Insurance

Automobile Insurance
Health Insurance
Earthquake Insurance
Miscellaneous

Automobile Insurance

SB 171 (Escutia-D) Automobile insurance: lifeline policies

Requires insurers that participate in the California Assigned Risk Plan to also participate in a pilot program established by the State Insurance Commissioner for the County of Los Angeles to offer, until January 1, 2004, a low-cost automobile insurance policy. Provides that the low-cost policy will provide coverage of $10,000 for liability for bodily injury or death to one person, subject to a cumulative limit of $20,000 for all persons, and $3,000 for liability for damage to property. Provides that the low-cost policy satisfies the financial responsibility laws. Specifies annual rates offered initially under the pilot project program until such time as the rates are adjusted in accordance with procedures established in this bill. Specifies certain surcharges be added to the base rate in certain areas.

Chapter 794, Statutes of 1999

SB 363 (Figueroa-D) Automotive insurance: child safety seats

Requires automobile insurance policies to cover replacement of child safety seats involved in accidents, as specified.

Chapter 183, Statutes of 1999

SB 519 (Lewis-R) Automobile insurance: limited coverage policies

Allows an insurer to issue a policy of auto insurance that exclusively covers the named insured, and does not cover any other person whatsoever, including, but not limited to, any person using the motor vehicle with the insured's express or implied permission.

(Failed passage in Senate Insurance Committee; reconsideration granted)

SB 527 (Speier-D) Automobile insurance: low-cost policies

Requires insurers that participate in the California Assigned Risk Plan to also participate in a pilot program established by the Insurance Commissioner for the City and County of San Francisco to offer, until January 1, 2004, a low-cost insurance policy. The low-cost policy would provide coverage of $10,000 for liability for bodily injury or death to one person, subject to a cumulative limit of $20,000 for all persons, and $3,000 for liability for damage to property. The policy would satisfy the financial responsibility laws. Specifies annual rates offered initially under the pilot program, until the time as the rates are adjusted in accordance with procedures established in this bill. Specifies certain surcharges to be added to the base rate in certain cases.

Chapter 807, Statutes of 1999

SB 652 (Speier-D) Vehicles: financial responsibility

Deletes the January 1, 2000, sunset date on the requirement that a person show proof of insurance or other financial responsibility when renewing registration of a vehicle and revises provisions concerning the financial responsibility law. Revises the financial penalties for driving without insurance. Becomes operative only if either SB 171, SB 527, or both, are enacted.

Chapter 880, Statutes of 1999

Similar legislation was AB 959 (Scott-D) which is in Assembly Appropriations Committee.

SB 863 (Peace-D) Rental vehicles

Prohibits a rental company from renting a passenger vehicle to any person unless that person provides evidence of financial responsibility applicable to the vehicle to be rented, or that person purchases a financial responsibility policy from the rental company or any authorized agent at the time of rental.

(In Senate Judiciary Committee)

SB 940 (Speier-D) Insurers: fees

Levies an additional $0.50 fee on each automobile insurance policy to fund enhanced auto-fraud activities.

Chapter 884, Statutes of 1999

SB 944 (Johnson-R) Vehicles

Makes a number of revisions in third-party actions and involving bodily injury, limits fees that health care providers may charge, revises law requiring exchange of certain information between drivers at the scene of an accident, reduces liability insurance policy on bond amounts, and allows an insurer to offer, as a policy action, coverage only to the named insured.

(In Senate Judiciary Committee)

SB 1022 (Johnston-D) Automobile insurance: good driver discount

Clarifies existing law regarding the offer and sale of a Good Driver Discount automobile insurance policy by defining a representative to include employees of insurers. States that the law regarding offer and sale of such a policy by an agent or representative representing one or more insurers having common ownership, management or control is not to be construed to either permit a representative to transact insurance, or to exempt a representative who does transact insurance, from licensing under the Insurance Code. Specifies that a notice of cancellation of an insurance policy is also valid if based on a substantial increase in the hazard insured against.

Chapter 309, Statutes of 1999

SB 1026 (Karnette-D) Proof of financial responsibility

Makes it a misdemeanor to make, sell, or use false documentation as evidence of proof of financial responsibility as required by the Vehicle Code.

(In Assembly Public Safety Committee)

SB 1237 (Escutia-D) Auto insurers: dispute resolutions

Establishes a new alternative dispute resolution process whereby a claimant or a third-party insurer in auto injury cases valued at less than $50,000 may request binding arbitration so long as the claimant is represented by counsel, as specified.

Chapter 720, Statutes of 1999

SB 1296 (Polanco-D) Property and liability insurance: automobile insurance

Prohibits the nonrenewal of auto insurance policies solely on the grounds that a claim is pending under the policy. Provides that an agreement between the auto insurer and the insured to exclude a named person from coverage shall extend to all coverage provided under the policy, including uninsured motorist coverage.

Chapter 313, Statutes of 1999

AB 62 (Papan-D) Rental car insurance

Creates and establishes fees for a new type of production agency license, called a rental car agent license, which authorizes a rental car company or the franchisee of a rental car company to offer to its customers insurance of an authorized insurer for specified types of insurance, if the insurance is offered by a representative of the licensee who is an endorsee on the license and the insurance is sold as part of a vehicle rental transaction.

Chapter 618, Statutes of 1999

Similar legislation was SB 749 (Hughes-D) which is in Assembly Appropriations Committee; SB 1017 (Lewis-R) which is in Assembly Insurance Committee; and AB 393 (Scott-D) which is on Assembly Inactive File.

AB 509 (Calderon-D) Automotive lubricant product warranties

Specifies that auto lubricant warranties are not automobile insurance if the obligor is a manufacturer of motor vehicle lubricants, treatments, fluids, or additives subject to certain specified conditions.

Chapter 238, Statutes of 1999

AB 733 (Cox-R) Automobile insurance: fraud assessment

Increases the insurer assessment from $1 to $2 per insured vehicle to increase enforcement efforts to combat auto insurance fraud.

