The Week Ahead
The Legislature reconvenes for its final session this year.
The Senate Appropriations Committee will hear:
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AB 71, asking the University of California to develop a program to study the safety and effectiveness of prescription drugs and publicly disclose the findings;
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AB 1840, which would require MRMIB and DHS to identify all employers with more than 25 workers who receive public health benefits; and
- AB 1851 to allow health plans to help Healthy Families applicants apply for coverage under certain conditions.
The Senate Judiciary Committee will hear several health-related bills, including AB 1316, which would authorize a hospital district board of directors to cover damages or other costs associated with the legal defense of a staff member as part of a civil lawsuit related to the medical peer-review process. The committee also will consider AB 3013, which would amend a state health privacy law to include provisions related to patient directories and medical information disclosures.
The Assembly Appropriations Committee will consider health-related legislation, including SB 452 to require the governor to decide whether to order reduced prescription drug prices based on an annual comparison of drug prices on federal formularies with Medi-Cal and AIDS Drug Assistance Program formularies, and SB 1272, which would require the state to develop an electronic system for advanced health care directives.
A Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee will hear measures, including AB 409, to require an employee's personal physician to be the employee's regular treating physician in workers' compensation claims.