Insurance

Automobile Insurance
Health Insurance
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Automobile Insurance

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SB 350 (Yee-D) Auto insurance: aftermarket crash parts
Prohibits an insurer from requiring the use of nonoriginal equipment manufacturer aftermarket crash parts in the repair of an automobile unless specified standards are met and specified disclosures are made.
(Died in Assembly Business, Professions and Consumer Protection Committee)

SB 1105 (Denham-R) Motor vehicle insurance: special assessments
Modifies an existing 30-cent per vehicle insured special assessment, to instead require the amount of the assessment be determined by the Insurance Commissioner, not to exceed 30-cents, and requires that the funds continue to be apportioned to the two categories of DOI operations on the same 2/3rds versus 1/3rd basis.
(Died in Senate Banking, Finance and Insurance Committee)
A similar bill was AB 1608 (Garrick-R) which died in Assembly Insurance Committee.

AB 1054 (Coto-D) Motor vehicle insurance: rates
Provides that credit card expenses incurred by an insurer are not part of an "efficiency standard" adopted by the Insurance Commissioner for rate-making purposes.
(Died on Assembly Inactive File)

AB 1597 (Jones-D) Auto insurance: assigned risk plans
Extends the California low-cost auto program sunset from 2011 to 2016, and makes various statutory changes to conform its operations to standard California administrative practices and facilitate greater efficiency and more customer-friendly operations for the public and producers of record alike.
Chapter 234, Statutes of 2010

AB 1608 (Garrick-R) Motor vehicle insurance: special assessments
Requires that the amount of the special purpose assessment be determined by the Insurance Commissioner, and that the amount shall not exceed $0.30 per insured vehicle. Requires that 66.7% of the special purpose assessment be used to fund specified consumer service functions of the Department of Insurance, relating to motor vehicle insurance. The remaining 33.3% of the special purpose assessment would be used to fund the improvement of certain consumer functions of the Department of Insurance, relating to motor vehicle insurance.
(Died in Assembly Insurance Committee)
A similar bill was SB 1105 (Denham-R) which died in Senate Banking, Finance and Insurance Committee.

AB 1871 (Jones-D) Private passenger motor vehicle insurance coverage
Authorizes private passenger motor vehicle owners to make their vehicle available for use by a personal vehicle sharing program without impacting the owners' private passenger automobile insurance policy.
Chapter 454, Statutes of 2010

AB 2059 (Charles Calderon-D) Vehicle rental agreements
Requires a rental car company that enters into a vehicle rental agreement with a renter who is not a resident of this country to do the following when that renter purchases supplemental liability insurance as part of the agreement: (1) accept service of process of any complaint against the renter regarding harm, loss, or damage related to the use or operation of the rental car, and (2) provide a copy of the summons and complaint to the renter, as specified. Provides this mechanism for service of process only where the plaintiff agrees to limit his/her recovery against the renter, as specified. Sunsets on 1/1/14.
Vetoed

AB 2151 (Torres-D) Insurance: public safety employees: accidents
Provides an exemption from the duty to report automobile accidents to a private insurer, and limits premium increases, if the accident occurs while a public safety officer is driving his/her personal vehicle at the request or direction of the employer, in the course of the officer's duties.
Vetoed

AB 2745 (Ammiano-D) Motor vehicle insurance: discrimination: geographic area
Redefines "geographic area" as a portion of this state of not less than 15 square miles defined by description in the rating manual of an insurer or in the rating manual of a rating bureau of which the insurer is a member or subscriber.
(Died in Assembly Insurance Committee)

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Health Insurance

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SB 1 (Steinberg-D) Health care coverage: children
Expands eligibility for the Medi-Cal program and the Healthy Families Program by modifying the income requirements applicable to those programs and by making coverage available regardless of citizenship or immigration status.
(Died in Senate Health Committee)

SB 56 (Alquist-D) Health care coverage: children
Expands eligibility for the Medi-Cal program and the Healthy Families Program by modifying the income requirements applicable to those programs, and by making coverage available regardless of citizenship or immigration status, as specified. Requires a parent or caretaker relative of a child applying for the Medi-Cal program to sign a specified attestation under penalty of perjury regarding the child's immigration status, as specified, thereby expanding the crime of perjury and imposing a state-mandated local program. Requires the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board, by July 1, 2011, to implement a process for an applicant's self-certification of income and income deductions for purposes of establishing eligibility for the Healthy Families Program.
Vetoed

SB 92 (Aanestad-R) Health care reform
Allows out-of-state carriers to offer plans in California without being licensed in California. Allows health plans and insurers to offer individual plans and policies that do not include all state mandated benefits, encourages the offering of high deductible health plans. Allows health plans and insurers to offer healthy action incentives and rewards programs. Modifies provisions pertaining to guaranteed association plans, and small employers, and allows health plans and insurers to offer a single policy that provides health care coverage and workers' compensation benefits.
(Died in Senate Health Committee)

SB 220 (Yee-D) Health care coverage: preventive services: tobacco cessation
Requires a health care service plan contract or health insurance policy issued, amended, renewed or delivered after 1/1/11, to cover specified tobacco cessation treatments, requests the California Health Benefits Review Program to prepare an analysis of the cost savings as a result of the provisions of this bill. Becomes inoperative on the date the "American Health Benefit Exchange", as defined, determines that the requirements of this bill will result in additional costs to the state.
Vetoed

