Health Plans
The Senate Health Committee scheduled a hearing on April 25 for AB 2450 by Assembly member Keith Stuart Richman (R-Granada Hills). The bill would require all state residents to have health insurance and would authorize the Franchise Tax Board to withhold income tax overpayments by residents who do not obtain minimum health insurance coverage. The bill also would require the Department of Health Services to create an enrollment program for all state health care programs.
SB 1704 by Sen. Sheila Kuehl (D-Los Angeles) was approved on April 5 by the Senate Banking, Insurance and Finance Committee and passed to the Senate Appropriations Committee. The bill would expand the scope of a University of California program to study legislation proposing mandated insurance benefits or proposing to repeal such a benefit. The bill also would require a report of the university's findings regardless of conflicts of interest.
AB 1952 by Assembly member Joe Nation (D-San Rafael) on April 6 was amended to require employers who do not offer health benefits to workers to contribute to an Essential Health Benefits Fund administered by the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board. The legislation also would require the board to offer health care coverage to the uninsured. The bill was re-referred to the Assembly Health Committee.