(In Assembly Insurance Committee)

AB 834 (Cardoza-D) Auto insurance: unlawful conduct

Makes it a felony to produce or sell any false, altered, forged, etc., document of evidence of auto insurance and makes it a misdemeanor to possess such documents or to present them to a peace officer or the State Department of Motor Vehicles.

(In Senate Public Safety Committee)

AB 976 (Cardoza-D) Vehicles: liability insurance

Enacts the California Low-Cost Auto Insurance Policy Act of 1999 which allows a person whose household income does not exceed 150 percent of the federal poverty level to satisfy the financial responsibility laws by purchasing a Basic Benefits Auto Insurance Policy.

(In Assembly Insurance Committee)

AB 1050 (Wright-D) Insurance: fraudulent claims

Enacts the Organized Crime Prevention and Victim Protection Act of 1999 which increases funding for, and imposes additional requirements related to, prevention of auto insurance fraud.

Chapter 885, Statutes of 1999

AB 1309 (Scott-D) Cleanup bill to SB 1237

Clarifies and modifies SB 1237 which creates a qualified right for a third party to bring an action for bad faith against an insurer for unfair claims practice by restricting third party bad faith actions to individuals for bodily injury, wrongful death, or property damage resulting from an accident involving a motor vehicle and makes a person convicted of driving under the influence ineligible to file an action for bad faith.

Chapter 721, Statutes of 1999

AB 1431 (Oller-R) Vehicles: financial responsibility

Requires the State Department of Insurance to select random samples of vehicle registrations, not to exceed 15 percent of the total number of vehicles registered, for purposes of verifying in accordance with a procedure involving insurers, whether those vehicles are insured as described in specified provisions relating to vehicle liability policies or bonds. Provides for suspension of an owner's vehicle registration if the department finds that proof of insurance submitted by a vehicle owner to the department, as specified, is false or that the owner has allowed the insurance to lapse.

(In Assembly Transportation Committee)

AB 1432 (Oller-R) Insurance: tax credit

Allows an insurer premium tax credit equal to the amount that would be due on premiums paid by previously uninsured motorists who participate in the San Francisco and Los Angeles low-cost automobile insurance policy pilot projects.

Chapter 808, Statutes of 1999

Health Insurance

SB 5 (Rainey-R) Health care: breast cancer services

Requires full-service health care service plan contracts and certain disability insurance policies issued, amended, delivered or renewed on or after January 1, 2000, to provide coverage for the screening, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, prevents denial of enrollment or coverage based on a family history of breast cancer, and clarifies that coverage includes providing mammograms.

Chapter 537, Statutes of 1999

SB 18 (Figueroa-D) Health care: fee disclosures

Requires HMOs to make available to the public criteria for deciding whether to allow or deny health care services. Requires health insurers to have written policies whereby the insurer makes decisions about whether to approve requests for health care services. Specifies that policies are to be developed based on sound clinical principles and criteria, determined by appropriate practitioners, and evaluated and updated on an annual basis.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 19 (Figueroa-D) Health insurance: medical records

Extends provisions of existing law, the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act, that apply to health care providers to also apply to health care service plans and contractors, as specified. Prohibits a plan, provider, or contractor from intentionally sharing, selling, or otherwise using medical information for any purpose, except as provided in the law, or as allowed by the patient.

Chapter 526, Statutes of 1999

SB 21 (Figueroa-D) Health care service plans: accountability

Enacts the Managed Health Care Insurance Accountability Act of 1999, requiring that a health care service plan or managed care entity, for services rendered on or after January 1, 2001, have a duty of ordinary care to provide medically appropriate health care service to its subscribers and enrollees, where the health care service is a benefit provided under the plan. Makes a plan or entity liable for any and all harm legally covered by the failure to exercise ordinary care, as specified.

Chapter 536, Statutes of 1999

SB 41 (Speier-D) Disability insurance: contraception services

Enacts the Women's Contraception Equity Act by requiring disability (health) insurers to provide prescription drug benefits to cover a variety of prescription contraceptive methods approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration as of January 1, 2000, subject to exemption for religious employees, as specified.

Chapter 538, Statutes of 1999

Similar legislation is AB 39 (Hertzberg), Chapter 532, Statutes of 1999.

SB 59 (Perata-D) Health care coverage

Requires health plans and health insurers to adopt and follow specified policies and procedures when determining whether to authorize or deny treatment, and requires adoption of a standard Medi-Cal notice form.

Chapter 539, Statutes of 1999

SB 64 (Solis-D) Health insurance: diabetes

Requires all health policies and plans, as specified, to provide coverage for the management and treatment of diabetes, as specified.

Chapter 540, Statutes of 1999

SB 107* (Polanco-D) Healthy Families Program

Makes several changes to the Healthy Families Program, including (1) revising the income eligibility ceiling to 300 percent of the federal poverty level, (2) adjusting monthly premiums of the program, (3) providing eligibility for children between the ages of one and 19, and (4) requiring the use of "net income" in determining Medi-Cal eligibility.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

Similar legislation is AB 48 (Cedillo) which is in the Assembly Health Committee.

SB 112 (Figueroa-D) Healthy Families Program

Requires the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board to arrange for payment of providers who participate in the Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) program for services that would cover for up to 90 days initial services to CHDP-eligible children.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 114 (Escutia-D) Health insurance: Medicare supplements

Requires health care service plans (health plans) and disability insurers (health insurers) to offer Medicare supplement contracts to Medicare beneficiaries, regardless of age or disability, whose coverage has been terminated by a managed care plan. Specifically requires health plans and health insurers that offer Medicare supplement coverage on a guaranteed basis to Medicare patients who have been terminated by a managed care plan to also offer contracts to terminated patients who are eligible for Medicare by reason of disability, provided no other managed care plan is available in the patient's geographic area. Requires that premium rates for such contracts for disabled patients under 65 years of age shall not exceed the highest rate for patients who are 65 years of age under the same contract.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 148 (Alpert-D) Health care coverage: phenylketonuria (PKU)

Requires health care service plan contracts and specified disability (health) policies to provide coverage for the testing and treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU) on and after July 1, 2000.

