Health Care-Related Legislation Under Consideration by Governor
The Los Angeles Times on Sunday after the end of this year's Legislative session examined legislative action on a number of bills, including some related to health care.
For example, Democratic and Republican legislators began work on a plan to implement a federal Medicaid agreement, although Democrats earlier this year rejected an effort to increase managed care enrollment among 554,000 disabled and blind Medi-Cal recipients. Democrats also rejected legislation based on an agreement Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) had negotiated with pharmaceutical companies as part of an effort to address drug costs.
The Legislature passed a bill that would expand health insurance to many of the state's 800,000 uninsured children, but the "measure lacks money to pay for it," the Times reports. According to Schwarzenegger's aides, he has not decided whether to approve the measure.
In addition, the Legislature approved a bill that would require pharmacists to fill all legal prescriptions unless they previously designate in writing their religious or moral objections to certain medications (Rau, Los Angeles Times, 9/11).
In other news, the Times looked at the status of bills after the closing of the legislative session. Health-related bills that have gone before Schwarzenegger for consideration include:
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AB 73, by Assembly member Dario Frommer (D-Glendale), which would require the state to establish a Web site that would link consumers with pharmacies in Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland;
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AB 356, by Assembly member Wilma Chan (D-Oakland), which would require health insurers to offer a written explanation of a denial of individual coverage or of a grant of coverage at a higher-than-standard rate;
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AB 522, by Assembly member George Plescia (R-San Diego), which would prohibit Medi-Cal from providing or paying for erectile dysfunction drugs for registered sex offenders;
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AB 772, also by Chan, which would raise the income guideline for state health insurance programs for children;
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AB 929, by Assembly member Jenny Oropeza (D-Carson), which would require the Department of Health Services to set regulations for X-ray machines specifying the lowest possible dose of radiation for routine dental and medical X-rays;
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AB 1698, by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez (D-Los Angeles), which would require private health insurance companies to allow parents to extend benefits to dependents ages 26 and younger (Los Angeles Times, 9/11);
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SB 399, by Sen. Martha Escutia (D-Whittier), which would allow physicians, surgeons and public hospitals to sue liable third parties and their insurers for costs not covered by Medi-Cal (Duman, Recorder, 9/9); and
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SB 484, by Sen. Carole Migden (D-San Francisco), which would require cosmetic makers to inform the state of any product ingredients that are linked to cancer or birth defects (Los Angeles Times, 9/11).
Health-related bills that the Legislature did not approve but could be revived next year include:
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AB 654, by Assembly member Patty Berg (D-Santa Rose), which would have allowed doctors to prescribe a lethal drug to terminally ill patients with less than six months to live in some cases; and
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AB 775, by Assembly member Leland Yee (D-San Francisco), which would have prohibited hospitals, clinics and doctors' offices from using children younger than age 15 as interpreters (Los Angeles Times, 9/11).
KPCC's "Talk of the City" on Friday included a discussion with Jenny O'Mara -- Capitol Public Radio's Sacramento reporter -- on last-minute Senate and Assembly action before the end of the Legislative session. The segment includes comments on:
- AB 772, addressing state health insurance coverage for children by Chan;
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SB 12 and SB 965 by Escutia that would address access to soda and snack foods in schools; and
- A bill (SB 281) by Sen. Abel Maldonado (R-San Luis Obispo) that would promote access to fruits and vegetables in schools (Jon Beaupre, "Talk of the City," KPCC, 9/9).