Governor Signs Bill Ensuring Continuity of Care Amid ACA
Gov. Jerry Brown (D) has signed a bill (AB 369) that ensures patients can complete treatment, even when insurance coverage is terminated because of market changes related to the Affordable Care Act, the Sacramento Business Journal reports (Robertson, Sacramento Business Journal, 3/24).
The bill was introduced in early January by Assembly member Richard Pan (D-Sacramento) and received unanimous approval in both houses of the state Legislature.
The legislation was prompted by the cancellation of some individual-market policies because of higher coverage standards under the ACA. It ensures that policyholders whose plans were canceled will not experience a gap in care.
It is an amended version of a bill by Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) that was vetoed by Brown last year. AB 369 faced no opposition (Gorn, "Capitol Desk," California Healthline, 3/11).
The bill included an urgency clause, allowing it to take effect on March 20, the day it was signed by Brown (Sacramento Business Journal, 3/24).
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