SB 227* (Alquist-D) Health care coverage: temporary high-risk pool
Requires the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board (MRMIB) to enter into an agreement with the federal Department of Health and Human Services to administer a qualified high-risk pool to provide health coverage, until 1/1/14, to individuals who have pre-existing conditions, consistent with Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Establishes the authority and requirements for MRMIB in administering the federal pool, consistent with federal law. Appropriates $761 million from the Federal Trust Fund to MRMIB.
Chapter 31, Statutes of 2010

SB 311 (Alquist-D) Healthy Families Program: prospective payment system
Requires the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board to provide dental-only coverage to children eligible for the Healthy Families Program, California's version of the federal Children's Health Insurance Program, but who are currently covered by private health insurance that does not cover dental care.
(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 316 (Alquist-D) Health care coverage: disclosures
Broadens an existing statutory disclosure requirement that health plans and insurers must meet. Requires plans, insurers, their employees or their agents to disclose, in writing, the medical loss ratio for the previous calendar year when presenting a plan for examination or sale to any individual or group consisting of 25 or fewer individuals.
(Died in Assembly Health Committee)

SB 347* (Harman-R) Health savings account: income tax credits
Authorizes a credit against the Personal Income Tax Law and the Corporation Tax Law for each taxable year beginning on or after 1/1/09, and before 1/1/15, in an amount equal to 15% of the amount paid or incurred by a qualified taxpayer during the taxable year for qualified health insurance, for employees of the taxpayer. Requires the Legislative Analyst to report to the Legislature on or before 3/1/14, on the effectiveness of the credit, as specified.
(Died in Senate Health Committee)

SB 353* (Dutton-R) Health savings account: income tax deduction
Allows a deduction in connection with health savings accounts in conformity with federal law for each tax year beginning on or after 1/1/09. In general, the deduction will be an amount equal to the aggregate amount paid in cash during the taxable year by, or on behalf of, an eligible individual, to a health savings account of that individual, as provided.
(Died in Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)

SB 529 (Wyland-R) Health care coverage: FDA approved treatments
Requires a health care service plan contract or a health insurance policy that provides coverage of a health condition to also provide coverage for any federal Food and Drug Administration-approved treatment of that condition.
(Died in Senate Health Committee)

SB 594* (Ashburn-R) Taxation: cafeteria plans: credits
Establishes a credit against income or franchise tax in the amount of 15% of administrative costs incurred by a qualified taxpayer in connection with establishing or administering a cafeteria plan that provides for the payment of health insurance premiums of the taxpayer's employees. Defines the term "qualified taxpayer" as an employer, meaning any individual or entity that is doing business in California, that is deriving income from California sources or is subject to the laws of California.
(Died in Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)

SB 727* (Cox-R) Cal-COBRA
Requires that health care service plans and health insurers offer continuation health coverage to employees whose employer terminated a group benefit plan and did not provide a successor plan. Applies to employees of small businesses with two to 19 employees.
(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 796 (Alquist-D) Health care coverage: continuation coverage
Deletes the requirement that a person must elect and exhaust Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) or Cal-COBRA coverage in order to qualify for access to individual health care coverage as a federally eligible defined individual under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.
(Died in Senate Health Committee)

SB 810 (Leno-D) Single-payer health care coverage
Creates the California Healthcare System, a single payer health care system, administered by the California Healthcare Agency, to provide health insurance coverage to all California residents. States that CHS becomes operative when the Secretary of the Health and Human Services Agency determines the Healthcare Fund has sufficient revenues to implement this bill.
(Died on Senate Floor)

SB 838* (Strickland-R) Cal-COBRA: premium assistance
Conforms California law to federal requirements for continuation health coverage under the California Continuation Benefits Replacement Act statutes. Clarifies notification requirements for employers, health plans, and health insurers to allow unemployed individuals to continue health coverage with a federal subsidy for 65% of monthly premium costs.
Chapter 24, Statutes of 2010

SB 890 (Alquist-D) Health care coverage
Requires health plans and health insurers to categorize all individual market products into tiers based on actuarial level, as specified, requires health plans and health insurers to allow an individual to transfer without medical underwriting to any other individual plan contract offered by that same health plan or health insurer that provides equal or lesser benefits upon the annual renewal date of the contract or policy, and requires health plans and health insurers to meet federal annual and lifetime limits and the medical loss ratio requirements in specified provisions of the federal health care reform law, and any federal rules or regulations issued under those provisions.
Vetoed

SB 900 (Alquist-D) California Health Benefit Exchange
Establishes the California Health Benefit Exchange, and states that it is the intent of the Legislature to implement the provision of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that requires the establishment of an American Health Benefit Exchange.
Chapter 659, Statutes of 2010

SB 961 (Wright-D) Health care coverage: cancer treatment
Requires a health care service plan contract or health insurance policy that provides coverage for cancer chemotherapy treatment to establish limits on enrollee out-of-pocket costs for prescribed, orally administered, nongeneric cancer medication.
Vetoed

