[Editor’s Note: State Sen. Price is running for re-election on Nov. 2.]
Helping to ensure that President Obama’s Federal Health Care Reform is implemented in Califorrnia as swiftly and as efficiently as possible, state Sen. Curren D. Price, Jr. (D-Culver City) successfully introduced legisation this year to expand health care coverage for dependent children up to the age of 26.
Last week, Gov. Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 1088, authored by Sen. Price, that prohibits health plans and health insurers from setting the limiting age for dependent children covered by their parent’s health insurance policy at less than 26 years of age.
Sen. Price’s legislation is part of a progressive health care package of bills passed in the Legislature this year that places California as the national leader in health care.
“This legislation will put us in compliance with federal law in the most succinct and cost- efficient way possible,” said Sen. Price.
“Some of the intent language in SB 1088 goes beyond what is in the Federal Health Reform Act. However, California has always been at the forefront of good public policy. In a state as diverse as ours, and with so many uninsured, I feel that the intent language laid out in SB 1088 provides reasonable guidelines for the expansion of dependent coverage.”
Young adults compose one of the largest and fastest growing segments of the uninsured because they lose health coverage at age 19 as a result of being dropped from their parents’ policy or because of losing eligibility for public programs such as Medi-Cal or Healthy Families, according to published reports.
Additionally, one-third of college graduates will be uninsured in the year following graduation. Only half of 19- to 29-year-olds are eligible for coverage offered by their employers as compared to 75 percent of 30- to 64-year-old employees.
Other healthcare related bills signed by Gov. Schwarzenegger were AB 1602 by Assembly Speaker John Pérez (D-Los Angeles) and SB 900 by Sen. Elaine Alquist (D-Santa Clara) creating the California Health Benefit Exchange, an entity that will help California consumers and small businesses shop for and buy affordable health insurance starting in 2014. The governor’s action makes California the first state in the nation to enact legislation creating a health benefit exchange under federal health care reform.
In addition to taking action on the Health Benefit Exchange bills, the governor signed the following bills to implement health care reform in California:
SB 1163 by Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) — Health care coverage: denials: premium rates.
In July, Gov. Schwarzenegger announced the state’s medical insurance rate review proposal to make costs more transparent and ensure greater consumer protection. SB 1163 embodies the governor’s proposal by requiring all premium filings be reviewed and certified by an independent actuary to ensure premium costs are accurately calculated. All proposed rate increases be posted on both department and insurer websites making costs more transparent. These consumer protections exceed what federal law requires under federal health care reform.
SB 1088 by Sen. Price – Health care coverage: dependents.
This bill prohibits health plans and health insurers from setting the limiting age for dependent children covered by their parents’ health insurance policy at less than 26 years of age.
AB 2244 by Assemblymember Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles) – Health care coverage.
AB 2244 implements and phases-in provisions of federal health care reform, ensuring that children cannot be denied coverage or priced out of the market if they have pre-existing conditions. The bill prohibits insurers that sell individual market policies in California from refusing to sell or renew coverage to kids with pre-existing conditions.
AB 2345 by Assemblymember Hector De La Torre (D-South Gate) – Health care coverage: preventive services.
Aligning state law with federal health care reform, AB 2345 requires health care service plan contracts to cover certain preventive services with no cost-sharing.
AB 2470 by Assemblymember De La Torre – Health care coverage: cancellation: rescission.
This bill prohibits a person’s health care insurance policy from cancelling insurance once the enrollee is covered unless there is a demonstration of fraud or intentional misrepresentation of material fact by the terms of contract or policy.
The governor and his administration have been working since federal health care reform passed to implement key elements in California before the 2014 start date.
In April, the Mr. Schwarzenegger announced the state will contract with the federal government to operate a temporary health insurance program for medically uninsured individuals with preexisting medical conditions.
In July, the governor’s administration submitted the state’s proposal to the federal government to establish and operate the federal Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan through a public-private partnership with contracted vendors, which will be overseen by the California Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board.
To implement this program and expand affordable health coverage to uninsured Californians with pre-existing medical conditions, the governor also recently signed legislation creating the Federal Temporary High Risk Health Insurance Fund to receive $761 million in federal funding: SB 227 by Senator Alquist and AB 1887 by Assemblymember Mike Villines (R-Clovis).
Sen. Price’s emailaddress (currenpricejr.com) and website (info@currenpricejr.com)
