California Assembly Bill AB2050 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2050AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 18, 2016 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Steinorth FEBRUARY 17, 2016 An act to  amend Section 33334.5 of   add Section 1367.248 to  the Health and Safety Code,  and to add Section 1012   3.208 to the Insurance Code,  relating to  redevelopment.   health care coverage.  LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2050, as amended, Steinorth.  Redevelopment.   Health care coverage: prescription drugs: refills.   Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care and makes a willful violation of the act a crime. Existing law also provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law imposes various requirements on contracts and policies that cover prescription drug benefits. Existing law, the Pharmacy Law, provides for the licensure and regulation of pharmacists by the California State Board of Pharmacy and prohibits the refilling of a prescription without the authorization of the prescriber, except as specified.   This bill would require a health care service plan contract or health insurance policy issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2017, that provides coverage for prescription drug benefits to implement a medication synchronization policy for the dispensing of prescription drugs so that prescriptions that are refilled at the same frequency may be filled concurrently. Because a willful violation of the bill's requirements by a health care service plan would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.   The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.   This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.   The Community Redevelopment Law authorizes the establishment of redevelopment agencies in communities to address the effects of blight, as defined, and requires that not less than 20% of taxes allocated to an agency be dedicated for the provision of low- and moderate-income housing. Existing law requires that every redevelopment plan adopted or amended after January 1, 1977, to expand a project area contain a provision that affordable housing units destroyed or removed from the low- and moderate-income housing market as part of a redevelopment project be replaced with dwelling units at affordable cost, as described.   Existing law dissolved redevelopment agencies as of February 1, 2012, and designates successor agencies to act as successor entities to the dissolved redevelopment agencies. Existing law provides for the continued application of specified provisions of the Community Redevelopment Law under certain circumstances.   This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to the provision of the Community Redevelopment Law requiring the replacement of affordable housing units.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no   yes  . State-mandated local program:  no   yes  . THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   Section 1367.248 is added to the   Health and Safety Code   , to read:   1367.248. (a) A health care service plan contract issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2017, that provides coverage for prescription drug benefits shall implement a synchronization policy for the dispensing of prescription drugs to the plan's enrollees. (b) For purposes of this section, "synchronization policy" means a procedure for aligning the refill dates of an enrollee's prescription drugs so that prescriptions that are refilled at the same frequency may be refilled concurrently.   SEC. 2.   Section 10123.208 is added to the   Insurance Code   , to read:   10123.208. (a) A health insurance policy issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2017, that provides coverage for prescription drug benefits shall implement a synchronization policy for the dispensing of prescription drugs to the policy's insured. (b) For purposes of this section, "synchronization policy" means a procedure for aligning the refill dates of an insured's prescription drugs so that prescriptions that are refilled at the same frequency may be refilled concurrently.   SEC. 3.   No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.   SECTION 1.   Section 33334.5 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 33334.5. A redevelopment plan adopted or amended to expand the project area after January 1, 1977, shall contain a provision that whenever dwelling units housing persons and families of low or moderate income are destroyed or removed from the low- and moderate-income housing market as part of a redevelopment project, the agency shall, within four years of that destruction or removal, rehabilitate, develop, or construct, or cause to be rehabilitated, developed, or constructed, for rental or sale to persons and families of low or moderate income an equal number of replacement dwelling units at affordable housing costs, as defined by Section 50052.5, within the project area or within the territorial jurisdiction of the agency, in accordance with Sections 33413 and 33413.5.