Quick update from Senate Health

Today, the Senate Committee on Health, chaired by Senator Ed Hernandez, met and took up SB 332 (Emmerson/DeSaulnier), which as amended on May 16, 2013 would narrow the circumstances under which the California Health Benefits Exchange would be permitted to exclude from public scrutiny various contracts. It passed with a unanimous, bipartisan vote of 9-0, especially as the Exchange, Covered California, said they were abiding by the provisions of the bill in practice for the last several months.

The Senate Committee on Health also took up AB 900 (Alejo), which would restore Medi-Cal reimbursement for nursing facilities that are a distinct part of a general acute care hospital–so those rates would be determined without the Medi-Cal rate reduction and rate roll-back required under existing law. This was a restoration not included in the recent budget, but that still enjoys broad legislative support, as AB 900 (Alejo) also passed out of committee with a vote of 9-0.

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