SB 1063 (Cox-R) Healthy Families program
Requires the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board to structure copayments for prescription drugs and emergency services for the Healthy Families program at specified minimum ratios.
(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 1088 (Price-D) Health care coverage: dependents
Prohibits, with specified exceptions, the limiting age for dependents covered by health plan contracts and health insurance policies from being less than 26 years of age beginning on or after 9/23/10, and prohibits health plan contracts and health insurance policies from being required to cover a child of a child receiving dependent coverage.
Chapter 660, Statutes of 2010

SB 1095 (Aanestad-R) California Major Risk Medical Insurance Program
Requires the California Major Risk Medical Insurance Board (MRMIB) to offer at least four different options for major risk medical coverage with varying deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums, as specified. Requires those options to include at least one Health Savings Account-compatible option and authorizes MRMIB to subsidize that option, as specified. Authorizes MRMIB, until a specified date and if sufficient funds are available, to participate in deductible and out-of-pocket maximum reinsurance using specified products. Requires MRMIB to release all program actuarial data for 2004 to 2007, inclusive, to the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO), as requested by the LAO.
(Died in Senate Health Committee)

SB 1104 (Cedillo-D) Health care coverage: diabetes-related complications
Requires health care service plan contracts and health insurance policies that are issued, amended, delivered, or renewed on or after 1/1/11, and that cover hospital, medical, or surgical expenses, to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes-related complications.
(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 1163 (Leno-D) Health care coverage: denials: premium rates
Requires health care service plans and health insurers to file with the Department of Managed Health Care and the Department of Insurance specified rate information for individual and small group at least 60 days prior to implementing any rate change. Requires rate filings to be actuarially sound and to include a certification by an independent actuary that any increase is reasonable or unreasonable. Increases, from 30 days to 60 days, the amount of time that health plan or insurer provides written noticed to an enrollee or insured before a change in premium rates or coverage becomes effective. Requires health plans and insurers that decline to offer coverage to or deny enrollment for a large group applying for coverage or that offer small group coverage at a rate that is higher than the standard employee risk rate to, at the time of the denial or offer of coverage, provide the applicant with reason for the decision, as specified.
Chapter 661, Statutes of 2010

SB 1200 (Leno-D) Health care coverage: timeliness of care
Requires the Department of Managed Health Care and the Department of Insurance to update timely access to care regulations to include care for students during the school day. In addition, specifies the regulations require health plans and insurers to ensure the availability of licensed health professionals to provide services to school children during the school day.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 1262 (Aanestad-R) High deductible health plans: health savings accounts
Amends the Public Employees' Medical and Hospital Care Act (PEMHCA), administered by the California Public Employees' Retirement System to require that PEMHCA include a high deductible health plan and corresponding Health Savings Accounts (HSA) as one of the options that employees and annuitants who participate in PEMHCA may choose, require that the employer contribution rates in effect for existing plans be paid for the high deductible plan and corresponding HSAs, as specified, and require that participating employees and annuitants who opt for the high deductible plan pay their required contributions and also contribute a minimum of $50 per month to their HSA accounts. Amends the Revenue and Taxation Code to make various changes and clarifications to the Code, effective 1/1/10, to allow taxable deductions, as specified, in connection with HSA accounts, and create conformity between state and federal laws with regard to HSAs.
(Died in Senate Public Employment and Retirement Committee)

SB 1282 (Steinberg-D) Health care coverage
Until 1/1/17, makes it an unfair business practice for a person to use certain titles or terms implying that he/she is certified as an applied behavior analyst unless he/she holds a current certification from a specified organization, or to state, advertise, or represent that he/she is certified or licensed by a governmental agency as an applied behavior analyst, and subjects the bills provisions to the sunset review process.
(Died in Senate Rules Committee)

SB 1283 (Steinberg-D) Health care coverage: grievance system
Modifies consumer health coverage grievance procedures administered by the Department of Managed Health Care.
Vetoed

SB 1408* (Senate Banking, Finance And Insurance Committee) Insurance: California Insurance Guarantee Association Act
Increases the coverage limits payable by the California Life and Health Insurance Guarantee Association on several categories of life insurance products and modernizes the language of the life insurance guarantee association law to more closely conform to the national standards based on the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' Model Law.
Chapter 334, Statutes of 2010

SB 1431 (Simitian-D) County Health Initiative Matching Fund
Conforms state law to a federal option by expanding eligibility for children to enroll in the County Health Initiative Matching Fund Program which uses local funds to match federal Children's Health Insurance Program funds.
Vetoed

SCA 29 (Strickland-R) Health care coverage
Amends the California Constitution to require voter approval of a state or federal program that (1) requires individuals to obtain health care coverage, (2) requires a health plan or health insurers to guarantee issue to all applicants, (3) requires employers to either provide health care coverage to their employees or pay a fee or tax to the state or the federal government in lieu of providing that coverage, (4) that allows an entity created, operated, or subsidized by the state or federal government to compete with health plans and health insurers in the private sector, and (5) creates a single-payer health care system.
(Failed passage in Senate Health Committee)

AB 29 (Price-D) Health care coverage
Prohibits the limiting age of dependent health plan and insurance coverage from being less than 27 years of age. The limiting age determines when children are no longer considered dependents for the purposes of health coverage.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 56 (Portantino-D) Health care coverage: mammographies
Requires health insurers to provide coverage for mammography upon provider referral by 7/1/10, and requires health plans and health insurers to notify subscribers or policyholders of recommended timelines for testing.
Vetoed

