Status
- SB 1135 (Monning) Timely Access and Language Access
- SB 908 (E. Hernandez) Notice of Unreasonable or Unjustified Rates
- SB 1418 (Lara) Health4All: Expanding Full-Scope Medi-Cal to Undocumented Adults
- SB 923 (Hernandez) Preventing Mid-Year Cost-Sharing Increases
Take Action Here
- See recent action alerts where you can contact your legislators about important consumer protection and transparency bills
Health Access Sponsored Legislation
AB 72 (Bonta, Bonilla, Dahle, Gonzalez, Maienschein, Santiago, and Wood) Stop Surprise Bills
Ensures that if consumers do the right thing by visiting in-network hospitals or facilities, they will pay in-network charges and co-pays for all the providers they encounter during their visit. The total amount of cost-sharing will also count toward patient’s out-of-pocket maximum.
- AB 72 signed into law! Read the fact sheet detailing California’s new law to protect consumers from surprise medical bills.
- Fact Sheet on AB 72 legislation (1-page)
- Sample letter of support
- Bill language and status
- Stories of consumers hit by surprise bills
SB 10 (Lara) Health4All: Expanding Access to Covered California to All Californians, Regardless of Immigration Status
Expands health care coverage to all Californians, regardless of immigration status, by premiting the state to apply for a federal waiver that would allow undocumented immigrants and their non-US born children to buy coverage through Covered California using their own money.
SB 1135 (Monning) Consumers Deserve to Know Rights: Where to Complain, Timely Access, Language Access
Requires health plans and insurers to notify consumers and health care providers about patients’ right to timely care and language assistance.
SB 908 (Hernandez) Let the Market Work: Give Consumers Notice of Unreasonable or Unjustified Rates
Requires individuals and small business owners to be notified if regulators have found the premium for a plan they choose is “unreasonable” or “unjustified” and be given an open enrollment period to find another plan.
SB 1418 (Lara) Health4All: Expanding Full-Scope Medi-Cal to Undocumented Adults
Extends eligibility for full-scope Medi-Cal benefits to individuals 19 years of age or older, regardless of immigration status.
SB 923 (Hernandez) Preventing Mid-Year Cost-Sharing Increases
Closes a loophole so that copays, deductibles, and other cost sharing changes only once a year, just like premiums.
Also visit our blog for the latest on our legislative initiatives.
To read the complete text of any bill, including amendments, please visit the California Legislature Bill Information website and search by bill number, author, or keywords.