HMO REFORM: Lawmakers Face ‘Last-Ditch Attempts’
With less than a week left in the current legislative session, California lawmakers will likely make "last-ditch attempts to end stalemates over bills that would make HMOs more patient-friendly." The AP/Contra Costa Times reports that the HMO reform issue "could be resolved this week, probably at the last minute in the middle of the night," but "November election politics will complicate all the closed-door negotiations and secret bargains." While the legislative session officially ends at midnight August 31, lawmakers are "hoping" to finish business by Friday. But "deal-making" could keep things going into the weekend. State Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa (D-Los Angeles) said, "The goal is still the 28th, but if there is the possibility we can resolve some important issue because of time," legislators will work until Monday (Kerr, 8/24). Click HMO reform to read California Healthline coverage of last week's action in the state Legislature.
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