SB 944

  • California Senate Bill
  • 2021-2022 Regular Session
  • Introduced in Senate Feb 08, 2022
  • Passed Senate May 23, 2022
  • Passed Assembly Aug 31, 2022
  • Governor

California Health Benefit Exchange: affordability assistance.

Abstract

Existing federal law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) , requires each state to establish an American Health Benefit Exchange to facilitate the purchase of qualified health benefit plans by qualified individuals and qualified small employers. Existing state law creates the California Health Benefit Exchange (Exchange) , also known as Covered California, to facilitate the enrollment of qualified individuals and qualified small employers in qualified health plans as required under PPACA. Existing law requires the Exchange, in consultation with stakeholders and the Legislature, to develop options for providing cost-sharing reduction subsidies to reduce cost sharing for low- and middle-income Californians, and requires the Exchange to report the developed options on or before January 1, 2022. Existing law requires the options to include, among other things, options for all Covered California enrollees with income up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level to reduce cost sharing, including copays, deductibles, coinsurance, and maximum out-of-pocket costs. This bill would require the Exchange to implement those options for providing health care affordability assistance. The bill would require the affordability assistance to reduce cost-sharing, including copays, coinsurance, and maximum out-of-pocket costs, if specified enhanced federal premium subsidies are made available for the 2023 and 2024 calendar years, and to eliminate deductibles for all benefits to the extent feasible. The bill would require the Exchange to adopt standard benefit designs consistent with these specifications. Existing law requires the Exchange to administer a program of health care coverage financial assistance to help low-income and middle-income Californians. Existing law authorizes this program to provide financial assistance to California residents with household incomes at or below 600% of the federal poverty level, and to provide other appropriate subsidies designed to make health care coverage more accessible and affordable for individuals and households. This bill would require the program to provide that financial assistance and other appropriate subsidies if funded through an appropriation.

Bill Sponsors (3)

Votes


Actions


Sep 13, 2022

Senate

In Senate. Consideration of Governor's veto pending.

Senate

Vetoed by the Governor.

California State Legislature

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

Aug 31, 2022

Assembly

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate.

Senate

Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 29. Noes 8. Page 5393.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

Senate

In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.

Aug 22, 2022

Assembly

Ordered to third reading.

Assembly

Read third time and amended. (Ayes 59. Noes 14. Page 6024.)

Aug 15, 2022

Assembly

Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

Aug 11, 2022

Assembly

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 12. Noes 4.) (August 11).

Aug 03, 2022

Assembly

August 3 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file.

Jun 29, 2022

Assembly

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 2.) (June 28). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

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

May 27, 2022

Assembly

Referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  • Referral-Committee
Com. on HEALTH.

May 24, 2022

Assembly

In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

May 23, 2022

Senate

Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 27. Noes 8. Page 3836.) Ordered to the Assembly.

May 19, 2022

Senate

Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

Senate

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 2. Page 3776.) (May 19).

May 13, 2022

Senate

Set for hearing May 19.

Apr 18, 2022

Senate

April 18 hearing: Placed on APPR suspense file.

Apr 05, 2022

Senate

Set for hearing April 18.

Mar 24, 2022

Senate

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 2. Page 3203.) (March 23). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

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

Mar 11, 2022

Senate

Set for hearing March 23.

Feb 16, 2022

Senate

Referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  • Referral-Committee
Com. on HEALTH.

Feb 09, 2022

Senate

From printer.

Feb 08, 2022

Senate

Article IV Section 8(a) of the Constitution and Joint Rule 55 dispensed with February 7, 2022, suspending the 30 calendar day requirement.

Senate

Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Bill Text

Bill Text Versions Format
SB944 HTML
02/08/22 - Introduced PDF
08/22/22 - Amended Assembly PDF
09/08/22 - Enrolled PDF

Related Documents

Document Format
03/21/22- Senate Health PDF
04/15/22- Senate Appropriations PDF
05/21/22- Sen. Floor Analyses PDF
06/24/22- Assembly Health PDF
08/01/22- Assembly Appropriations PDF
08/17/22- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS PDF
08/22/22- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS PDF
08/31/22- Sen. Floor Analyses PDF
09/21/22- Sen. Floor Analyses PDF

Sources

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