Chapter 541, Statutes of 1999

SB 168 (Speier-D) Healthy Families Program

Makes various changes to the employer purchasing credit component of the Healthy Families Program and expands Healthy Families Program coverage to the entire family, if it is cost effective to do so.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 169 (Speier-D) Health care service plans

Prohibits contracting with any HMO that participates in federal Medicare managed care in California, but terminated coverage by withdrawal from or a reduction in service area. Exempts from this ban plans that offer Medicare managed care throughout the plan's entire proposed contracted service area. The prohibition applies to contracts arranged by the Public Employees' Retirement System, the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board, and the California Medical Assistance Commission.

(Failed passage in Assembly Health Committee; reconsideration granted)

SB 173 (Alpert-D) Contracted dental services

Prohibits any person, association, or corporation from establishing, conducting, or maintaining a program to provide patients with access to contracted dental services and charging the consumer a fixed fee for that access without first registering with the State Board of Dental Examiners.

Exempts these provisions from licensing requirements of, and regulations adopted pursuant to, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975.

(In the Assembly Health Committee)

SB 180 (Sher-D) Healthy Families Program

Requires the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board to provide $5 million for contracts to community-based organizations to help families learn about and enroll in Medi-Cal and Healthy Families. Also requires an independent evaluation of the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the outreach programs to be completed by June 1, 2000.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 189 (Schiff-D) Health care coverage: grievance review

Requires the creation or reform of dispute resolution systems related to patient complaints against health plans and health insurers. Specifically adopts conforming provisions of AB 55 (independent review) and provisions of AB 78 (HMO reorganization).

Chapter 542, Statutes of 1999

SB 205 (Perata-D) Health coverage: cancer screening tests

Requires every health care service plan contract and health insurance policy, as specified, to be deemed to provide coverage for all generally accepted cancer screening tests, as specified, beginning July 1, 2000.

Chapter 543, Statutes of 1999

SB 217 (Baca-D) Health care coverage: surveys

Requires that HMOs conduct annual surveys of plan subscribers and enrollees to identify their satisfaction with the plan, as specified.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 254 (Speier-D) Health insurance: independent review

Establishes an external, independent review system in the State Department of Corporations and the State Department of Insurance to review a decision to deny benefits by a plan or insurer.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 55 (Migden) was a similar bill that became Chapter 533, Statutes of 1999.

SB 260 (Speier-D) Health care coverage: risk-bearing organizations

Requires the regulation of risk-bearing provider organizations to help ensure the financial solvency of medical groups and continuity of care for patients. Establishes the Financial Solvency Standard Board.

Chapter 529, Statutes of 1999

Similar legislation was AB 698 (Corbett-D) which is in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

SB 265 (Speier-D) Health care coverage: federally defined elig. individuals

Revises existing law to conform to the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, including requiring a health care service plan or insurer, as specified, to issue coverage to federally eligible individuals who were previously covered under a group contract for 18 months.

(Failed passage in Assembly Health Committee; reconsideration granted)

SB 271 (Speier-D) Health coverage: continuation of coverage

Requires HMOs and health insurers to offer additional coverage to former employees aged 55 who enroll in the first 18 months of continuation benefits after ending employment. The option allows the former employee to continue coverage until the initiation of Medicare coverage. Allows spouses of separated employees to participate in continuation coverage on the same basis as the employee spouse by removing the current five year limitation on the spouse's access to continuation benefits.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 292 (Figueroa-D) Dental Independent Review System

Requires specialized health care service plans that provide dental benefits, and dental insurers, to allow for the obtaining of second opinions, as specified. Allows a participating dentist who is treating an enrollee or insured to act on behalf of the enrollee or insured in any applicable grievance or appeals process involving a benefit that has been denied, delayed, etc., as specified.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

SB 337 (Figueroa-D) Health coverage

Prohibits an HMO from expending or allocating more than 15 percent of gross revenues for administrative costs. Applies to plans with fewer than 25,000 covered persons, as specified.

(In Senate Insurance Committee)

SB 362 (Alpert-D) Health care coverage: ovarian cancer

Requires every health care service plan contract, as specified, and every policy of disability insurance, as specified, to provide coverage for screening for, diagnosis of, and treatment of ovarian cancer, as specified.

(On Senate Inactive File)

SB 421 (Figueroa-D) Health care coverage: clinical practice guidelines

Requires, if health care service plans or health insurers develop or use, clinical guidelines, that the guidelines are to be based on enumerated criteria specified in the bill.

(In Senate Insurance Committee)

SB 422 (Figueroa-D) Health care service plans: prior authorization

Requires health plans to notify patients and physicians, in writing, of decisions to deny or modify prior authorization requests for health care services. Requires denials to include the name and phone number of the health care professional responsible for denial or change.

(In Assembly; held at Desk)

SB 468 (Polanco-D) Health care coverage: mental illness

Requires health care service plans and disability insurers to cover mental illness under the same rates, terms and conditions as applied to other medical conditions.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

Similar legislation was AB 88 (Thomson) which became Chapter 534, Statutes of 1999.

SB 475 (Dunn-D) Long-term care insurance: rate guide

Requires the State Insurance Commissioner to annually prepare a consumer rate guide for long-term care insurance. Specifies the dates and methods for distributing the guide. Requires each insurer to provide, and the State Department of Insurance to collect, data on long-term care policies and certificates, including all policies, whether issued by the insurer or purchased or acquired from another insurer, in the United States, on or after January 1, 1990.

Chapter 669, Statutes of 1999

SB 480 (Solis-D) Health care coverage

Requires a report to the Legislature on the options for achieving universal health care coverage and specifies a process to develop these options. Requires the Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency to report back by December 1, 2001.

