California Health Bills Heading to Governor's Desk Need Your Help
There are good bills heading to the Governor's desk - - LETTERS NEEDED
LETTERS NEEDED
Health advocates should submit letters to the governor’s office urging him to sign bills.
To:
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol, Governor’s Office
Sacramento, CA 95814
http://www.californiaprogressreport....
September 04, 2008 - EXCERPT
HEALTH CONSUMER BILL UPDATE - - BILLS HEADED TO THE GOVERNOR
Insurer Oversight:
* CAPPING ADMINISTRATION AND PROFIT: SB 1440 (Kuehl) would set a minimum medical loss ratio – requiring every insurer to spend at least 85 percent of premiums on patient care.
* INDEPENDENT REVIEW: AB 1945 (De La Torre) would establish an independent DMHC/DOI review process if an insurer wants to rescind coverage, and raises the standard in existing law so that coverage can only be rescinded if a consumer willfully misrepresents his health history.
* BROKER ACCOUNTABILITY AND FAMILY COVERAGE AFTER RESCISSION: AB 2569 (De Leon) would require brokers who take applications to attest, under penalty of perjury, that the information is complete and accurate to the best of their knowledge. Also ensures that family members whose coverage depends on that of the rescinded person may be offered another individual policy.
Benefit Mandates:
* MENTAL HEALTH PARITY: AB 1887 (Beall) Would require health plans to provide coverage for all diagnosable mental illnesses.
* MATERNITY COVERAGE: AB1962 (De La Torre) would require all individual insurance policies to cover maternity services.
* DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT: SB 1198 (Kuehl) would require group health plans andinsurers to offer coverage for durable medical equipment, such as wheelchairs and shower seats.
Improved Insurance Options:
* HIGH-RISK POOL: AB 2 (Dymally) would reform the Managed Risk Medical InsuranceProgram, which provides coverage for "un-insureables" who have "pre-existing conditions.’’ Efforts would make the high risk pool more affordable and available.
* USE OF INSURER PENALTIES: SB 1379 (Ducheny) would use the fines levied on insurers for improper rescissions to subsidize MRMIP and repay loans for physicians working in underserved areas.
* PUBLIC INSURER: SB 973 (Simitian) would create a statewide public insurer, connecting existing regional, county-based health care plans, to compete with private health careplans and provide consumers more affordable coverage choices.
Consumer Protections:
* DENTAL PREDATORY LENDING: SB 1633 (Kuehl) Would prohibit dentists’ offices from offering high-interest loans to patients while they are under the influence of anesthesia. Would also prohibit dental offices from charging lines of credit before services have been rendered.
* UNFAIR BUSINESS PRACTICES: AB 2842 (Berg) would protect Californians from insurance agents trying to sell them private Medicare plans through cold calls and bait-and-switch tactics.
Hospital Transactions:
* HOSPITAL CLOSURES: AB 2400 (Price) would require public notice before closing a hospital.
* BOUTIQUE HOSPITALS: AB 2697 (Huffman) would require so-called "boutique hospitals’’ to assess their impact on a community’s health system annually, specifically whether they siphon doctors, workers, providers from hospitals caring for less affluent populations.
Balance Billing:
* EMERGENCY ROOM BILLS: AB 1203 (Salas) would prevent emergency departments – which do not have a contract with a patient’s insurance company -- from directly billing the patient, requiring the hospital to seek payment directly from insurers.
* ER DOCTOR BILLS: SB 981 (Perata) would prevent emergency physicians – who do not have a contract with a patient’s insurance company -- from directly billing the patient, requiring providers to seek reimbursement directly from insurers.
Coverage Expansions:
* DEPENDENT CARE: SB 1168 (Runner) would allow adult dependent children, who are still covered under their parents’ health plan, to stay on that coverage even if the child takes a medically necessary leave of absence from school.
* UNIVERSAL COVERAGE SINGLE PAYER: SB 840 (Kuehl) would establish a single-payer health care system in California that would enable all residents to have health coverage.