AB 113 (Portantino-D) Health care coverage: mammographies
Requires health care service plan contracts and health insurance policies that are issued, amended, delivered, or renewed on or after 7/1/11, to provide coverage for mammography for screening or diagnostic purposes upon referral of certain health care professionals, regardless of age.
Vetoed

AB 163 (Emmerson-R) Health plans: amino acid-based elemental formulas
Requires health plans and health insurers to provide coverage for amino acid-based elemental formulas for the diagnosis and treatment of eosinophilic disorders.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 214 (Chesbro-D) Health care coverage: durable medical equipment
Requires group health plans and insurers to provide coverage for durable medical equipment (DME) at parity with other health benefits.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 326* (Garrick-R) Health savings accounts: income tax
Conforms to federal tax law with respect to health savings accounts for taxable years beginning on or after 1/1/10.
(Died in Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee)

AB 542 (Feuer-D) Hospital acquired conditions
Requires the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to convene a technical working group to evaluate options for implementing non-payment policies and procedures for hospital acquired conditions (HACs) for the fee-for-service Medi-Cal program consistent with federal laws and regulations. Requires DHCS to implement non-payment policies and procedures for HACs for the fee-for-service Medi-Cal program by 7/1/11 that are consistent with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and to consider the recommendations of the technical working group.
Vetoed

AB 562 (Cook-R) Health care coverage: report of claim information
Requires a health insurance issuer to, upon request, provide specified aggregate and individual health care claims information, for employers with more than 50 employees, to an employee welfare benefit plan, a governmental entity, or plan administrator, as specified.
(Died in Assembly Health Committee)

AB 591* (De La Torre-D) Individual health care coverage: premium rates
Imposes limits on a health care service plan and health insurer's ability to increase premiums charged to enrollees and policyholders, as specified.
(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 718* (Emmerson-R) Health care coverage: federally eligible individuals: rates
Defines the "average premium paid" for purposes of this provision as an amount calculated on an annual basis by the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board using a weighted average based on each plan's or insurer's enrollment in the Major Risk Medical Insurance Program, as specified. Requires plans and insurers to include a statement regarding those maximum premium rates in certain solicitation and sales materials.
(Died in Senate Health Committee)

AB 722 (Bonnie Lowenthal-D) Health insurance: preexisting conditions
Prohibits an individual health care service plan contract or health insurance policy from denying coverage to, or excluding coverage for, an enrollee or insured due to a preexisting condition provision or otherwise, as specified, due to a mental or physical condition that is not life threatening nor chronic or severe, that is not considered to be a present condition at the time of enrollment, and for which the enrollee or insured has not received treatment for the past 12 months.
(Died in Assembly Health Committee)

AB 812 (De La Torre-D) Health care coverage: medical loss ratio
Requires health plans and health insurers to report to the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) and Department of Insurance (CDI) the medical loss ratio for each policy issued amended or renewed in California each year. The medical loss ratio refers to the proportion of premium spending attributable to patient care, rather than profit or administration. Requires DMHC and CDI to adopt joint regulations to ensure the uniformity of information submitted.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1144 (Price-D) Health care coverage: prescriptions
Requires health plans and health insurers that provide prescription drug benefits to submit written reports about step therapy each year to the Department of Managed Health Care and the Department of Insurance. Step therapy refers to the practice whereby beneficiaries are required to follow a certain sequence of pain medication to reduce risks or control costs.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1178* (Portantino-D) Health insurance: income taxes: federal conformity
Conforms state law to certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. Conforms state law to the federal treatment of Health Savings Accounts.
(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 1201 (V. Manuel Perez-D) Health plans: immunizations for children
Expands provisions established by SB 168 (Speier-D), Chapter 845, Statutes of 2000, and requires health plans and insurers to reimburse physicians for childhood vaccinations according to specified conditions.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1218 (Jones-D) Health care coverage: rate approval
Requires health care service plans licensed by the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) and health insurers certificated by the Department of Insurance (CDI), effective 7/1/09, to annually submit for prior approval to the respective regulator any increase in the rate charged to a subscriber or insured, as specified, and imposes on DMHC and CDI specific rate review criteria, timelines, and hearing requirements.
(Died in Assembly Health Committee)

AB 1449 (De Leon-D) Health care coverage: solicitation
Revises and makes specific to individual health care coverage the duty established for agents, brokers, solicitors, or sales representatives, who assist an applicant in completing applications for individual health care coverage to help an applicant provide answers to health questions accurately and completely.
(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 1521 (Jones-D) Health care coverage: solicitation
Prohibits the variation of compensation a health care service plan or a health insurer pays to a solicitor for the sale or offer of, or application for, an individual health plan contract or insurance policy that would depend on the health status, claims experience, industry, or occupation of the individual.
(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 1570 (Salas-D) Malpractice insurance: volunteer dentists
Requires the Dental Board of California, in conjunction with the Health Professions Education Foundation, to study the issue of the Board providing malpractice insurance to dentists who provide voluntary, unpaid services, and report its findings to the Legislature by 1/2/12.
Vetoed

AB 1600 (Beall-D) Health care coverage: mental health services
Requires health plans and health insurers to cover the diagnosis and medically necessary treatment of a "mental illness", as defined, of a person of any age, including a child, and not limited to coverage for severe mental illness as in existing law.
Vetoed

