Editorial Stumps for Bill on Smoking Cessation Coverage
A Los Angeles Times editorial argues that a bill (SB 220) by state Sen. Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) "starts with the right intention" by requiring health insurers to cover smoking-cessation programs. However, it adds, "Our only concern is that Yee's bill would go beyond what any other state mandates by prohibiting insurers from requiring copayments or deductibles for smoking remedies. In addition, coverage would have to include over-the-counter drugs." The editorial concludes, "With amendments to rein in the provisions on copayments and over-the-counter medications, the bill should pass. California should continue to be one of the nation's leaders in combating the devastating consequences of smoking to both personal and public health."
- "A Smart Bill To Fight Smoking" (Los Angeles Times, 6/22).