Chapter 990, Statutes of 1999

SB 514 (Chesbro-D) Health care coverage

Establishes the Rural Health Care Equity Trust Fund to provide subsidies and reimbursements for certain health care provisions and health care costs incurred by state employees and annuitants in rural areas.

Chapter 743, Statutes of 1999

SB 559 (Brulte-R) Health care providers: preferred rates

Requires specified disclosure and contracting requirements with respect to health plan and health insurance contracts pending for the payment of preferred reimbursement rates for health care services, effective July 1, 2000.

Chapter 545, Statutes of 1999

SB 566 (Escutia-D) School health programs

Requires Healthy Family and Medi-Cal HMOs to contract with school based health facilities for services to children.

(In Senate Insurance Committee)

SB 737 (Senate Insurance Committee) Small employer health insurance

Conforms state law to federal regulations by providing that an eligible employee for small employer health insurance who has declined coverage during a previous enrollment period may enroll himself or herself and his or her dependents when a person becomes a dependent of the eligible employee through marriage, birth, adoption, or placement for adoption.

Chapter 434, Statutes of 1999

SB 738 (Speier-D) Long-term care programs

Eliminates the pilot program statute of the California Partnership for Long Term Care and extends the sunset date for policies delivered or renewed before July 1, 2005, as specified.

Chapter 802, Statutes of 1999

SB 743 (Escutia-D) Healthy Families Program

Extends the $250 annual copayment limit in the Healthy Families Program to include copayments for dental and vision care, as well as medical care.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

SB 744 (Escutia-D) Healthy Families Program

Requires that a child's family have a gross annual household income equal to or less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level for purposes of eligibility.

(In Senate Insurance Committee)

SB 764 (Senate Insurance Committee) Medicare supplement insurance

Provides for a new organizational framework for existing provisions of state law related to Medicare supplement policies and contracts, and conforms state law with federal law.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 870 (Vasconcellos-D) Long-term care insurance

Makes comprehensive, substantive changes to the long-term care insurance law that affects individual and group policy benefits and establishes and modifies marketing and disclosure requirements.

Chapter 947, Statutes of 1999

SB 880 (Speier-D) Health care: screening tests

Requires HMOs and health insurers' reimbursement rates for mammography and cervical cancer screening to equal or exceed rates paid by Medi-Cal. Sets Medi-Cal rates for (1) mammography to equal the Medicare rate and (2) annual cervical cancer screening tests to equal provider costs but not less than $15. Provider costs estimates can be based on a random cost survey of clinical laboratories.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 898 (Dunn-D) Long-term care policies

Requires group long-term care policies and certificates to be either guaranteed renewable or noncancelable. Requires approval of the State Insurance Commissioner before individual or group long-term care insurance may be offered, sold, issued, or delivered in this State, as specified.

(In Assembly Insurance Committee)

SB 1047* (Murray-D) Health Insurance Act of 1999

Enacts the Health Insurance Act of 1999 by requiring a report to the Legislature by January 1, 2000, analyzing the feasibility of consolidating the Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, and Access for Infants and Mothers Program, and creating a single public insurance purchasing pool.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 1053 (Poochigian-R) Health coverage: choice of providers

Permits enrollees of a health care service plan to obtain services from an in-plan, out-of-service area provider, for a condition that has a likelihood of causing death, loss of limb, or loss of vital bodily function within two years from the date of request for out-of-service-area physician services.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 1177 (Perata-D) Health care: unfair payment practices

Imposes penalties and court awards against health care service plans for late or nonpayment of emergency care claims.

(On Assembly Inactive File)

SB 1181 (Polanco-D) Health care service plans: service areas

Requires the State Department of Corporations (DOC) to notice and conduct public hearings upon receiving notification from a health care service plan of its intention to withdraw from a service area. Makes withdrawals under prescribed circumstances a violation of law and establishes notification requirements for health care service plans and reporting requirements for DOC. Limits the application of the bill to areas in or part of a frontier county.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

SB 1185 (Johnston-D) Genetic characteristics

Specifies that genetic characteristics, as used in the prohibitions on disclosure of the results of tests for such characteristics contained in an applicant or enrollee's medical records by a health care service plan, has the same meaning as that set forth in provisions governing discrimination in the enrollment of plans.

Chapter 311, Statutes of 1999

SB 1224 (Speier-D) Health care service plans: regulations

Repeals the requirements that the State Commissioner of Corporations and the State Insurance Commissioner consult prior to the adoption of regulations applicable to health care service plans, nonprofit benefit service plans, and certain disability insurers.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 1259 (Brulte-R) Health coverage: dental services

Provides that health care service plans and health insurance policies that cover dental benefits are deemed to cover dental services legally rendered by a registered dental hygienist in alternative practice, as specified.

(In Senate Insurance Committee)

SJR 1 (Speier-D) Medicare coverage

Requires the federal government to take steps to ensure that persons abandoned by Medicare HMOs have access to other HMOs or Medigap policies and to rescind the determination that disabled persons under 65 years of age enrolled in HMOs do not have the same rights as other Medicare enrollees, and memorializes the President to issue an Executive Order directing his administration to work closely and coordinate with California and other states to guide and assist Medicare enrollees who are abandoned by their HMOs to obtain new Medicare coverage.

Resolution Chapter 63, Statutes of 1999

AB 12 (Davis-D) Health care coverage: second opinions

Requires health care service plans and health insurers to provide or authorize second medical opinions.

Chapter 531, Statutes of 1999

AB 26 (Migden-D) Health care coverage: domestic partners

Extends health benefits to domestic partners under the Public Employees' Medical and Hospital Care Act.

Chapter 588, Statutes of 1999

AB 39 (Hertzberg-D) Health care coverage: contraceptive drugs

Requires every group health care service plan contract, and every individual health care service plan contract, amended, renewed, or delivered on or after January 1, 2000, except for a specialized health care service plan contract, to provide coverage, under terms and conditions applicable to other benefits, for a variety of federal Food and Drug Administration approved prescription contraceptive methods. Authorizes certain religious employers, as defined, to request a health care service plan contract without coverage for those contraceptive methods in certain circumstances.

