Mercury News
SACRAMENTO — The debate over national health care reform has moved to the California Legislature, which this week will begin taking the initial steps to implement the complex series of overhauls prescribed by the federal government.
More than 20 bills have been introduced and as many as a dozen might be voted on this week as lawmakers face a deadline to pass bills out of their house of origin.
Because of California's sheer size, its implementation of the new law could serve as a model for other states. The state has 8.2 million uninsured residents, nearly equivalent to the population of New Jersey. The number has ballooned in recent years as Californians lost jobs and health insurance due to the recession.
The bills seek to enact reforms signed into law by President Barack Obama in March. Among other changes, they would prohibit health insurers from denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions and create an exchange through which individuals could buy insurance.
A separate bill would take state reforms further than federal requirements by making insurance companies obtain state approval before raising their fees.
The bills are considered works in progress that will change over the course of the legislative session, as the state learns more from the federal government about specific requirements in the law.
Republican lawmakers say the flurry of legislative activity is premature because upcoming elections could shift the balance of power in Congress and result in a repeal of the federal reforms. They also say the exchange, a marketplace through which individuals and small-business owners can buy health insurance at affordable rates, could lead to higher insurance rates because fees will be imposed on insurers to recoup its operational costs.
Despite resistance from members of his own party, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has made health care reform a priority. He introduced his own plan in 2007, but it failed, in part because of concerns about runaway costs to the state in future years.
The Republican governor threw his support behind the national reform plan in April, and his office has been meeting with lawmakers to work through the details.
One of the first steps is to establish an exchange. The idea is to create a consumer-friendly website that could be used to compare California health insurance quotes and buy health insurance plans, similar to the packages offered by employers. It also would serve as a place to screen whether an individual is eligible for Medi-Cal, the state's health insurance program for the poor, or other state services. The state would use federal money to run the exchange. It would create a new entity to operate it or work with a nonprofit organization, said Jennifer Kent, Schwarzenegger's deputy legislative secretary.
More than 20 bills have been introduced and as many as a dozen might be voted on this week as lawmakers face a deadline to pass bills out of their house of origin.
Because of California's sheer size, its implementation of the new law could serve as a model for other states. The state has 8.2 million uninsured residents, nearly equivalent to the population of New Jersey. The number has ballooned in recent years as Californians lost jobs and health insurance due to the recession.
The bills seek to enact reforms signed into law by President Barack Obama in March. Among other changes, they would prohibit health insurers from denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions and create an exchange through which individuals could buy insurance.
A separate bill would take state reforms further than federal requirements by making insurance companies obtain state approval before raising their fees.
The bills are considered works in progress that will change over the course of the legislative session, as the state learns more from the federal government about specific requirements in the law.
Republican lawmakers say the flurry of legislative activity is premature because upcoming elections could shift the balance of power in Congress and result in a repeal of the federal reforms. They also say the exchange, a marketplace through which individuals and small-business owners can buy health insurance at affordable rates, could lead to higher insurance rates because fees will be imposed on insurers to recoup its operational costs.
Despite resistance from members of his own party, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has made health care reform a priority. He introduced his own plan in 2007, but it failed, in part because of concerns about runaway costs to the state in future years.
The Republican governor threw his support behind the national reform plan in April, and his office has been meeting with lawmakers to work through the details.
One of the first steps is to establish an exchange. The idea is to create a consumer-friendly website that could be used to compare California health insurance quotes and buy health insurance plans, similar to the packages offered by employers. It also would serve as a place to screen whether an individual is eligible for Medi-Cal, the state's health insurance program for the poor, or other state services. The state would use federal money to run the exchange. It would create a new entity to operate it or work with a nonprofit organization, said Jennifer Kent, Schwarzenegger's deputy legislative secretary.
