Feinstein Introduces Coverage Expansion, Managed Care Reform
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D) recently introduced several bills that would improve health care for children and working families, as well as implement managed care reform. Feinstein reintroduced the Family Health Insurance Program of 2001 (S. 574), which would expand the CHIP program to include 23 million low-income parents of already enrolled children. In California, the measure would expand Healthy Families eligibility to more than 350,000 adults. Feinstein said, "This bill not only will help us enroll children eligible for the program, but it will also help their low-income parents get access to affordable health care. The bottom line is that the lack of affordable health care is one of the largest hurdles that prevents working families from reaching financial self-sufficiency." Feinstein also reintroduced the Hospital Length of Stay Act of 2001 (S. 575), which would require insurers to cover hospital stays for all conditions as determined by the treating physician. Additional bills Feinstein introduced include:
- Vaccines for Children Act of 2001 (S. 573): The bill would clarify that children in the CHIP program are eligible for free vaccinations.
- The Managed Care Health Benefits Integrity Act of 2001 (S. 577): The measure would require MCOs to limit administration spending to 15% of their premium revenues. California already has a regulatory limit of 15% spending on MCOs' administrative expenses.
- The Reconstructive Surgery Act of 2001 (S. 576): The legislation would require insurers to cover medically necessary reconstructive surgery for congenital defects, developmental abnormalities, trauma, infection, tumors or disease (Feinstein release, 3/21).
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