Californians for a Healthy California Act Seeks One Plan, More Choice for Residents

On Friday, Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) and Sen. Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) introduced the Californians for a Healthy California Act (SB 562).

“Healthy California gives everyone insurance, because everyone has a right to health care. Trump and the Republicans don’t get to pick the health care winners and losers, and we’ll never get to 100% health care in California unless we lead.” – Senator Ricardo Lara

“Access to affordable and quality health care is not only critical, it should be a right for everyone in California. In light of threats to the Affordable Care Act, it’s important that we look at all options to maintain and expand access to health care. The Healthy California Act is an essential part of that conversation.” – Senator Toni G. Atkins

Background: Under the Affordable Care Act and Covered California, the number of uninsured in our state is at a historic low, and we’ve slowed rising health care costs. Last year Governor Brown signed Senator Lara’s Health4All Kids (SB 4), and the 2017-18 budget proposal includes $279.5 million to cover 185,000 children regardless of their immigration status. But lack of insurance still affects immigrant communities, rural California, working families and young people.

President Trump and Republicans in Congress have pledged to repeal the Affordable Care Act. But with six years they have not proposed a plan to replace it. President Trump’s executive order on repealing the Affordable Care Act states that the federal government should “provide greater flexibility to States and cooperate with them in implementing healthcare programs.”

Healthy California Highlights:

Every California resident has one plan and more choice. No more plan-switching or guesswork when insurance rates or plans change.
You pick your doctor, not health insurers
Clinicians make decisions about care, not computers
By pooling health care funds in a publicly-run fund we get the bargaining power of the seventh largest economy.
We cut out insurance company waste and duplication
No more out of control co-pays and high deductibles
Public oversight on costs and care, not decisions made in secret
Managing prescription drug costs

Timeline:

Californians for a Healthy California Act (SB 562) was introduced on February 17, 2017. Senator Lara and Sen. Atkins will be talking about the details in the weeks ahead with the people of California. The bill is sponsored by the California Nurses Association.

“We need to have this conversation now while hundreds of thousands of people are speaking out in support of health care,” said Senator Lara. “With Republicans on the brink of rolling back health care it’s time for California to lead. I look forward to bringing a bill that Californians can support and the governor will sign.” – Senator Ricardo Lara

Here is a look at the bill:

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 562, as introduced, Lara. Californians For A Healthy California Act.

Existing federal law, the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), enacted various health care coverage market reforms that took effect January 1, 2014. PPACA required each state, by January 1, 2014, to establish an American Health Benefit Exchange to facilitate the purchase of qualified health benefit plans by qualified individuals and qualified small employers. PPACA defines a “qualified health plan” as a plan that, among other requirements, provides an essential health benefits package. Existing state law creates the

California Health Benefit Exchange, also known as Covered California, to facilitate the purchase of qualified health plans by qualified individuals and qualified small employers.

Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care.

Existing law provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance.

This bill would make findings and declarations with regard to the availability and affordability of health care coverage and would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would establish a comprehensive universal single-payer health care coverage program and a health care cost control system for the benefit of all residents of the state.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the Californians for a Healthy California Act.

SEC. 2.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(1) All residents of this state have the right to health care. While the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act brought many improvements in health care and health care coverage, it still leaves many Californians without coverage or with inadequate coverage.

(2) Californians, as individuals, employers, and taxpayers have experienced a rise in the cost of health care and health care coverage in recent years, including rising premiums, deductibles, and copays, as well as restricted provider networks and high out-of-network charges.

(3) Businesses have also experienced increases in the costs of health care benefits for their employees, and many employers are shifting a larger share of the cost of coverage to their employees or dropping coverage entirely.

(4) Individuals often find that they are deprived of affordable care and choice because of decisions by health benefit plans guided by the plan’s economic needs rather than consumers’ health care needs.

(5) To address the fiscal crisis facing the health care system and the state, and to ensure Californians can exercise their right to health care, comprehensive health care coverage needs to be provided.

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would establish a comprehensive universal single-payer health care coverage program and a health care cost control system for the benefit of all residents of the state.

3 comments

WTF, geez, enough already Feb 18, 2017 - 6:11 pm

Hey Ricardo, is this free for law obiding citizens as well? Just asking. How you plan on paying for my insurance? Again, just asking.

Ken Brucker Mar 1, 2017 - 12:54 pm

It’s good for all Californians, even for those who can’t muster the resources to comply with sadistic and dysfunctional immigration system….you know, people like my neighbors.

Ken Brucker Mar 1, 2017 - 12:52 pm

It’s long over due for all of us. We have to push this through in Sacramento – there is no telling what kind of blob that Washington will produce.

Comments are closed.

Californians for a Healthy California Act Seeks One Plan, More Choice for Residents

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

SEC. 2.

Senator Dodd Introduces Bill to Boost Teacher Credentialing

McNerney: ICE Operations in Contra Costa are Targeted Enforcement Operations

You may also like

3 comments