Months ago, California legislators unveiled a series of bills that they said would fix our broken healthcare system. They did this in the face of growing discontent by progressives across the state who wanted the Assembly to work on financing and implementing SB 562, The Healthy California Act, a single-payer bill that represented a path toward a California Medicare for All system. That bill is essentially dead at this point, unilaterally shelved by Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon.
The legislators’ major accomplishment, so far, was getting funding to establish an all-payer claims database to gather information on the actual cost of services. Most of the other bills, according to a report in the Sacramento Bee, are unlikely to advance.
We asked several legislators involved in unveiling the bills for comment. Two, Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno) and Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco), responded.
“I was pleased that funding to establish a Health Care Cost Transparency Database, as outlined under AB 2502, was included in this year’s budget,” Arambula said. “This one-time $60 million appropriation is another vital step in our state’s efforts to expand health care for all Californians. It will help reduce health care costs by making more detailed information available to patients and families. Boosting transparency is important to me as we move forward to find health care solutions that will improve health care outcomes for our people.”
Assemblyman Chiu noted the success but also how much further they need to go.
“Having comprehensive data on health care claims will lead to better policies and should help us develop effective cost containment measures,” Chiu said. “While AB 2502 is a positive step forward, I am disappointed that other, more far-reaching health care proposals were not funded in the state budget this year. Californians are struggling to afford health care, and we cannot wait to implement bold solutions. I look forward to working with my colleagues and a new governor next year to provide truly affordable health care to all Californians.”
Here is a list of the new healthcare-reform bills and their status:
Assembly Bill 2565: Would require Covered California to boost health insurance premium assistance to low- and middle-income people. Unlikely to advance.
Assembly Bill 2965: Would expand Medi-Cal eligibility to undocumented adults ages 19 to 25. Currently on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee. Unlikely to advance.
Assembly Bill 3148: Would have required Covered California to offer additional financial assistance to low- and middle-income people purchasing insurance through the exchange. Died in committee due to cost.
Assembly Bill 2430: Would let a larger number of low-income seniors, disabled and blind adults qualify for free Medi-Cal. Unlikely to advance due to cost.
Assembly Bill 2459: Would provide a personal income tax credit for nearly 400,000 low- and moderate-income people who purchase insurance through Covered California, equal to the amount of their health insurance premiums. Unlikely to advance due to cost.
Assembly Bill 2579: Would automatically enroll women and children whose incomes qualify them for food stamps into Medi-Cal, creating a so-called “express lane.” In Senate Appropriations.
Assembly Bill 2718: Would implement the federal Medicaid option to extend eligibility for Transitional Medi-Cal from six months to 12 months, and prohibits charging premiums or having an income eligibility limit on the second six months of coverage. Unlikely to advance.
Health Providers and Insurers
Assembly Bill 2499: Would require insurers to spend a set amount — at least 80 percent — of insurance premium dollars on care instead of administrative costs and profit. Decision expected in mid-August.
Assembly Bill 2416: Increase health plan competition by requiring plans with Medi-Cal contracts to participate in Covered California. Unlikely to advance.
Assembly Bill 2427: Would increase the state’s ability to regulate health plans and penalize them for engaging in anti-competitive business practices by restricting them from Medi-Cal. In Senate Appropriations.
Assembly Bill 3087: Would have created a California “Health Care Cost, Quality and Equity Commission” to control in-state health care costs and set payment rates for health plans, hospitals, physicians, doctor groups and other providers. Held by author due to extreme opposition by healthcare providers.
Assembly Bill 2502: Establishes a database to track payments to health care providers and insurers, with a goal of increasing transparency around health care prices. $60 million in funding included in the state budget.
Assembly Bill 2597: Seeks to increase the number of primary care doctors in the state by boosting state funding for University of California medical training programs. Referred to Senate Appropriations Committee. Unlikely to advance.
Assembly Bill 2275: Establishes a quality assessment and performance improvement program for all Medi-Cal managed care plans, all of which would be required to meet a minimum performance level that improves quality of care and reduces health disparities for beneficiaries. In Senate Appropriations.
Studies
Assembly Bill 2472: Encourages greater competition between plans and would require Covered California to study creating a public health insurance option to compete with private insurers on the exchange. Decision expected in August.
Assembly Bill 2517: Sets California on a potential path toward a form of single-payer health care. Proposal also included in the state budget, with $5 million appropriated this year to provide a “road map” with benchmarks. $5 million included in the state budget.
What’s Next?
The immediate reaction from the California Medicare for All movement has been subdued as they are apparently re-grouping.
Health Care for All – California has launched the Healthy Majority Campaign for the rest of 2018, with the aim of electing a two-thirds majority of legislators in both houses that will not only pass a single-payer bill, but also finance it and override a veto (if necessary).
California Nurses Association/National Nurses United has placed their bet on Gavin Newsom, running for Governor.
And there is a heated race between Maria Estrada and Anthony Rendon for Assembly District 63.
More to come!
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HEAL California is an independent news and information hub focused on the California Medicare for All movement. We feature non-partisan news, views, podcasts and videos that highlight the continuing failures of our broken healthcare system and elevate the voices of advocates and organizations fighting for change.
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