BILL NUMBER: HR 37INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Portantino AUGUST 25, 2010 Relative to access to religious nonmedical care as part of California's implementation of national health care reform legislation. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST HOUSE OR SENATE RESOLUTIONS DO NOT CONTAIN A DIGEST WHEREAS, The express goal of the recently enacted federal health care reform legislation is to include all Americans within a comprehensive health insurance program; and WHEREAS, Many Californians will be required by the federal government to purchase medical health insurance that does not cover the type of care they have found to be most effective; and WHEREAS, Californians are a diverse population and should have options when it comes to their choice of health care; and WHEREAS, All Californians should have access to the type of health care they have found to be most effective, including those forms of religious nonmedical care provided for in subdivision (b) of Section 22850 of the Government Code; and WHEREAS, Religious nonmedical care has a long history of inclusion in both federal and state health care law, including Medicare and Medicaid (Medi-Cal), TRICARE, four plans under the federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), and California's own PERSCare program; and WHEREAS, Provision for religious nonmedical care options in California law benefits many Californians, not just those who are currently relying on this form of health care; and WHEREAS, It can be shown that including religious nonmedical care as part of any insurance product would not add any cost; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the Assembly acknowledges the importance of including religious nonmedical care benefits as part of those insurance plans offered through the American Health Benefit Exchange to be established by the state in order to implement the federal health care reform legislation, and encourages the United States Health and Human Services Agency to include those benefits as part of the essential benefits package pursuant to Section 1302 of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148); and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly shall transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.