Chapter 532, Statutes of 1999

Similar legislation was SB 41 (Speier) which became Chapter 538, Statutes of 1999.

AB 55 (Migden-D) Health care coverage: independent medical review

Establishes the State Department of Managed Care for health server plans and the State Department of Insurance for other insurance policies as independent medical review systems, as specified.

Chapter 533, Statutes of 1999

A similar bill is AB 1577 (Rod Pacheco-R) which failed passage in Assembly Judiciary Committee; reconsideration granted.

AB 78 (Gallegos-D) State Department of Managed Health Care

Transfers implementation of the health care service plans from the State Department of Corporations to a new State Department of Managed Health Care within the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency. Establishes an Office of Patient Advocate to assist patients who have complaints against their HMOs, or who need help in using the new independent review process, and to develop educational guides for consumers relative to their health care rights.

Chapter 525, Statutes of 1999

A similar bill was SB 420 (Figueroa-D) which is in Senate Insurance Committee.

AB 88 (Thomson-D) Health care coverage: mental illness

Effective July 1, 2000, requires a health care service plan contract or disability insurance policy to provide coverage for severe mental illnesses of a person of any age, and for the serious emotional disturbances of a child.

Chapter 534, Statutes of 1999

AB 93 (Cedillo-D) Healthy Families Program

Revises the Health Families Program to provide presumptive eligibility for children, replaces the Healthy Families premium and copayment structure with a structure allowable under federal Medicaid law, replaces a Healthy Families health, vision, and dental coverage requirements with the Medi-Cal schedule of benefits, and makes any participant in the Food Stamp Program, Women, Infants and Children Program, Head Start, or School Lunch Program also eligible for Healthy Families.

(In Senate Insurance Committee)

AB 138 (Gallegos-D) Health care ombudsman

Establishes an independent health care ombudsman pilot project to provide health care consumers with counseling, assistance, and advocacy services, or to otherwise aid in the resolution of consumer grievances against health care service plans and disability insurance.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 142 (Shelley-D) Health care service plans: complaints

Reduces the length of time that a health care service plan enrollee is required to participate in a plan's internal grievance procedure prior to submitting a grievance to the State Department of Corporations (DOC) and directs DOC to do follow-up in specified cases.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 215 (Soto-D) Health care coverage: specialist referrals

Establishes deadlines for health plans to respond to physician requests that a patient be referred to a specialist, as specified.

Chapter 530, Statutes of 1999

AB 285 (Corbett-D) Health care coverage: telephone medical advice

Provides for the regulation of telephone advice services that contract with or are provided by health plans and insurers.

Chapter 535, Statutes of 1999

AB 351 (Steinberg-D) Health care service plans

Establishes various requirements, including notice to the Attorney General (AG), in the case of certain transactions that concern the merger, acquisition, or change of control of a nonprofit health care service plan doing business in California. Requires the AG to conduct public meetings to solicit comments regarding the proposed transaction, and allows the AG to give conditional consent to, or not consent to the transaction. Prohibits construing its provisions to require the AG to disclose trade secrets or other privileged or confidential information.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 368 (Kuehl-D) Health insurance

Requires all health plans which provide prosthetics devices, including Medi-Cal, to cover these devices for individuals with low vision, as specified.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 496 (Leach-R) Health plans: local governments

Exempts a county board of supervisors from the California Public Records Act and the Ralph M. Brown Act, when negotiating and executing a contract between the county and a health care service provider.

Chapter 769, Statutes of 1999

AB 504 (Zettel-R) Health care service plans: risk-based contracts

Prohibits a health care service plan contract from including any provision that requires physicians or physician groups to be at risk for pharmacy benefits as a condition of accepting a risk-based contract.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 525 (Kuehl-D) Health plans: discrimination

Prohibits discrimination in health plans, health insurance, and health facility financing programs.

(Failed passage on Assembly Floor; reconsideration granted; on Assembly Inactive File)

AB 573 (Cardenas-D) Health coverage: deaf and hearing impaired

Requires health care service plan contracts, group or individual policies of health insurance, and the Medi-Cal program to provide coverage for auditory prostheses for hearing impaired persons, as defined.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 591 (Wayne-D) Health insurance: clinical trials

Requires health care service plans and disability insurers to cover routine patient care costs associated with Phase II and Phase III clinical trials for life threatening diseases or conditions.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 610 (Jackson-D) Health care coverage: children's cancer

Requires health care service plans, insurers and fraternal benefit societies to cover routine patient costs incurred during Phase II and Phase III clinical trials of children's cancer related studies sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, the Pediatric Oncology Group, the Children's Cancer Group or any successor group.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 691 (Gallegos-D) Health care coverage: pharmaceuticals

Prohibits health care provider organizations from assuming any financial risk for providing or prescribing for medically necessary pharmaceuticals, unless they are involved in the design of the benefit package and contracting relationships.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 726 (Gallegos-D) Health insurance: small employers

Extends requirements that apply to health care service plans and disability insurers that issue coverage to employers with two to 50 employees, to include the self-employed and employers with 51 to 100 employees.

(Failed passage on Assembly Floor; reconsideration granted; on Assembly Inactive File)

AB 735 (Knox-D) Health care service plans: late payments

Establishes systems to ensure that health care service plans and health insurers provide timely payment of claims to health care providers.

(In Senate Insurance Committee)

AB 888 (Wayne-D) Health care service plans: loss ratio standards

Requires health care service plans to prepare and report to the State Commissioner of Corporations a calculation of their actual or expected loss ratios, pursuant to formulas, definitions, and procedures established by the commissioner.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 892 (Alquist-D) Health care service plans: hospice care

Requires health care service plans to provide a specifically defined level of hospice care for terminally ill patients by January 1, 2002. Hospice can be defined to be at minimum, equivalent to that provided by Medicare and restricts benefits to those who are not already receiving service through Medicare.