AB 1602 (John Perez-D) California Health Benefit Exchange
Enacts the California Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to implement the federal PPACA in California. Clarifies the powers and duties of the board governing the California Health Benefit Exchange relative to the administration of the Exchange, determining eligibility and enrollment in the Exchange, and arranging for coverage under qualified carriers.
Chapter 655, Statutes of 2010

AB 1759 (Blumenfield-D) Health care coverage: premium rates
Requires health care service plans (health plans) and health insurers that include a provision in a group contract or policy that authorizes or requires a change in premium rates, copayments, coinsurances, or deductibles, to provide an additional disclosure that describes the circumstances under which a change may occur and that provides defined terms and examples of those circumstances, to be signed by the group contractholder or group policyholder and provided to the subscribers or insureds, as specified.
Vetoed

AB 1825 (De La Torre-D) Health care coverage: maternity services
Requires every individual or group health insurance policy, as specified, issued, amended, or renewed on or after 7/1/11, and prior to 1/1/14, to provide coverage for maternity services, as defined and after 1/1/14, to provide coverage for maternity services consistent with the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Vetoed

AB 1826 (Huffman-D) Health care coverage: prescriptions
Requires health care service plans and health insurers that cover outpatient prescription drug benefits to provide coverage for a drug that has been prescribed for the treatment of pain. Prohibits health plans and insurers from requiring the subscriber or enrollee to first use an alternative prescription drug or an over-the-counter drug, as specified.
(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 1887* (Villines-R) Health insurance: temporary high risk pool
Establishes the Federal Temporary High Risk Health Insurance Fund, requires money in the Fund to be continuously appropriated to the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board for the purpose of establishing a federal temporary high-risk pool (federal pool) established under SB 227 (Alquist-D), Chapter 31, Statutes of 2010, for individuals with a pre-existing medical condition, and is contingent upon the enactment of SB 227.
Chapter 32, Statutes of 2010

AB 1904 (Villines-R) Out-of-state carriers
Allows a health plan or health insurer domiciled in another state to offer, sell, or renew a health plan or health insurance policy in California without holding a license issued by the Department of Managed Health Care or a certificate of authority issued by the Department of Insurance, and without meeting specified requirements for a license or certificate, if the plan or insurer is authorized to issue a plan or policy in the domiciliary state and complies with that state's requirements.
(Failed passage in Assembly Health Committee)

AB 1976 (Cook-R) Health care coverage: report of claim information
Requires a health plan or health insurer to, upon written request from a group subscriber or group policyholder, provide a report of specified aggregate and individual health care claim information to the subscriber or policyholder within 30 days after receipt of the request, as specified.
(Died in Assembly Health Committee)

AB 2035 (Coto-D) Self-funded dental benefit plans: administrators
Requires the third-party administrator of a self-funded dental benefit plan to include a disclosure in the explanation of benefits document and benefit claim forms which provides the contact information for the federal Department of Labor, which regulates self-funded plans, in the event the consumer has a payment dispute with the plan.
(Died in Senate Health Committee)

AB 2041* (Villines-R) Health savings accounts: income tax
Conforms to federal tax law with respect to health savings accounts for taxable years beginning on or after 1/1/10.
(Died in Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee)

AB 2042 (Feuer-D) Health care coverage: rate changes
Prohibits health care service plans and health insurers (collectively carriers) from, more than once in a calendar year, altering "rates", as defined, or benefits of individual plan contracts and policies that are issued, amended, or renewed on or after 1/1/11, with certain exceptions.
Vetoed

AB 2093 (V. Manuel Perez-D) Health care coverage: immunizations for children
Requires a health care service plan or health insurer that provides coverage for childhood and adolescent immunizations to reimburse a physician or physician group the entire cost of acquiring and administering the vaccine.
Vetoed

AB 2110 (De La Torre-D) Health care coverage: premium payments: grace periods
Requires health insurance policies and health care service contracts, issued, amended, or renewed on or after 1/1/11, to provide a grace period of 50 days for the payment of each premium falling due after the first premium, during which the policy continues in force, and makes enrollees and insureds, if they fail to pay the premium owed during the grace period, liable for any medical costs incurred during the grace period, except as specified.
(Died on Senate Inactive File)

AB 2170 (Bonnie Lowenthal-D) Health care coverage: prescriptions: formularies
Prohibits health plans and insurer contracts that include prescription drug benefits from increasing copayments or deductibles for the length of the contract. Excludes Medi-Cal, the Healthy Families program and Medicare supplemental policies from the requirements of this bill.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 2244 (Feuer-D) Health care coverage
Requires guaranteed issue of health plan and health insurance products for children beginning 1/1/11. Conforms provisions related to guaranteed issue with federal law, as specified, and any rules or regulations adopted pursuant to federal law.
Chapter 656, Statutes of 2010

AB 2259 (Galgiani-D) Health care coverage: nonprofit charitable organizations
Exempts a plan operated by a joint venture formed by two or more "nonprofit charitable organizations", as defined, from the licensure and certification requirements if the plan satisfies certain criteria, including maintaining a fiscally sound operation and making adequate provision against the risk of insolvency, as evidenced by financial statements submitted to the Director of the Department of Managed Health Care, as specified, and submitting a declaration under penalty of perjury stating the plan's compliance with those criteria. Authorizes a joint venture formed between two or more nonprofit charitable organizations to contract with a health care service plan or health insurer for the purpose of providing health care coverage to the employees and retirees, and dependents thereof, of the participating nonprofit charitable organizations.
(Died in Assembly Health Committee)

