AB 2502

Bill Subjects

Abstract

Existing law establishes health care coverage programs to provide health care to segments of the population meeting specified criteria who are otherwise unable to afford health care coverage and provides for the licensure and regulation of health insurers and health care service plans. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to establish a system to collect information regarding the cost of health care. The bill would require the Secretary of California Health and Human Services, no later than January 1, 2020, to establish, implement, and administer the California Health Care Payments Database, among other duties. The bill would require certain health care entities, including health care service plans, to provide specified information to the secretary. The bill would authorize the secretary to report a health care entity that fails to comply with that requirement to the health care entity's regulating agency, and would authorize the regulating agency to enforce that requirement using its existing enforcement procedures, as specified. The bill would require all uses of data made pursuant to these provisions to comply with all applicable state and federal laws for the protection of the privacy and security of data and would prohibit the secretary from publicly disclosing any unaggregated, individually identifiable health information. The bill would also require the secretary to convene a review committee composed of a broad spectrum of health care stakeholders and experts, as specified, to advise the secretary on the establishment, implementation, and ongoing administration of the California Health Care Payments Database. The bill would require the secretary to arrange for the preparation of an annual report to the Legislature and the Governor that examines and addresses specified issues, including, among others, recommendations for containing the cost of health care services and coverage. The bill would prohibit members of the committee from receiving a per diem, travel expense reimbursement, or any other expense reimbursement. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.