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Summary of Key Health Bills Under Consideration
Budget | Children's Health | Dental Health | Health Reform | Hospitals | Medi-Cal | Mental Health | Clinics | Specialty Care |
SBX3 25 (Cox): California Children and Families Program: funding
Would seek voter approval to transfer unencumbered First 5 California (Proposition 10/1998) funds to health coverage account to be used for children’s health coverage under the Healthy Families program.
Location: Held by Senate Rules Committee and not assigned to a Policy Committee
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AB 1422 (Bass) – Healthy Families program funding
This bill made program changes in the co-pay and family share of cost components of the Healthy Families Program (HFP), administered by the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board (MRMIB), which provides health care coverage for eligible low- and moderate-income children; and extended the gross premium tax of 2.35% to Medi-Cal managed care (MCMC) plans; and, authorizes the California Children and Families Commission (CCFC) to make specified transfers of program revenues.
Location: Signed into law Chapter 157/’09 on September 22, 2009 as an urgency measure – meaning it will go into effect in 60 days after the date of the Governor’s signature – But, a flaw in the co-pay and family share of cost component – contrary to federal law - may nullify or delay the bill’s enactment components
SB 1 (Steinberg): Children’s health care coverage
This bill would establish a statewide children’s health coverage program for all California children living in households with incomes below 300% of the federal poverty line. The provisions of the program would mirror the current Healthy Families program, which provides medical, dental, vision and mental health care.
Location: Senate Health Committee
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AB 403 (Fuller): Dental hygienists: examinations and licensure
Provides that satisfactory performance on the state clinical examination, or satisfactory completion of the dental hygiene examination given by the Western Regional Examining Board or any other clinical dental hygiene examination approved by the Dental Hygiene Committee of California satisfies the clinical examination requirement for licensure as a dental hygienist.
Location: Signed into law Chapter 104/’09 on Aug 6, 2009
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AB 1314 (Jones): Health care system overhaul – unspecified
This bill would provide a platform for negotiating an overhaul of California’s health care system, especially as it pertains to the low and moderate income children and adults. The original bill language called for the California Department of Health Care Services to oversee the development of a new health care system.
Location: Passed the Assembly Health Committee, but held in Assembly Appropriation Committee’s Suspense File
AB 1542 (Committee on Health): Medical homes
Establishes the Patient-Centered Medical Home Pilot Project to encourage health care providers and patients to partner in a patient-centered medical home, as defined that promotes access to high-quality, comprehensive care.
Location: Passed Assembly, assigned to Senate Health Committee
SB 92 (Aanestad): Health care insurance programs crossing state lines
This bill would allow health plans domiciled in other states to sell health insurance currently only available in other states.
Location: Failed to pass Senate Health Committee
SB 810 (Leno): Single payer health care system
This bill would overhaul California’s health care system and establish a “single-payer” type health care system.
Location: Passed Senate Health Committee, but held in Senate Appropriation Committee’s Suspense File
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AB 648 (Chesbro): Rural hospitals: physician services
This bill would, until January 1, 2020, establish a demonstration project authorizing a rural hospital, that meets specified conditions, to employ up to 10 physicians and surgeons at one time, to provide medical services at the rural hospital or other health facility that the rural hospital owns or operates, and to retain all or part of the income generated by the physicians and surgeons for medical services billed and collected by the rural hospital if the physician and surgeon in whose name the charges are made approves the charges.
Location: Passed Assembly, but failed in Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee and held in Committee
AB 1383 (Jones): Hospital coverage: dividend fee
This bill would, impose a coverage dividend fee on hospitals for the purpose of increased reimbursement for hospital care and children's coverage expansion, and for drawing down matching federal health care funding for hospital care.
Location: Signed into law Chapter 627/’09 on Oct 11, 2009
SB 499 (Ducheny): Hospital seismic safety retrofit deadlines
This bill would move up the deadline for reporting seismic safety retrofitting from June 2011 to November 1, 2010
Location: Signed into law Chapter 601/’09 on October 11, 2009
SB 1544 (Jones and Fletcher): Hospital based outpatient clinic application process
This bill speeds up the Department of Public Health process to establish licenses for new outpatient clinics associated with general acute care (GAC) hospitals. The timeframes in the Chaptered bill were negotiated between the Department of Public Health and the Hospital Association, to increase capacity of hospital associated clinic sites around the state. The bill requires the application to issue a new license to general acute care hospitals within 100 days of receipt of the completed application so long as the applicant meets the outlined requirements and shortened information response timeline.
