Implementing An Individual Mandate For The State Isn’t As Easy As It May Seem
California lawmakers are considering a state-level mandate as the federal one will be rolled back in 2019. But there's a lot of nuance involved.
Capital Public Radio:
Is A Statewide Insurance Mandate Next For California?
Democratic state Sen. Ed Hernandez, chairperson of the Senate Health Committee, said he’s reaching out to consumer groups, health plans and the administration about the possibility of a statewide individual insurance mandate to replace the federal requirement that was eliminated by Republican lawmakers late last year. (Caiola, 2/5)
Meanwhile —
KPBS:
Bill To Give California More Oversight Over Health Plan Mergers Clears State Assembly
A federal judge in 2017 rejected a proposed merger between health insurance giants Aetna and Humana, saying it would likely lessen competition. The California Assembly has passed a bill that would give state regulators the authority to reject such mergers on similar grounds. (Goldberg, 2/5)