Chapter 528, Statutes of 1999

AB 918 (Keeley-D) Health care service plans

Requires an HMO to annually update its actuarial report originally submitted at the time of licensure. The report must contain an opinion of a qualified actuary as to whether the capitation-based payment arrangements are computed appropriately based on assumptions that satisfy contractual provisions.

(Failed passage in Senate Appropriations Committee; reconsideration granted)

AB 936 (Reyes-D) Health care coverage: Medicare supplement coverage

Provides additional open enrollment opportunities for Medicare beneficiaries who have been terminated by their Medicare managed health care.

Chapter 716, Statutes of 1999

AB 1032 (Thomson-D) Health coverage: Indian tribes

Extends health care coverage underwriting reforms for small employers to California Indian tribes, as specified.

(In Senate Insurance Committee)

AB 1049 (Aanestad-R) Health insurance: disability insurers

Requires disability insurers that cover hospital, medical or surgical expenses, and that require prior approval of heath care services in order to determine medical necessity or appropriateness, to indicate prominently on policyholder identification cards whether a separate telephone number must be called to verify eligibility for benefits and coverage.

Chapter 88, Statutes of 1999

AB 1053 (Thomson-D) Health care service plans: drugs

Prohibits a health care service plan from imposing financial risks associated with prescription drugs on health care providers and pharmacists.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1061 (McClintock-R) Health coverage programs

Repeals the Healthy Families Program, the Medi-Cal program and other various health programs.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 1107* (Cedillo-D) Health care

A budget trailer bill which, among other provisions, made the following statutory changes to the Healthy Families Program (HFP):

1. Provides for HFP children who have a medical condition recognized under the California Children's Services (CCS) Program to be eligible to receive CCS-related services.
2. Permits a minor to apply for coverage on behalf of his or her child, and on behalf of herself or himself, if emancipated.
3. Permits a family contribution sponsor (i.e., third party payor) to pay the annual required premium and requires the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board to determine who may be the family contribution sponsors and to establish a process for sponsorship.
4. Provides for initial treatment reimbursement through the Child Health Disability Prevention Program for up to 90 days prior to the effective date of HFP coverage.
5. Applies income deductions for purposes of determining eligibility.
6. Includes legal immigrant children arriving after August 22, 1996, in a state-only program which will sunset in one year. Continuation of these children in the program after their 12-month eligibility period has ended is then contingent upon receipt of federal matching funds for this purpose.

Conforms state income tax law to the federal deduction amounts for health insurance costs of self-employed individuals.

Chapter 146, Statutes of 1999

The above language was included in the following legislation:

SB 92 (Hayden), SB 102 (Solis), SB 112 (Figueroa), AB 43 (Villaraigosa), AB 48 (Cedillo), AB 130 (Kaloogian), AB 430 (Davis), AB 1289 (Baugh), and AB 1299 (Aanestad).

AB 1124 (Havice-D) Health care service plans: choice of physician

Requires every health care service plan to permit an enrollee or subscriber to select his or her own qualified health provider, including a primary care provider, from any qualified health provider who is a participating plan provider in any medical group, independent practice association, or individual practice within the plan network of providers.

(In Senate Insurance Committee)

AB 1226 (Runner-R) Health care plans

Requires health care service plan contracts that cover prescription drug benefits to provide coverage for pain management medications for terminally ill patients diagnosed with intractable pain.

(On Senate Inactive File)

AB 1253 (Nakano-D) Health care

Creates a three-year pilot program to provide health care services to poor children and adults who are not eligible for other private and public health care programs or insurance.

Chapter 1025, Statutes of 1999

AB 1289* (Baugh-R) Health insurance: tax credit

Conforms state income tax law to the federal self-employed health insurance deduction percentage.

Chapter 117, Statutes of 1999

Similar language was also in AB 1107* (Cedillo), Chapter 146, Statutes of 1999.

AB 1308 (Granlund-R) Health coverage: orthotic and prosthetic devices

Requires health care service plans to provide, rather than offer, orthotic and prosthetic devices.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 1356 (Strickland-R) Health plan grievances

Requires health care service plans to resolve grievances within 21 days, whenever possible.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 1363 (Davis-D) Healthy Families Program: school health centers

Allows the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board, under the Healthy Families Program, to include school-based health centers as traditional and safety net providers that meet certain requirements.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 1388 (Aanestad-R) Small employer health coverage: medical savings account

Requires the Health Insurance Plan of California to include a form of health insurance based on "medical savings accounts" as an option for small employers purchasing insurance through the plan. Authorizes the form of coverage only to employers that have not recently offered coverage to their employees.

(Failed passage in Senate Insurance Committee; reconsideration granted)

AB 1419 (Longville-D) Health care service plans: revenues and expenses

Requires the State Department of Corporations (DOC) to annually collect and publish data on revenues and expenses of full-service health care plans and to post the report on DOC's Internet website.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 1465 (Machado-D) Multiple employer welfare arrangements: filing requirements

Extends the January 1, 2001, sunset date in current law authorizing multiple employer welfare arrangements to January 1, 2004, and requires the State Department of Corporations and Insurance to submit an evaluation by January 1, 2002.

Chapter 317, Statutes of 1999

AB 1501 (Correa-D) Health care service plans: hysterectomies

Requires every individual or group health care service plan to provide an enrollee with information regarding alternatives to a hysterectomy when the enrollee is diagnosed with a condition or disease in which a hysterectomy is a possible treatment for the condition or disease.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 1503 (Baugh-R) Health care service plans: point-of-service plan contracts

Increases the allowable point-of-service expenditure by a health care service plan from eight percent to ten percent.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 1590 (Villaraigosa-D) Health care service plans: primary care providers

Prohibits a health care service plan from requiring an enrollee to obtain services from a particular primary care physician who was selected by the plan if the enrollee, after meeting and evaluating the physician, desires to select a different primary care physician from among the available primary care physicians who contract with the plan in the applicable service area.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 1621 (Thomson-D) Health care coverage: practice of medicine

Provides that no health care service plan or nonphysician employee of a health plan shall practice medicine and authorizes the Attorney General to enforce provisions of the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 1667* (Assembly Revenue And Taxation Committee) Health insurance tax audit

Allows a 100 percent tax credit to employers to provide health care coverage to the dependents of eligible employees who meet the Healthy Families Program eligibility criteria.

