Schwarzenegger Takes Action on Rescissions, Other Health Bills

Sat Oct 9 10:57:30 PDT 2010

 CAL/AAEM: California Chapter of the American Academy of Emergency
Medicine <http://www.aaem.org/emails/images/calaaem_header.gif> 

September 30, 2010

Schwarzenegger Takes Action on Rescissions, Other Health Bills

CaliforniaHealthline
<http://www.californiahealthline.org/articles/2010/9/30/schwarzenegger
-takes-action-on-rescissions-other-health-bills.aspx#ixzz118upD5hS> 

On Wednesday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) signed and vetoed several
health care-related bills, the AP/Ventura County Star reports.
However, Schwarzenegger has yet to take action on two bills (AB 1602
and SB 900) that would set up a statewide health insurance exchange
under the federal health reform law. Thursday is the last day for the
governor to sign and veto legislation (AP/Ventura County Star, 9/29).

Vetoed Bills

Schwarzenegger vetoed AB 2540, by Assembly Member Hector De La Torre
(D- South Gate), which would have made it illegal for a health plan to
collect a policyholder's premiums and then rescind coverage after the
member becomes ill. 

Schwarzenegger said he vetoed the measure because it would duplicate
provisions that already are included in the federal health care reform
law and other bills he plans to sign (McGreevy/Dolan, Los Angeles
Times, 9/30). 

Other bills Schwarzenegger vetoed include:

•      AB 2042, by Assembly member Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles), which
would have prohibited health plans from raising rates more than once
each calendar year; 

•      AB 1600, by Assembly member Jim Beall (D-San Jose), which would
have required most health insurers to cover the diagnosis and
treatment of mental illness; 

•      AB 113, by Assembly member Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada
Flintridge), which would have required most health insurers to cover
mammograms (AP/Ventura County Star, 9/29); 

•      AB 542, by Feuer, which would have prohibited the state from
providing Medi-Cal reimbursements for certain preventable medical
errors. Medi-Cal is California's Medicaid program; 

•      SB 56, by Sen. Elaine Alquist (D-Santa Clara), which would have
authorized certain local health programs to form joint ventures
(Office of the Governor release, 9/29); and 

•      SB 1119, by Sen. Roderick Wright (D-Inglewood), which would
have required nursing employment agencies to verify whether nurses are
fit to work (Los Angeles Times, 9/30).

Signed Legislation

Schwarzenegger signed AB 1503, by Assembly Member Ted Lieu
(D-Torrance), which requires physicians who provide emergency medical
services in hospitals to give discounts to uninsured or very
low-income patients who face high medical costs (AP/Ventura County
Star, 9/29).

The governor also approved SB 1237, by Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima),
which requires hospitals to disclose and record radiation overdoses
that occur during CT scans (Los Angeles Times, 9/30).

Read more:
http://www.californiahealthline.org/articles/2010/9/30/schwarzenegger-
takes-action-on-rescissions-other-health-bills.aspx#ixzz118upD5hS 

Abid Mogannam &
Brian Potts MD, MBA
Managing Editors, CAL/AAEM News Service
University of California, Irvine

Contact us at:  <mailto:somcaaem at uci.edu> somcaaem at uci.edu

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