BILL NUMBER: AB 2042INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Feuer FEBRUARY 17, 2010 An act to amend Section 123195 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to public health. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2042, as introduced, Feuer. Personal health care: catastrophic health insurance. Existing law requires the State Public Health Officer, in consultation with, and approval of, the Department of Insurance, to contract with an insurer or insurers to provide any California resident, as defined, catastrophic health insurance. Existing law provides that a contract for catastrophic health insurance shall not be required to cover a preexisting medical condition of a resident during the first 10 months of coverage and that charges for a preexisting medical condition shall not apply toward the deductible during the first 10 months of coverage. This bill would, instead, provide that the contract shall not be required to cover a preexisting medical condition of a resident during the first 6 months of coverage and that charges for a preexisting medical condition shall not apply toward the deductible during the first 6 months of coverage. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 123195 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 123195. (a) A contract provided for by this chapter shall not be required to cover a preexisting medical condition of the resident during the first10six months the resident is covered by catastrophic health insurance provided under this chapter. Charges for a preexisting condition shall not apply toward the deductible during the first10six months of coverage. Charges for other conditions during that initial period shall apply toward the deductible. (b) The contract shall also prohibit the insurer from discriminating against prospective insureds in their underwriting practices on the basis of demographic factors, such as age, or preexisting medical conditions.