California Assembly Bill AB2345 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2345AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 18, 2016 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Ridley-Thomas FEBRUARY 18, 2016 An act  to add Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 127650) to Part 2 of Division 107 of the Health and Safety Code,  relating to health care. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2345, as amended, Ridley-Thomas.  Health care: patient access.   Commission on Health Care Cost Review.   Existing law establishes various programs relating to health policy and planning in this state. Existing law establishes the California Health Benefit Review Program to assess legislation that proposes to mandate or repeal a mandated health benefit or service, as defined, and to prepare a written analysis with relevant data on specified information, including public health impacts and financial impacts.   This bill would establish the Commission on Health Care Cost Review to study and report every 2 years to the Assembly and Senate Committees on Health on public policies affecting health care costs and access to health care coverage in California. The commission would be comprised of 5 members, with 3 members appointed by the Governor, one member appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, and one member appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, subject to 4-year terms. The bill would authorize the Department of Managed Health Care to accept voluntary contributions to be deposited into the Health Care Affordability Fund, which the bill would create in the State Treasury, to fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, the costs of the operation of the commission. The bill would provide that the implementation of these provisions is contingent upon a determination of the department that sufficient voluntary contributions exist or will exist in the Health Care Affordability Fund.   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   yes  . State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 127650) is added to Part 2 of Division 107 of   the   Health and Safety Code   , to read:   CHAPTER 6. COMMISSION ON HEALTH CARE COST REVIEW 127650. The Commission on Health Care Cost Review is hereby created. 127651. (a) The commission shall consist of five members. Three members shall be appointed by the Governor, one member shall be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, and one member shall be appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly. Each member shall serve a term of four years. (b) Members of the commission shall not receive compensation. The commission may conduct virtual meetings. 127652. (a) The commission shall study and analyze public policies affecting health care costs and access to health care coverage in California. (b) (1) The commission shall report its findings to the Assembly and Senate Committees on Health every two years. (2) A report submitted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. 127653. (a) The Department of Managed Health Care may accept voluntary contributions to pay for the costs of operation of the commission established under this chapter. These voluntary contributions shall be deposited into the Health Care Affordability Fund, which is hereby created in the State Treasury. The moneys in the Health Care Affordability Fund shall be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for purposes of funding the costs of the operation of the commission. No state funds shall be used to fund the operation of the commission established under this chapter. (b) The implementation of this chapter shall be contingent upon a determination by the Department of Managed Health Care that sufficient voluntary contributions exist or will exist in the Health Care Affordability Fund. Upon making this determination the Department of Managed Health Care shall notify the Legislature that sufficient voluntary contributions exist or will exist in the Health Care Affordability Fund.   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.