AB 2275 (Hayashi-D) Dental coverage: noncovered benefits
Prohibits contracts issued, amended, or renewed on or after 1/1/11, between a health care service plan, a specialized health care service plan, or an insurer, and a dentist from requiring a dentist to accept a payment amount set by the plan or insurer for dental care services provided to an enrollee or insured that are not covered under the contract. Prohibits a provider from charging more for non-covered dental services than his or her usual and customary rate for those services.
Chapter 673, Statutes of 2010

AB 2345 (De La Torre-D) Health care coverage: preventive services
Requires health care service plan contracts and health insurance policies issued amended, renewed or delivered on or after 9/23/10, to comply with coverage and cost sharing for preventative services pursuant to the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and any federal rules or regulations subsequently issued.
Chapter 657, Statutes of 2010

AB 2389 (Gaines-R) Health care coverage: health facilities: information
Prohibits a contract between a health facility and a health care service plan or health insurer from containing a provision that restricts the ability of the carrier to furnish information on the cost of procedures or health care quality information to carrier enrollees.
(Died on Assembly Inactive File)

AB 2470 (De La Torre-D) Health care coverage
Prohibits health plans and insurers from rescinding or canceling coverage, except under specified circumstances. Modifies the ability of a health plan or health insurer to cancel or not renew a contract or policy for nonpayment of premiums by requiring a 30-day grace period from the date of notification from the plan or insurer.
Chapter 658, Statutes of 2010

AB 2533 (Fuentes-D) Health care coverage: quality rating
Expands the reporting requirements required of health care service plans (health plans) and health insurers, as specified, related to economic profiling of physicians, providers, medical groups, or individual practice associations to also apply to quality rating, requires health plans and insurers to make such filings with their respective departments immediately upon adoption, or within 30 days of making any changes, and modifies the required content of such filings, as specified, and also requires a health plan or insurer that submitted a filing prior to 1/1/11, to update the filing by 3/31/11, to comply with the bill's requirements, and to reflect the health plan or insurer's current policies and procedures.
(Died on Assembly Inactive File)

AB 2540 (De La Torre-D) Health insurance: postclaims underwriting: unfair practice
Includes "engaging in postclaims underwriting," as defined, in existing law which declares specified trade practices as unfair methods of competition and unfair and deceptive acts or practices in the business of insurance (unfair and deceptive acts statute).
Vetoed

AB 2578 (Jones-D) Health care coverage: rate approval
Requires health care service plans and health insurers, effective 1/1/12, to apply for prior approval of proposed rate increases, under specified conditions, imposes on the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) and Department of Insurance (CDI) specific rate review criteria, timelines and hearing requirements, and states that any proposed rate that is not acted on by DMHC or CDI on its own discretion within 60 days is deemed approved.
(Failed passage on Senate Floor)

AB 2586 (Chesbro-D) Health care coverage: network modification: providers
Requires the Department of Managed Health Care and the Department of Insurance to review network adequacy, geographic accessibility, and physician-to-patient ratio standards.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 2587 (Tom Berryhill-R) Health care coverage: benefit mandates
Prohibits health plans and health insurers from complying with existing law mandating coverage of certain health care benefits until their respective regulatory agencies declare that the state unemployment rate has been no more than 5.5% for four consecutive quarters.
(Died in Assembly Health Committee)

AJR 28 (Villines-R) COBRA premiums: federal subsidy
Urges the Congress of the United States to pass an extension of the COBRA premium subsidy enacted under the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 in order to continue to allow terminated workers to maintain their employer-based group health care coverage.
(Died in Assembly Health Committee)

AJR 42 (Solorio-D) Medicare Secondary Payer Enhancement Act of 2010
Requests that the Congress and the President of the United States enact the Medicare Secondary Payer Enhancement Act of 2010.
Resolution Chapter 92, Statutes of 2010

HR 37 (Portantino-D) Access to religious nonmedical care
Acknowledges the importance of including religious nonmedical care benefits as part of those insurance plans offered through the American Health Benefit Exchange to be established by testate in order to implement the federal health care reform legislation, and encourages the United States Health and Human Services Agency to include those benefits as part of the essential benefits package pursuant to Section 1302 of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
(Died at Assembly Desk)

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Miscellaneous

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SB 156 (Wright-D) Insurance: fraud prevention and detection
Authorizes the Insurance Commissioner to convene meetings with representatives of insurers to discuss suspected or completed acts of insurance fraud.
Chapter 305, Statutes of 2010

