As the 2007 regular legislative session closed, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed and vetoed a raft of bills reaching him from the state's legislative branch. Here is a look at how healthcare bills supported or opposed by the California Medical Association did this year, according to the association's government relations department.
As the 2007 regular legislative session closed, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed and vetoed a raft of bills reaching him from the state's legislative branch. Here is a look at how healthcare bills supported or opposed by the California Medical Association did this year, according to the association's government relations department.
CMA-Supported and Passed Into Law
AB 632 extends whistleblower protection to physicians who present grievances or cooperate in an investigation against a health facility.
AB 682 simplifies patient consent to encourage more HIV screening in all healthcare settings.
AB 1226 smooths physician Medi-Cal enrollment by shortening the state Department of Health Services' schedule for signing up physicians, and by allowing Medicare-approved and hospital-based physicians to submit simplified forms.
AB 1324 confirms that it is illegal for a health plan to cancel or modify coverage after it has authorized a service.
CMA-Supported But Not Passed Into Law
AB 770* would have required that agricultural workers receive health insurance, and that insuring employers can lower total healthcare costs.
AB 1155* would have required the Department of Managed Health Care to issue penalties against health plans for underpayments to physicians in at least the same amount that the plan underpaid, plus interest, if the agency finds the plan at fault. The plan would also be forced to repay the same amount to the physician.
CMA-Opposed and Not Passed Into Law
AB 374* intended to legalize physician-assisted suicide by lethal injection for terminally ill, suffering patients.
AB 425* would have allowed certain motorcyclists to ride without helmets.
AB 636* would have allowed licensed acupuncturists to use a laser device classified as a Class IIIb laser by the Food and Drug Administration.
AB 1276* would have defined physician conduct as unprofessional for failure to ask patients whether they want a medication's purpose written on a prescription label.
AB 1436* intended to expand nurse practitioner scope of practice. For example, the bill would allow an NP to provide authorizations and certifications already provided by a physician.
AB 1444* intended to expand physical therapist scope of practice, but will likely serve as a vehicle for 2008 legislation.
AB 1643* would have eliminated the currently mandatory 1:4 ratio between nurse practitioners and physicians.
SB 389* aimed to prevent hospital-based, out-of-network physicians from billing health plan enrollees at hospitals contracted with the health plan. It would also have put in place a new dispute resolution system involving health plans, providers and consumer groups.
SB 840*, sponsored by state Sen. Sheila Kuehl, would have created a single-payer healthcare system in California.
SB 993* intended to allow psychologists to prescribe certain drugs after training and certification, and to allow a Board of Psychology licensing program.
SB 1014* would have created new taxes to support a single-payer healthcare system proposed in SB 840. Taxes would apply to individuals with incomes above $200,000, payrolls, and non-wage and self-employment income.
*Asterisks denote two-year bills.