SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California state lawmakers have sent Gov. Jerry Brown, D, a pair of bills that will make some federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) health insurance product requirements part of state law.
The bills, ABx1-2 and SBx1-2, will give state agencies the power to enforce the PPACA ban on discrimination against health insurance applicants with pre-existing conditions and the PPACA restrictions on the difference between the rates health insurers charge their oldest insureds and the rates they charge their youngest adult insureds.
The Assembly passed ABx1-2 on a 49-20 vote, and the Senate passed SBx1-2 on a 27-9 vote.
The Assembly bill would change the insurance code.
The Senate bill would change the health and safety code.
The bills now go to the governor, who is expected to sign them. They were part of a special legislative session convened by Brown to implement national health care system changes in California.
The governor's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.
Sen. Joel Anderson, R-Alpine, said he was reluctant to vote against the bill but fears it will drive up health premiums for many individuals who buy their own insurance. He cited an actuarial report commissioned by Covered California that found that middle-income residents could see individual health premiums increase by an average of 30 percent.
"It pains me to oppose this because I know how hard everyone's been working," said Anderson, who voted no.
