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2002 Legislative Update

The following pieces of legislation affecting health insurance went into effect this year:

AB 25 Domestic Partner Coverage

Requires health care service plans and insurers to offer employers domestic partner coverage as part of the group plan.

AB 892 Hospice Care

Requires health care service plans to provide certain coverage for hospice care for terminally ill members as a basic health care service. Hospice care at a minimum should be equivalent to that provided by Medicare.

AB 938 Disclosure Form

Requires health care service plan’s disclosure form to include any limitations on the patient’s choice of a non-physician health care practitioner, and include any general authorization requirements for referral by a primary care physician to a non-physician health care practitioner. Additionally, the bill requires plans and/or medical groups to provide a list of contracting providers to enrollees, upon request.

SB 37 Clinical Trials for Cancer

Requires health care service plans and certain disability insurers to provide coverage for certain routine patient care costs incurred during a qualifying FDA-, NIH-, DOD-, or VA- approved clinical trial relating to cancer.

SB 446 AIDS Vaccines

Requires health care service plans and insurers to provide coverage for FDA-approved AIDS vaccines when available and such becomes available.

SB 1169 Emergency Contraception

Permits pharmacists to initiate emergency contraception in accordance with standardized procedures or protocols developed by the pharmacist and an authorized prescriber.

SB 1219 Coverage for Cervical Cancer

Requires a health care service plan or a disability insured policy that includes coverage for the treatment or surgery of cervical cancer to cover an FDA approved annual cervical cancer screening test.

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HEADLINE NEWS

BLUE CROSS INTRODUCES VISION PLAN FOR SMALL GROUP:  A new offering for the small group market will be available August 1, 2005 with benefits, rates and provider networks comparable to VSP.

Medicare Covers Glaucoma Detection Eye Exam:  New Coverage to Benefit At-Risk Populations.

Once-a-Week Workout Keeps Elderly Strong: One workout a week can mean the difference between frailty and freedom.

Top Court OKs Medical 2nd Opinions: When Debra Moran's insurer refused to pay for an operation to treat her debilitating nerve problem, she didn't take no for an answer. She got a second opinion.

FDA OKs Device to Treat Back Pain: The government on Tuesday approved sales of a device that could radically change surgery for certain back pain sufferers.

Medicare, medicaid underpayments push private premiums up:  An analysis of California hospital costs and revenues released today by Blue Shield of California indicates that low reimbursement rates paid by Medicare and Medi-Cal (the state's Medicaid program) may result in cost-shifting onto private insurers amounting to 9.5 percent of premiums.

health benefit taxation sparks debate in congress:  For 60 years, American workers have received job-sponsored healthcare benefits that neither they nor corporations pay taxes on, but some groups are pushing for an end to that arrangement.

 

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