SB 1242 (Calderon-D) Insurance: life settlements
Provides several clean-up provisions to the recently enacted life settlement regulatory law. Specifically, provides that the information required by the Insurance Commissioner (Commissioner) to be filed by an applicant for a life settlement license shall be confidential, and that the information specified in the statute is the only information that the Commissioner may require of the applicant; specifies that the 14 detailed elements of the statutory disclosure to be provided at the time of an application to purchase a life settlement contract are the only pre-application disclosures that can be required; provides that the statutory disclosures required of a life settlement broker to the owner of the policy are limited to those specified in statute; eliminates the requirement to disclose life expectancy information to the owner; and clarifies the scope of the Commissioner's authority to adopt regulations by specifying that he/she may adopt any regulations reasonably necessary to "implement and enforce the express provisions of this act."
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 1258* (Kehoe-D) Property insurance surcharge: emergency services
Imposes a 4.8% surcharge on fire or multi-peril insurance policies, to fund state and local emergency response activities, and specifies that 31.3% of collected revenues will be provided to local fire departments that participate in the state's mutual aid system.
(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 1405 (Senate Banking, Finance And Insurance Committee) Life insurance: premium refunds
Provides that life insurance policies sold in California with an initial face amount of less than $10,000, which today have a right to cancellation and refund like policies with a higher initial face amount, are entitled to their refund within 30 days of notice of cancellation to the insurer just as now applies to similar policies valued at $10,000 or more.
Chapter 184, Statutes of 2010

SB 1406 (Senate Banking, Finance And Insurance Committee) Earthquake insurance: coverage offer
States that existing law shall be construed as authorizing an insurer for up to 60 days after issuing or renewing a policy of residential property insurance, to focus on claims and its resources on services to existing policyholders in the event of an earthquake and to temporarily defer the mandatory offer.
Vetoed

SB 1407 (Senate Banking, Finance And Insurance Committee) Insurance: State Compensation Insurance Fund: investments
Authorizes the State Compensation Insurance Fund to invest its "excess" funds in the same investments as domestic insurers, subject to exceptions.
Chapter 651, Statutes of 2010

SB 1408* (Senate Banking, Finance And Insurance Committee) California Life and Health Insurance Guarantee Association
Increases the coverage limits payable by the California Life and Health Insurance Guarantee Association on several categories of life insurance products and modernizes the language of the life insurance guarantee association law to more closely conform to the national standards based on the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' Model Law.
Chapter 334, Statutes of 2010

AB 41 (Coto-D) Insurance: community development investments
Extends the sunset on the law requiring reporting of community development investments and community development infrastructure investments by insurers, revises methods of compliance with the reporting requirement, and imposes modified duties on large insurers.
Chapter 340, Statutes of 2010

AB 679 (Garrick-R) Insurance: adverse underwriting decisions
States that if an insurance company or agent chooses to give an oral advisement, the advisement must be that the applicant or policyholder will receive the reasons in writing if he/she requests.
(Died in Assembly Insurance Committee)

AB 784 (Gaines-R) Insurance transactions: nonadmitted insurers
Provides that a nonadmitted insurer that is affiliated with a California domestic insurer shall not be deemed to be transacting insurance in California as long as all California business written by the nonadmitted insurer is transacted by and through a surplus lines broker licensed in California.
(Died in Assembly Insurance Committee)

AB 786 (Jones-D) Insurance: retained-asset accounts
Restricts use of retained-asset accounts by life insurers absent compliance with specified protections, and makes a violation an unfair and deceptive act in the business of insurance.
(Died in Senate Rules Committee)

AB 802 (Duvall-R) Insurance fraud: release of information
Requires insurers to release to specified government agencies any unlawful activity uncovered in the course of an insurance fraud investigation, when requested.
(Died in Senate Banking, Finance and Insurance Committee)

AB 953 (Eng-D) Insurance company contractors: DMV: records: confidentiality
Permits the disclosure of residence address information in Department of Motor Vehicles records to an authorized contractor of an insurance company. Information could only be disclosed for the purpose of obtaining the address of another motorist or vehicle owner involved in an accident with the company's insured.
Chapter 353, Statutes of 2010

AB 954 (Jones-D) Insurance commissioner: regulations
Requires the Department of Insurance to use the Administrative Procedures Act when adopting rules, regulations, or insurance standards recommended by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, with specified exceptions.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 989 (Block-D) Senior insurance: actions against insurers
Authorizes any person who is harmed as a result of a violation of the senior insurance laws to bring a civil action for compensatory damages and any other remedies otherwise provided by law.
(Died in Assembly Insurance Committee)

AB 1011 (Jones-D) Insurance: green incentives
Requires the Department of Insurance to specifically collect and post on its Web site data from insurers related to the aggregate amount of insurer investments in green investments as part of their community development and community development infrastructure.
Chapter 418, Statutes of 2010

AB 1708 (Villines-R) Insurance: surplus line brokers
Strengthens the capital and surplus requirements for surplus lines companies, specifies the kinds of investments the funds can be comprised of, with authority in the Insurance Commissioner to disallow specific assets, and provides for a staged transition to the new capital and surplus requirements by 12/31/13.
Chapter 362, Statutes of 2010

AB 1837 (Gaines-R) Insurance transactions: nonadmitted insurers
Permits a California domestic insurer to provide designated administrative services to an affiliated non-admitted insurer which is approved by the Department of Insurance for accepting surplus lines placements in California.
Chapter 581, Statutes of 2010

AB 1868 (Jones-D) Insurance: life: disability: discretionary clauses
Prohibits the Insurance Commissioner from approving any disability insurance policy if it includes a provision that would reserve discretionary authority to the insurer to determine eligibility for benefits. Voids certain provisions of a policy or agreement if it provides or funds life insurance or disability insurance coverage and it contains a provision that reserves discretionary authority to the insurer.
Vetoed

