Amended in Assembly March 18, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2345

Introduced by Assembly Member Ridley-Thomas

February 18, 2016

An act begin insert to add Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 127650) to Part 2 of Division 107 of the Health and Safety Code, end insert relating to health care.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2345, as amended, Ridley-Thomas. begin delete Health care: patient access. end delete begin insert Commission on Health Care Cost Review. end insert

begin insert

Existing law establishes various programs relating to health policy and planning in this state. Existing law establishes the California Health Benefit Review Program to assess legislation that proposes to mandate or repeal a mandated health benefit or service, as defined, and to prepare a written analysis with relevant data on specified information, including public health impacts and financial impacts.

end insert begin insert

This bill would establish the Commission on Health Care Cost Review to study and report every 2 years to the Assembly and Senate Committees on Health on public policies affecting health care costs and access to health care coverage in California. The commission would be comprised of 5 members, with 3 members appointed by the Governor, one member appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, and one member appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, subject to 4-year terms. The bill would authorize the Department of Managed Health Care to accept voluntary contributions to be deposited into the Health Care Affordability Fund, which the bill would create in the State Treasury, to fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, the costs of the operation of the commission. The bill would provide that the implementation of these provisions is contingent upon a determination of the department that sufficient voluntary contributions exist or will exist in the Health Care Affordability Fund.

end insert begin delete

Existing law establishes the Office of Patient Advocate, within the California Health and Human Services Agency, to provide assistance to, and advocate on behalf of, health care consumers. The goal of the office is to coordinate amongst, provide assistance to, and collect data from, all of the state agency consumer assistance or patient assistance programs and call centers, to better enable health care consumers to access the health care services to which they are eligible under the law, including, but not limited to, commercial and exchange coverage, Medi-Cal, Medicare, and federal veterans health benefits.

end delete begin delete

This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to require a study regarding the problems confronted by patients in accessing health care in California.

end delete

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  begin delete no end delete begin insert yes end insert . State-mandated local program: no.

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

begin insert

begin insert SECTION 1. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 127650) is
added to Part 2 of Division 107 of the end insert begin insert Health and Safety Code end insert begin insert , to
read: end insert

begin insert

 

Chapter   begin insert 6. end insert Commission on Health Care Cost Review

 

begin insert 127650. end insert   

The Commission on Health Care Cost Review is hereby
created.

begin insert 127651. end insert   

(a) The commission shall consist of five members.
Three members shall be appointed by the Governor, one member
shall be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, and one
member shall be appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly. Each
member shall serve a term of four years.

(b) Members of the commission shall not receive compensation.
The commission may conduct virtual meetings.

begin insert 127652. end insert   

(a) The commission shall study and analyze public
policies affecting health care costs and access to health care
coverage in California.

(b) (1) The commission shall report its findings to the Assembly
and Senate Committees on Health every two years.

(2) A report submitted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government
Code.

begin insert 127653. end insert   

(a) The Department of Managed Health Care may
accept voluntary contributions to pay for the costs of operation of
the commission established under this chapter. These voluntary
contributions shall be deposited into the Health Care Affordability
Fund, which is hereby created in the State Treasury. The moneys
in the Health Care Affordability Fund shall be available, upon
appropriation by the Legislature, for purposes of funding the costs
of the operation of the commission. No state funds shall be used
to fund the operation of the commission established under this
chapter.

(b) The implementation of this chapter shall be contingent upon
a determination by the Department of Managed Health Care that
sufficient voluntary contributions exist or will exist in the Health
Care Affordability Fund. Upon making this determination the
Department of Managed Health Care shall notify the Legislature
that sufficient voluntary contributions exist or will exist in the
Health Care Affordability Fund.

end insert

begin delete

SECTION 1.  

It is the intent of the Legislature to enact
legislation to require a study regarding the problems confronted
by patients in accessing health care in California.

end delete