BILL NUMBER: AB 2345INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Ridley-Thomas FEBRUARY 18, 2016 An act relating to health care. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2345, as introduced, Ridley-Thomas. Health care: patient access. 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. 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. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: 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.