BILL ANALYSIS Ó ------------------------------------------------------------ |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 137| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |1020 N Street, Suite 524 | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ------------------------------------------------------------ THIRD READING Bill No: AB 137 Author: Portantino (D) Amended: 8/6/12 in Senate Vote: 21 SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE : 9-0, 6/27/12 AYES: Hernandez, Harman, Alquist, Anderson, Blakeslee, De León, DeSaulnier, Rubio, Wolk SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8 ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 71-0, 1/26/12 - See last page for vote SUBJECT : Health care coverage: mammographies SOURCE : Author DIGEST : This bill provides that individual or group policies of health insurance shall be deemed to provide coverage for mammographies for screening or diagnostic purposes upon referral of a participating nurse practitioner, participating certified nurse-midwife, participating physician assistant, or participating physician, as specified. ANALYSIS : Under existing law, an individual or group policy of disability insurance that is issued, amended, delivered, or renewed on or after January 1, 2000, is deemed to provide CONTINUED AB 137 Page 2 specified coverage based upon age for mammography for screening or diagnostic purposes upon referral by a participating nurse practitioner, participating certified nurse-midwife, or participating physician, providing care to the patient and operating within the scope of practice provided under existing law. This bill provides that individual or group policies of health insurance shall be deemed to provide coverage for mammographies for screening or diagnostic purposes upon referral of a participating nurse practitioner, participating certified nurse-midwife, participating physician assistant, or participating physician, as specified. Background Prevalence of breast cancer . According to the American Cancer Society's "Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2009-2010," excluding cancers of the skin, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women; accounting for more than one in four cancers diagnosed in U.S. women. It is the second leading cause of death of women in California. According to the California Breast Cancer Research Program, the breast cancer death rate in California has dropped 20% since 1973, but California women are more likely to get breast cancer today than in 1973. While the death rate for breast cancer has dropped, the gains have not been shared equally among all women. Minority and low-income women are less likely than other women to be diagnosed at an early stage, receive effective treatment, and survive the disease. California Health Benefits Review Program reports that white women are most likely to get the disease, followed closely by African American women, Asian Pacific Islander women, and Hispanic women. African American women have the highest death rate despite being less likely than white women to get the disease. FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local: No SUPPORT : (Verified 8/8/12) AFSCME, AFL-CIO CONTINUED AB 137 Page 3 American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists District IX California Association of Northern California Oncologists California Commission on the Status of Women California Communities United Institute California Medical Association California Nurse Midwives Association Disability Rights Legal Center Medical Oncology Association of Southern California Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California Planned Parenthood Mar Monte Susan G. Komen for the Cure - Central Valley Affiliate Susan G. Komen for the Cure - Inland Empire Affiliate Susan G. Komen for the Cure - Los Angeles County Affiliate Susan G. Komen for the Cure - Orange County Affiliate Susan G. Komen for the Cure - Sacramento Valley Affiliate Susan G. Komen for the Cure - San Diego Affiliate Susan G. Komen for the Cure - San Francisco Bay Area Affiliate OPPOSITION : (Verified 8/8/12) America's Health Insurance Plans (prior version) ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees writes in support that this bill will require insurance companies to cover mammograms for screening purposes for breast cancer. California Nurse Midwives Association (CNMA) writes in support that certified nurse midwives are often the initial contact for women in providing ongoing health care and provide quality health care to women in a variety of settings. CNMA contends that this bill will help enhance the quality of health care for many women in our state. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) write in support that this bill corrects an inconsistency in the Insurance Code relative to mammography coverage. ACOG maintains that it rectifies this discrepancy by mirroring the language for mammography coverage in Knox-Keene. Knox Keene regulations on HMOs provide for mammography, upon referral by a physician subject to medical necessity standards and practice guidelines. ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION : America's Health Insurance CONTINUED AB 137 Page 4 Plans (AHIP) opposes insurance mandate bills, including this bill. AHIP argues adding additional mandates to California's existing mandates will have a harmful effect on program costs to California's budget. ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 71-0, 1/26/12 AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Beall, Bill Berryhill, Block, Blumenfield, Bonilla, Bradford, Brownley, Buchanan, Butler, Campos, Carter, Cedillo, Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Dickinson, Donnelly, Eng, Feuer, Fletcher, Fong, Fuentes, Furutani, Beth Gaines, Garrick, Gatto, Gordon, Grove, Hagman, Hall, Hayashi, Roger Hernández, Hill, Huber, Hueso, Huffman, Jeffries, Jones, Knight, Lara, Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mansoor, Mendoza, Miller, Mitchell, Morrell, Nestande, Nielsen, Olsen, Pan, Perea, V. Manuel Pérez, Portantino, Silva, Skinner, Solorio, Swanson, Torres, Valadao, Wagner, Wieckowski, Williams, Yamada, John A. Pérez NO VOTE RECORDED: Charles Calderon, Davis, Galgiani, Gorell, Halderman, Harkey, Monning, Norby, Smyth CTW:dk 8/8/12 Senate Floor Analyses SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE **** END **** CONTINUED