Health Care Reform

SBX1 3 (Hernandez) – Support
As Amended on June 19, 2013

SBX1 3, by Senator Ed Hernandez, would create a health care “Bridge Plan” to create a low-cost health plan through Covered California that would help ensure provider continuity for low-income individuals as they move between eligibility for public and private health coverage. 

The CSAC Executive Committee supported as similar measure by Senator Hernandez last year (SB 703) that would have created a Basic Health Plan. 

The current Bridge Plan will allow low-income individuals to affordably purchase health insurance while maintaining provider continuity and a medical home. Developing affordable coverage options is crucial to ensure individuals and families enroll in coverage and retain their existing health care providers. 
For these reasons, CSAC supports SBX1 3. The Senate passed the amended measure on June 27 and it now goes to the Assembly Floor for concurrence. 

Mental Health

AB 1054 (Chesbro) – Support
As Amended April 11, 2013

AB 1054, by Assembly Member Wesley Chesbro, would reduce the annual rate increase that counties pay to Institutions for Mental Disease (IMD) for inpatient psychiatric treatment from 4.7 percent to 3.5 percent. 

The measure, sponsored by CSAC affiliate California Mental Health Directors Association (CMHDA), originally removed the automatic rate increase altogether and would have allowed counties to negotiate rates with IMDs within their borders. For counties, the 4.7 percent annual increase was a significant fiscal concern, as county mental health departments are responsible for the full cost of IMD rates. 

Counties believe 3.5 percent is consistent with a reasonable cost of living adjustment. The Senate Health Committee passed the measure unanimously on June 5. It was placed on the Senate Appropriations Committee consent calendar and is now on the Senate Floor. 

Human Services

AB 260 (Gordon) – Support
As Amended on May 30, 2013

AB 260, by Assembly Member Richard Gordon, would remove the sunset date for the Child Care Subsidy Pilot projects in San Mateo County and extend the sunset date in San Francisco City and County to July 1, 2016. The measure is now on the Senate Third Reading File. 

AB 419 (Lowenthal) – Support
As Introduced on February 15, 2013

AB 419, by Assembly Member Bonnie Lowenthal, will allow full CalWORKs basic needs assistance and services to continue for families whose child or children are hospitalized. 

Under current law, a child being treated in a public hospital is considered to be “temporarily absent” from the home for the first two months of his or her hospital stay. However, this designation does not apply to children who are treated in private hospitals, where they are instead deemed “temporarily absent” for their entire stay, regardless of length. While this situation does not happen often, it can be devastating for the families who lose a portion of their CalWORKs basic needs assistance and services while their child or children are hospitalized. Assembly Bill 419 would correct this small loophole.

AB 419 is sponsored by CSAC affiliate County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA) and was passed by the Senate Human Services Committee on June 11. The Senate Appropriations Committee will hear AB 419 on July 1.

Public Health

SB 191 (Padilla) – Support
As Amended on June 25, 2013

SB 191, by Senator Alex Padilla, would remove the sunset date for local Maddy Emergency Medical Services Funds (Maddy Funds) to allow counties to continue to assist hospitals and emergency physicians with the costs of treating uninsured patients, local emergency services, and pediatric trauma care. 

Senate Bill 191 simply removes the January 1, 2014 sunset date for local Maddy Funds. Counties supported measures creating and sustaining Maddy Funds, and nearly all counties currently operate a Maddy Fund by collecting an additional $2 for every $10 penalty for all criminal offenses and moving violations. This funding is allocated to hospitals and emergency physicians to reimburse them for care given to uninsured patients and allows counties to supplement local emergency services. Fifteen percent of the funds collected are also directed to pediatric trauma care (Richie’s Fund), representing the only statewide funding source for these critical services for kids. 

CSAC supports SB 191. The Assembly Health Committee passed the measure on June 18 and it is now on the Assembly Floor. 

AB 506 (Mitchell) – Support
As Amended on June 14, 2013

AB 506, by Assembly Member Holly Mitchell, would authorize social workers and health care providers to consent to an HIV test for a child under the age of one year who is in temporary custody or is a dependent child of the court. The bill has been amended to allay the concerns of health officials, civil rights advocates, and others to ensure confidentiality and access to care for the children and parents in these situations. 

CSAC supports AB 506 and Los Angeles County is the sponsor of the bill. The Senate Judiciary Committee passed AB 506 as amended on June 25.