Health Plans
Sen. Sheila Kuehl's (D-Los Angeles) legislation (SB 1440) was amended to require health plans to spend at least 85% of premiums on health care benefits by 2009. The bill also would allow the director of the Department of Managed Health Care and the insurance commissioner to take action against health plans that do not comply (Bill text, 4/7). The Senate Health Committee is reviewing this bill (Bill text, 4/7).
SB 1603 by Sen. Ron Calderon (D-Montebello) was amended to require operators of discount health programs to seek licenses from the Department of Managed Health Care. The bill also would require the operators to work under certain disclosure, contract, specified advertising, solicitation and marketing requirements (Bill text, 4/7). The bill is currently before the Senate Rules Committee (Bill text, 4/7).