(In Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee)

HR 10 (Migden-D) Self-funded employer-based health plans

Requests the President and the Congress of the United States to enact legislation to revise the Employment Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to grant authority to the states to monitor and regulate self-funded employer-based health plans.

Urges all of the other states to petition the President and Congress of the United States to enact legislation to revise the ERISA to grant authority to the states to monitor and regulate self-funded employer-based health plans.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

Earthquake Insurance

SB 622 (Speier-D) Earthquake insurance: inception of loss

Defines "inception of loss" for earthquake losses, and declares legislative intent regarding the Northridge earthquake and relevant case law on the subject.

(On Assembly Inactive File)

AB 481 (Scott-D) Earthquake insurance

Provides that the requirement to offer earthquake insurance on an every other basis is not to be construed to prohibit an insurer from offering such coverage at any time the policy of residential property insurance is in force.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 964 (Aroner-D) Earthquake insurance

Requires the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) to issue a report on the CEA retrofit program and establish a plan to expand the program statewide. Changes the requirements for participation in the authority.

Chapter 715, Statutes of 1999

AB 1453* (Assembly Insurance Committee) Earthquake insurance

Extends the sunset date from the State Department of Insurance's Mediation Program from January 1, 2000, to January 1, 2005, and extends the sunset date for the State Department of Insurance's Earthquake Retrofit Grants and Loan Program from July 1, 2000, to July 1, 2003, with an increase in spending authority.

Chapter 796, Statutes of 1999

Miscellaneous

SB 249* (Johannessen-R) Veterans: life or disability insurance

Requires the secretary of the State Department of Veterans Affairs to conduct a study of the life and disability insurance coverage now provided under the Cal-Vet farm and home program to be submitted by January 1, 2000.

Chapter 472, Statutes of 1999

SB 374 (Lewis-R) Insurance claims: priorities: life insurance

Clarifies the preference given to specified types of claims in liquidation proceedings conducted by the Insurance Commissioner. Allows mutual life insurance holding companies to be organized as stock-owned companies, as specified. Adopts the National Association of Insurance Commissioners "Valuation of Life Insurance Model Regulation" known as NAIC Triple X Model Act. Repeals a sunset date in current law regulating life insurance policy "illustrations" as specified.

Chapter 868, Statutes of 1999

SB 423 (Johnston-D) Insurance: annuities and surplus lines

Reenacts provision of law regarding actions against nonadmitted insurers which do not apply to any contract of insurance issued in this state pursuant to provisions of law governing surplus line brokers. Eliminates the 3% nonforfeiture rate of interest for annuities, and instead, indexes those rates according to the five year treasury rate of the Federal Reserve Board or use a 3% rate, whichever is lower.

(In Assembly Insurance Committee)

SB 439 (Poochigian-R) Insurance: agents and brokers

Makes technical, non-substantive changes to the continuing education requirements applicable to insurance agents.

Chapter 186, Statutes of 1999

SB 491 (Johnston-D) Structured settlements: transfers

Prohibits a transfer of structural settlement payment rights entered into on or after January 1, 2000, where the payee is either a California resident or entitled to receive payments under a structural settlement funded by an insurer domiciled in the state, as specified.

Chapter 742, Statutes of 1999

SB 539 (Figueroa-D) Insolvency, delinquency, administrative supervision

Makes a number of changes that enhances the State Department of Insurance's existing ability to seize insolvent or delinquent insurers.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 641 (Lewis-R) Title insurers

Requires all title insurers, as to its title insurance department, to comply with the requirements of insurance law and rules and regulations of the State Insurance Commissioner.

Chapter 187, Statutes of 1999

SB 769 (Johnson-R) Insurance: title policies: rates

Provides that the effective date of the schedule of rates for the insurers is not to be earlier than the 31st day following receipt of the schedule by the State Insurance Commissioner rather than the 30th day.

(In Senate Insurance Committee)

SB 896 (Speier-D) Insurance tax audits

Transfers the insurance tax audit and processing functions from the State Department of Insurance to the State Board of Equalization.

(Refused passage on Senate Floor; reconsideration granted; on Senate Inactive File)

SB 941 (Speier-D) Insurance: licensees

Allows the State Insurance Commissioner to deny license applications for specified reasons, and requires the commissioner to suspend or revoke the license of an insurance agent convicted of specified federal crimes relating to insurance activities. Requires all insurance records to be open and available for inspection. Specifies rights of suspended licensees, and determines methods of contesting suspension. Increases penalties for specified violations of insurance agent licensing laws.

Chapter 782, Statutes of 1999

SB 981* (Polanco-D) Public works projects: wrap-up insurance

Repeals and recasts existing provisions of law that allows local agencies to use owner-controlled or wrap-up insurance programs for public works projects.

Chapter 521, Statutes of 1999

SB 1077 (Burton-D) Insurance: agents and brokers

Amends the Insurance Code governing an insurer's authority to terminate or amend an agency or brokerage contract, and responsibility to provide compensation for, or continue coverage under, a policy subject to contract termination.

Chapter 753, Statutes of 1999

SB 1125* (Polanco-D) Insurance companies: taxes

Allows corporations to deduct interest on funds sent to an insurance subsidiary without reducing deductions on dividends paid by a subsidiary and removes the requirement that holding companies be domiciled in California in order for the interest to be deducted.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 1237 (Escutia-D) Insurance: claims: dispute resolutions

Enacts the "Fair Insurance Responsibility Act of 2000" by allowing a consumer to sue third party insurers for bad faith claims practices after the claimant obtains a favorable court judgment or arbitration award. Requires liability insurers to handle an insurance claim consistent with the fair claims handling practices specified in the State's Uniform Claims Practice Act.

