by Julia Rosen [courtesy of Working Californians blogs]

Today was the day the AB 1x1 was to be brought up in the Senate Health Committee. It didn't. Senator Don Perata asked to delay the vote until Monday since there were not enough votes to pass the bill. To complicate matters the Legislative Analyst came out with her report that had enough consternation about cost containment for the state that it made Senators nervous about moving forward. AP:

Given the Democrats' resistance, it seemed unlikely Perata could obtain the votes without changing the composition of the 11-member panel, although he has said he does not plan to do so. The committee's four Republican members have been opposed to the bill as an expensive and unnecessary expansion of government into the private health care system.

Democrats also sounded queasy about the potential expense, and they sought assurances that the state would not be saddled with new costs.

"It just seems to me that we go into it with a little more certainty of what the price might be," said Sen. Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento. "Otherwise we don't go forward."

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[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Speaker Fabian Nunez (D-Los Angeles) presented AB 1X before the Senate Health Committee today. AB 1X, co-authored by Speaker Núñez and Senate President pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland), is the result of over a year of negotiations between legislative leaders, the Governor, and leading labor, business, health care, and community groups. It requires most Californians to acquire insurance but includes extensive affordability and cost-containment language and allows exemptions for those with a financial hardship. The bill also covers all children. Speaker Núñez told the Senate Health Committee. "AB 1X vastly improves the state of health care in California." The Senate Health Committee is expected to vote on AB1X on Monday the 28th.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Anthony Wright
Executive Director of Health Access California

The LAO is out with its assessment of the health reforms in AB x1 1 and the related ballot measure.

The LAO analysis found that assuming a starting baseline cost for health coverage (of $250 per month per person), the health reform proposal pencils out for at least five years. (In comparison, the Massachusetts proposal only balanced in their original projections for the first two years.)

That's five years to see if the cost control provisions actually work--including the prevention and public health efforts, the impact of transparency efforts, the negotiating power of the purchasing pool, and even the impact of reducing the "hidden tax" of the uninsured. The cost containment elements aren't "booked" as savings (like the presidential candidates do in their plans), because there is a recognition that they will take time to have an impact. Five years would give us that time, as well as to put forth and implement additional proposals to control and reduce costs.

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

by Robert in Monterey [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Over the last few days there has been significant legislative movement on AB 8, the N??ez/Perata health care reform bill. Anthony Wright of Health Access California describes some of the crucial amendments that passed on Friday, amendments which Randy Bayne notes garnered the Cal Labor Fed's support of AB 8 as the bill now includes some cost containment protections (though not as much as hoped, since caps on hospital billing weren't included).

AB 8 seems set for legislative passage, but after that an Arnold veto is expected, writes Bayne. So what next for health care? As the legislature and the governor plan a special session, the details of any final compromise will be absolutely important - and will determine whether the bill will actually be useful, or will be a cure worse than the disease. More...

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Anthony Wright
Executive Director of Health Access California

With the positive amendments on affordability and cost containment, many consumer, community, labor, and constituency groups are coming on board to a full-fledged "Support" position on AB 8(Nunez).

For some, including a handful that are considering opposing the bill, there has been some mis-information circulating:

• Some folks didn't realize that the affordability amendments were in fact included, but they are official as of Friday.

• Some think the bill includes a mandate to buy in the individual market--which there is not.

• Some think the insurance companies are in support--when in fact they are opposed, with Blue Cross running full-page ads against the bill.

• Some are concerned about potential last-minute changes to AB8--but the deadline is now past to make any changes. (If they go into special session, they'll have to start with a new bill number--even if they use the language of AB8 as the basis for further negotiation with the Governor.)