Location: Signed into Chapter 543 on October 11, 2009
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AB 342 (Bass): Medi-Cal: demonstration project waiver
This bill requires Medi-cal to submit an application to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for a waiver to implement a demonstration project that improves health care.
Location: Passed Assembly, Referred to Senate Health
AB 359 (Nava) Breast and cervical cancer: early detection screening
This bill would allow for Medi-Cal reimbursement for digital mammography screening when analog mammography services are not available from the provider.
Location: Signed into law Chapter 435/’09 on Oct 11, 2009
AB 1269 (Brownley) Medi-Cal extension for unemployed
The bill allows for the unemployed enrolled in Medi-Cal to remain on Medi-Cal for up to 26 weeks if federal financial participation is available
Location: Signed into law Chapter 282/’09 on Oct 11, 2009
AB 1445 (Chesbro) Medi-Cal reimbursement for multiple visits at FQHC and rural health clinic
Would allow for reimbursement for multiple (2) visits to a FQHC or rural health clinic on the same day under certain conditions and a scope of services plan is filed as required by law
Location: Passed Assembly and Senate Health Committee, and will be heard next in Senate Appropriations in 2010
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AB 244 (Beall): Mental health parity
This bill requires most health plans to provide coverage for all diagnosable mental illnesses.
Location: Vetoed by Governor Oct 11, 2009
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AB 1445 (Chesbro) Medi-Cal reimbursement for multiple visits at FQHC and rural health clinic
Would allow for reimbursement for multiple (2) visits to a FQHC or rural health clinic on the same day under certain conditions and a scope of services plan is filed as required by law
Location: Passed Assembly and Senate Health Committee, and will be heard next in Senate Appropriations in 2010
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AB 175 (Galginai): Medi-Cal reimbursement and telemedicine dealing with optometrists
This bill expands the definition of “teleophthalmology and teledermatology” services which can be reimbursed under the Medi-Cal program.
Location: Signed into law Chapter 419/’09 on Oct 11
AB 221 (Portantino): HIV testing: skin punctures
This bill would exempt an HIV counselor who works under a licensed physician and surgeon, and who is trained in rapid HIV test proficiency and universal infection control precautions, from the requirement that he or she hold a valid certification as a phlebotomist technician. This new law allows HIV counselors to conduct HIV tests.
Location: Signed into law Chapter 421/’09 on Oct 11, 2009
AB 356 (Fletcher): Radiologic technology: fluoroscopy
This bill revises the definition of licentiate of the healing arts, for purposes of a fluoroscopy permit, to also include a physician assistant who is licensed pursuant to the Physician Assistant Practice Act and who practices under the supervision of a qualified physician and surgeon. Allows Physician Assistant to be licensed to conduct fluoroscopy exams
Location: Signed into law Chapter 434/’09 on Oct 11, 2009
AB 1201 (Perez) Provider reimbursement rates for immunizations
This bill would require the health care programs in California, including health plan insurance companies to compensate providers for the actual cost of obtaining vaccines and administering immunizations.
Location: Passed Assembly Health Committee, but held in Assembly Appropriation Committee’s suspense file
SB 788 (Wyland and Steinberg): Licensed professional clinical counselors
This bill establishes the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Act which provides for the licensing and regulation of Licensed professional clinical counselors (LPCCs) by the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS), and provides the statutory framework describing allowed scope of practice for LPCCs in California. This bill also expands the size of the BBS by two members, increasing the Board's membership from four public members to five licensed members to six licensed members.
Location: Signed into Chapter 619 on October 11, 2009
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AB 657 (Hernandez): Health professions workforce master plan
This bill would have established the Health Professions Workforce Task Force to help develop a statewide health workforce master plan.
Location: Vetoed by the Governor
SB 606 (Ducheny): Physicians and surgeons license fees and loan repayment account
This bill increases physicians and surgeons licensing fees by $25 to help fund the “Steve Thompson” physician loan repayment fund.
Location: Signed into law Chapter 600/’09 on October 11, 2009
AB 646 (Swanson): Physicians and surgeons: employment
Authorizes a health care district, to employ physicians and surgeons if the health care district's service area includes a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) or a Medically Underserved Population (MUP), or has been federally designated as a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA); and the chief executive officer of the district provides specified documentation to the Medical Board of California. Upon receipt of that documentation, the bill would require the board to approve the employment of up to 5 primary or specialty care physicians and surgeons by the district, upon receipt of additional documentation after that employment, to approve an additional 5 primary or specialty care physicians and surgeons.
Location: Passed Assembly, but failed first hearing in Senate Health, reconsideration has been granted and may be heard again in 2010
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