SB 1446

  • California Senate Bill
  • 2013-2014 Regular Session
  • Introduced in Senate Feb 21, 2014
  • Passed Senate May 29, 2014
  • Passed Assembly Jun 26, 2014
  • Signed by Governor Jul 07, 2014

Health care coverage: small employer market.

Abstract

Existing federal law, the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) , enacts various health care coverage market reforms that take effect with respect to plan years on or after January 1, 2014. Among other things, PPACA requires each health insurance issuer that offers health insurance coverage in the individual or group market in a state to accept every employer and individual in the state that applies for that coverage and to renew that coverage at the option of the plan sponsor or the individual. PPACA prohibits a group health plan and a health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage from imposing any preexisting condition exclusion with respect to that plan or coverage. PPACA allows the premium rate charged by a health insurance issuer offering small group or individual coverage to vary only by rating area, age, tobacco use, and whether the coverage is for an individual or family and prohibits discrimination against individuals based on health status. PPACA requires a health insurance issuer that offers coverage in the small group or individual market to ensure that the coverage includes the essential health benefits package, as defined. However, guidance issued under PPACA grants transitional relief to health insurance coverage in the individual or small group market for policies in effect on October 1, 2013, that are renewed for a policy year starting between January 1, 2014, and October 1, 2016, and exempts that coverage from certain PPACA reforms, as specified. Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975 (Knox-Keene Act) , provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care. Existing law also provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law implements the PPACA reforms described above under the Knox-Keene Act and the laws governing health insurance. This bill would allow a small employer health care service plan contract or a small employer health insurance policy that was in effect on December 31, 2013, that is still in effect as of the effective date of this act, and that does not qualify as a grandfathered health plan under PPACA, to be renewed until January 1, 2015, and to continue to be in force until December 31, 2015. The bill would exempt those health care service plan contracts and health insurance policies from various provisions of state law that implement the PPACA reforms described above and would require that the contracts and policies be amended to comply with those provisions by January 1, 2016, in order to remain in force on and after that date. The bill would require that these provisions be implemented only to the extent permitted by PPACA. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Bill Sponsors (2)

Votes


Actions


Jul 07, 2014

California State Legislature

Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 84, Statutes of 2014.

California State Legislature

Approved by the Governor.

Jun 30, 2014

California State Legislature

Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3:30 p.m.

Jun 26, 2014

Senate

In Senate. Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

Assembly

Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 5706.) Ordered to the Senate.

Jun 19, 2014

Assembly

Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar.

Jun 18, 2014

Assembly

From committee: Do pass. Ordered to consent calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (June 18).

Jun 11, 2014

Assembly

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 18. Noes 0.) (June 10). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  • Committee-Passage-Favorable
  • Referral-Committee
  • Committee-Passage
Com. on APPR.

Jun 09, 2014

Assembly

Joint Rule 62(a) file notice suspended. (Page 5438.)

Assembly

Referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  • Referral-Committee
Com. on HEALTH.

May 29, 2014

Senate

Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. (Ayes 35. Noes 0. Page 3692.) Ordered to the Assembly.

Assembly

In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

May 28, 2014

Senate

Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

May 27, 2014

Senate

Ordered to second reading.

Senate

Read third time and amended.

May 20, 2014

Senate

Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

May 19, 2014

Senate

From committee: Be placed on second reading file pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.

May 13, 2014

Senate

Set for hearing May 19.

May 12, 2014

Senate

Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  • Amendment-Passage
  • Reading-2
  • Reading-1
  • Referral-Committee
Com. on APPR.

May 08, 2014

Senate

From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0. Page 3402.) (May 7).

Apr 28, 2014

Senate

From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  • Committee-Passage
  • Amendment-Passage
  • Reading-2
  • Reading-1
  • Referral-Committee
Com. on HEALTH.

Apr 24, 2014

Senate

Set for hearing May 7.

Apr 23, 2014

Senate

Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

Apr 11, 2014

Senate

Set for hearing April 30.

Apr 10, 2014

Senate

Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  • Referral-Committee
Com. on HEALTH.

Mar 26, 2014

Senate

Withdrawn from committee.

Senate

Re-referred to Com. on RLS.

  • Referral-Committee
Com. on RLS.

Mar 25, 2014

Senate

From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on T. & H.

  • Committee-Passage
  • Amendment-Passage
  • Reading-2
  • Reading-1
  • Referral-Committee
Com. on T. & H.

Mar 17, 2014

Senate

Referred to Com. on T. & H.

  • Referral-Committee
Com. on T. & H.

Feb 24, 2014

Senate

Read first time.

Feb 23, 2014

Senate

From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 25.

Feb 21, 2014

Senate

Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Bill Text

Bill Text Versions Format
SB1446 HTML
02/21/14 - Introduced PDF
03/25/14 - Amended Senate PDF
04/28/14 - Amended Senate PDF
05/12/14 - Amended Senate PDF
05/27/14 - Amended Senate PDF
06/26/14 - Enrolled PDF
07/07/14 - Chaptered PDF

Related Documents

Document Format
No related documents.

Sources

Data on Open States is updated periodically throughout the day from the official website of the California State Legislature.

If you notice any inconsistencies with these official sources, feel free to file an issue.