Many Assembly Members Skip Vote on Bill Aimed at PPO Reimbursements

A bill that would have reworked state rules for PPO payments to physicians is one of a number of bills that is under scrutiny because so many Assembly members failed to vote on it, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Assembly member Fiona Ma's (D-San Francisco) bill, AB 2805, was spurred by complaints from physicians and patients about delays in PPO payments to physicians. In some cases, members pay physicians directly and then seek reimbursement for the services from PPOs.

More than a dozen lobbyists from the insurance industry, which opposed the bill, were "working on the bill" outside of the Assembly floor before the final vote, the Chronicle reports.

The bill was eventually defeated, with 30 Assembly members voting yes, 16 voting no and 34 not voting.

Ma said the failure to pass the measure "just shows the power of the insurance industry."

According to the Chronicle, members do not vote on some bills in part to avoid accountability for their votes (Diaz, San Francisco Chronicle, 6/8).