Chapter 720, Statutes of 1999

SB 1296 (Polanco-D) Homeowners insurance

Limits the grounds for nonrenewal of homeowners insurance on the grounds that a claim is pending under the policy.

Chapter 313, Statutes of 1999

SB 1297 (Schiff-D) Reciprocal insurers: rebates

Repeals the law prohibiting reciprocal insurers from offering rebates to consumers.

Chapter 314, Statutes of 1999

AB 145* (Vincent-D) Taxation: insurance companies

Allows insurance companies to claim the existing income and franchise tax credit for qualified deposits made into a community development financial institution.

Chapter 821, Statutes of 1999

AB 274 (Baldwin-R) Cal-Vet: life and disability insurance

Requires any contract under the Cal-Vet Farm and Home Purchase Act to include a life insurance benefit program and an option for disability insurance, as specified.

(In Senate Veterans Affairs Committee)

AB 329 (Scott-D) Insurance: fees

Limits circumstances under which a liability insurer may compensate those who review bills submitted by law firms defending insureds.

Chapter 883, Statutes of 1999

AB 374 (Cunneen-R) Insurance: digital signatures

Requires the State Department of Insurance to establish minimal standards for digital signatures and public-key infrastructures for private and public industry usage.

(In Senate Insurance Committee)

AB 393 (Scott-D) Insurance: production agencies

Requires insurers to comply with the insurance agent licensing laws with regard to employees or contractors who solicit, negotiate, or effect insurance; prohibits a person from soliciting, negotiating or effecting contracts of insurance without a valid license; and creates a personal lines broker-agent license, a rental car agent license, and credit insurance agent license.

(Failed passage on Assembly Floor; reconsideration granted; Assembly Inactive File)

AB 413 (Brewer-R) Insurance: special lines: surplus line brokers

Clarifies that special lines' surplus line brokers may also be referred in short, as special lines brokers.

(In Assembly Insurance Committee)

AB 427 (Scott-D) Insurance: delinquency proceedings

Clarifies that existing law prohibiting state agencies from employing legal counsel other than the Attorney General (AG) without the AG's consent applies not only to state agencies, but also to state officers and commissioners. Requires the chief executive officer of the State Department of Insurance's Conservation and Liquidation Office to be confirmed by the Senate.

Chapter 768, Statutes of 1999

AB 464 (Maldonado-R) Taxes and fees: interest

Revises interest calculation provisions in the tax and fee programs administered by the State Board of Equalization so that the interest rate applied to overpayments and underpayments is the same.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 478 (Cox-R) Insurance: surplus line brokers

Defines surplus line broker certificates and exempts these certificates from requirements related to certificates or verification of insurance coverage.

Chapter 255, Statutes of 1990

AB 549 (Gallegos-D) Hospital mortgage insurance

Allows the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, at the request of a hospital, to commission an independent study of market need and feasibility, as required for participation in federal mortgage insurance programs. Costs would be paid by the requesting hospital.

Chapter 825, Statutes of 1999

AB 600* (Knox-D) Insurance claims: Holocaust victims

Enacts the Holocaust Victim Insurance Relief Act of 1999 requiring the State Insurance Commissioner to establish and maintain a registry regarding insurance policies issued in Europe to victims of the Holocaust during the Nazi period.

Chapter 827, Statutes of 1999

AB 654 (Cardoza-D) Dairies: catastrophic event insurance

Provides for a catastrophic dairy livestock and milk loss insurance program.

(In Assembly Agriculture Committee)

AB 802 (Dutra-D) Insurance policies: finance charges

Requires every insurance policy and insurance premium billing statement, to disclose the amount of periodic finance charges and any associated annual percentage rate.

Chapter 388, Statutes of 1999

AB 845 (Maddox-R) Insurance Commissioner: cease and desist orders

Allows the State Department of Insurance to issue a cease and desist order against any person that transacts insurance business without a license, establishes a fine for violating such an order, and allows any person receiving an order to have a hearing.

Chapter 260, Statutes of 1999

AB 905 (Dutra-D) Mortgage guaranty insurance

Increases the allowable total indebtedness on which mortgage guaranty insurance may be written to insure loans secured by first or junior lines on authorized real estate securities from 97 percent market value of the real estate securities.

(In Assembly Judiciary Committee)

AB 1081 (Calderon-D) Credit insurance

Deletes the sunset date on a statute governing exceptions to when a nonadmitted insurer shall post a pre-insurer bond.

Chapter 498, Statutes of 1999

AB 1288 (Davis-D) Contractors: liability insurance

Requires contractors to carry liability insurance.

(In Assembly Insurance Committee)

AB 1309 (Scott-D) SB 1237 cleanup legislation

Makes various clarifications and modifications to SB 1237 creating a qualified right for a third party to commence an action for bad faith against an insurer for unfair claims practices.

Chapter 721, Statutes of 1999

Similar legislation is AB 1455 (Scott-D) which is in Senate Appropriations Committee.

AB 1432 (Oller-R) Insurance: service of process

Clarifies that a corporate officer of a foreign insurer can accept service of process in this state.

Chapter 808, Statutes of 1999

AB 1454 (Assembly Insurance Committee) Hazard insurance

Requires a lender to disclose to a borrower using real property to secure the loans that the lender may not require the borrower to carry hazard insurance coverage on the collateral property in an amount exceeding the replacement value of the improvements on the property.

Chapter 412, Statutes of 1999

AB 1456 (Scott-D) Credit insurance: rates

Establishes a standard of a target 60 percent loss ratio for credit insurance rates by January 1, 2001, and requires the State Insurance Commission to annually make available to the public actual annual loss ratios under the bill.

Chapter 413, Statutes of 1999

AB 1660 (Shelley-D) Holocaust Insurance Claims Committee

Sets forth roles, responsibilities, and membership of the Holocaust Era Insurance Oversight Committee, as specified. A budget trailer bill.

Chapter 85, Statutes of 1999

Index (in Bill Order)