AB 2002 (Huffman-D) Insurers: reserve requirements
Provides for across-the-board application of risk-based capital financial oversight to insurers operating in California by repealing a pre-risk-based capital statute that mandates a statutory minimum level of capital reserving for certain non-auto and automobile bodily injury liability insurers as an exception to the reserving practices and law which would otherwise apply.
Chapter 61, Statutes of 2010

AB 2022 (Gaines-R) Property insurance: residential disclosure
Revises the disclosure notice required to be provided to homeowners by insurers so it is shorter, easier to read, and makes it easier for the homeowner to review the adequacy of his/her coverage in the event of a loss or a major catastrophe.
Chapter 589, Statutes of 2010

AB 2066 (Jones-D) Annuity sales: seniors
Requires that seniors be provided with specified disclosures before obtaining an annuity, presumptively limits the sale of annuities to seniors in specified circumstances, and limits the surrender penalty that can be charged to seniors.
(Died in Assembly Insurance Committee)

AB 2111 (Smyth-R) Service contracts
Expands the number of parties who may sell service contracts, requires a service contract reimbursement insurance policy for all service contracts, permits electronic sets, appliances and their accessories to be covered by service contracts, excludes contracts for structural wiring associated with the delivery of cable, telephone, or broadband services from the definition of service contracts, exempts certain financial institutions and specified electrical device manufacturer or contractors from the definition of "service contract seller," and makes changes to service contracts provisions, as specified.
Chapter 543, Statutes of 2010

AB 2128 (Gaines-R) Insurance policies: private security services
Requires a private patrol operator employing any security guard to maintain an insurance policy with minimum limits of $1 million for loss due to bodily injury and death, and $1 million for loss due to injury or destruction of property.
Vetoed

AB 2327 (Harkey-R) Insurance: affordable housing: risk retention pool
Authorizes affordable housing entities to join in an arrangement that provides for the pooling of self-insured claims or losses against tort liability, liability to officers and employees for their acts or omissions, and physical damage to motor vehicles, personal property, and real property of the affordable housing entity.
Chapter 384, Statutes of 2010

AB 2367 (Charles Calderon-D) Insurance: insurer: financial statements
Requires the Insurance Commissioner to provide notice electronically to insurers of changes in the Department of Insurance requirements for annual and quarterly statement filings, as required by law.
(Died on Senate Inactive File)

AB 2395 (Anderson-R) Insurance Commissioner: powers and duties: complaints
Requires the Insurance Commissioner's investigation of public complaints against insurers and production agencies to be limited to the allegations specified in the complaint.
(Died in Assembly Insurance Committee)

AB 2404 (Hill-D) Insurance
Requires insurance policies that will refund premiums on other than a pro rata basis to disclose that fact in writing, and authorizes the Insurance Commissioner to forgo a market conduct examination of an insurer up to an additional three years if certain information is obtained.
Chapter 387, Statutes of 2010

AB 2411 (Jones-D) Pet insurance
Defines "pet insurance" as a separate line within the Insurance Code distinct from other miscellaneous lines, establishes required policy terms for all pet insurance policies serving California residents, regardless of situs of the contract, and increases clarity for consumers on what their policy covers.
Vetoed

AB 2535 (Blakeslee-R) Insurance: California Earthquake Authority
Requires the California Earthquake Authority (CEA), upon request, make available in electronic form nonproprietary materials and documents its governing board uses in the determination of whether to open CEA participation to additional insurers who are not currently participating insurers.
(Died on Senate Inactive File)

AB 2717 (Skinner-D) Insurance: agents and brokers: senior designation
Revises standards and procedures that apply to Insurance Commissioner approval of special senior designations (used by insurance producers in connection with sales of financial and insurance products to seniors) to (1) enhance their credibility, (2) allow strengthened oversight by the Insurance Commissioner, and (3) make designation rules easier for producers to comply with.
Chapter 606, Statutes of 2010

AB 2746 (Blakeslee-R) California Earthquake Authority: mitigation officer
Authorizes the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) to contract for the services of a chief mitigation officer, whose duties shall be established and directed by the CEA board to support and enhance the CEA's various mitigation programs, including collaborative efforts with public and private entities, and subjects this post to the Fair Political Practices Commission Form 700 filing.
Chapter 609, Statutes of 2010

AB 2780* (Solorio-D) Workers' compensation: individually identifiable information
Authorizes the Department of Health Care Services to review individually identifiable information relating to a Medi-Cal claim in order to determine if this claim was actually a result of an 'on-the job injury' that should have been paid by a workers' compensation insurer rather than the Medi-Cal program.
Chapter 611, Statutes of 2010

AB 2781 (Assembly Insurance Committee) Insurance: Guarantee Association
Permits the California Insurance Guarantee Association (CIGA) to issue bonds for an additional two years beyond the current sunset date to 1/1/13, but would not change the total amount of bonds that CIGA could issue.
Chapter 140, Statutes of 2010

AB 2782 (Assembly Insurance Committee) Insurance omnibus
Makes various changes, including technical revisions to investment law and licensing-related changes, to conform California law with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners Producer Licensing Model Act, permits the Insurance Commissioner to modify the frequency and due date of certain reports under current law, and eliminates one annual report to the Governor and the Legislature.
Chapter 400, Statutes of 2010

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