The Week Ahead
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors will hold a hearing on legislation that would require businesses to contribute to the San Francisco Health Access Program if they do not otherwise reimburse employees for medical services, contribute to employees' health savings accounts or provide traditional health insurance benefits. Mayor Gavin Newsom on June 21 announced a plan that the legislation in part would implement.
The Senate Business, Professional and Economic Development Committee will hear AB 2373, involving requirements for automated drug delivery systems in nursing facilities; AB 2757 to permit primary care clinics to seek licenses for clinical labs in conjunction with their clinic licensure; and other health-related legislation.
The Senate Public Employment and Retirement Committee also will hear measures addressing health benefits for public employees.
The Senate Appropriations Committee has scheduled hearings for health-related bills including AB 959, which would make veteran's homes eligible for supplemental Medi-Cal reimbursement, and AB 2885, limiting Medi-Cal coverage for erectile dysfunction treatments.
San Francisco supervisors are scheduled to vote on Mayor Newsom's proposed universal health access program, which would let San Francisco's 82,000 uninsured residents receive care at San Francisco health facilities.
The Senate Judiciary Committee will hear AB 651, which would legalize physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients in some cases; AB 2360, a measure to limit who can purchase ultrasound machines; and AB 2340, addressing who can make care decisions under an advance directives.
Health care-related legislation the Senate Health Committee is scheduled to hear includes:
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AB 774, which would require hospitals to establish eligibility guidelines for charity care;
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AB 2379, to indefinitely extend a state rule barring services covered by California Children's Services from being incorporate into some Medi-Cal managed care plans; and
- AB 2745, creating a requirement for hospitals to maintain discharge policies for homeless patients.
The state constitution requires that the state budget be approved by June 30.