Food Security Bills: Jessica Bartholow: 916-400-1948

Health Bills: Elizabeth Landsberg at 916-844-6264 or Vanessa Cajina at 916-747-0066

 

Governor Jerry Brown signed several key bills to implement the new federal health care law. Sponsored by the Western Center on Law and Poverty, Assembly Bill 1296 (Bonilla) creates a "no wrong door" system for enrolling people into health coverage including Medi-Cal, Healthy Families and the new Health Care Exchange that will be launched in 2014. Today, the onus is on the consumer to know what program she may be eligible for and if she is denied coverage in one program she has to start over with a new application process. Under AB 1296 by Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla (D-Concord), regardless of where a consumer applies – online, in person, by phone, or by mail – she will be evaluated for the range of health coverage programs and enrolled into the one for which she is eligible.

 

"Governor Brown has taken a critical step in implementing the Affordable Care Act (ACA), signing legislation to create a consumer-friendly application system for Californians. AB 1296 will help ensure that in 2014, when people must have health coverage, they will be able to benefit from the coverage expansions in the federal law and get the coverage for which they are eligible," said Elizabeth Landsberg, Director of Legislative Advocacy for the Western Center.

 

Even with a streamlined enrollment system, consumers will still need assistance navigating the health care arena when they have problems. Another bill sponsored by Western Center and signed by Governor Brown, Assembly Bill 922 (Monning), will create a statewide consumer assistance program for all health care consumers.

 

"With health reform right around the corner, it is more important than ever for Californians to have a one-stop shop when they have questions or problems with their health care," said Vanessa Cajina, Legislative Advocate with the Western Center.

 

Today there are a confusing number of health regulators and consumer assistance programs; getting　questions answered　depends on whether　consumers know if they　are in a PPO or HMO, an employer plan or a Medi-Cal or Medicare plan.　 AB 922 by Assemblymember William Monning (D-Carmel) ensures that all Californians will be able to get questions answered and information about their health coverage through the Office of the Patient Advocate.　 The Office will work in partnership with local community-based organizations to assist consumers in their own community with experienced bilingual staff.

 

"We applaud the Governor's leadership in recognizing that a streamlined Office of Patient Advocacy is smart government and effective consumer assistance," said Landsberg. "Health care consumers need one number they can call and know they will be helped right away."

"We are heartened," continued Landsberg, "that the Governor has signed these and other important bills to implement the ACA in California and hope he will continue to ensure California can put the necessary pieces in place by 2014 for the health law to succeed and state residents to get the health care they need."

 

 

In addition to the health care bills, the Governor signed a critical package of bills to reduce hunger, providing much needed relief to out-of-work Californians. 

Among these bills were two Western Center-sponsored bills, Senate Bill 43 by Senator Carol Liu (D-La Cañada) and Assembly Bill 402 by Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley). SB 43, passed unanimously out of the Senate, helps out-of-work CalFresh recipients meet the program's work requirements and removes benefit sanctions for recipients living in an area of high unemployment. "Turning away federal food assistance for out-of-work Californians during times of high unemployhment not only increases hunger but slows our economic recovery," says Jessica Bartholow, Legislative Advocate for Western Center.

AB 402 authorizes schools to work with county social services agencies to develop a fast track from a school meal application to a CalFresh application. About this bill, Assemblywoman Skinner said, “At a time when one in four children live in households where food may not always be available, AB 402 will help reduce the number of children experiencing hunger in the classroom by promoting effective cooperation between schools and social services offices."  

 

"We were very pleased to see the Governor sign so many pieces of legislation to address hunger, several of which our community has been working on years," said Bartholow. These include:

 

·         Assembly Bill 6 by Felipe Fuentes (D-Los Angeles) which will reduce administrative hurdles to CalFresh participation by removing the finger image requirement for applicants, moving to a semi-annual (6-month) reporting system and simplifying the program's utility allowance deduction. It also moves the CalWORKs reporting requirement to a 6-month reporting timeline. 

 

 

·         Assembly Bill 581 by Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez (D-Los Angeles) establishes a fund to address food deserts. “Through this legislation and the California Healthy Food Financing Initiative, we have the opportunity to create a pathway to increase access to healthy food,” said Speaker Pérez.

 

 "We applaud the Governor for so strongly asserting the state's role in ameliorating hunger during these pressing economic times and are honored to have contributed to the policy development enacted in this very strong legislative package." The complete list was announced via press release on Wednesday and a description are provided on Western Center’s Human Services Legislation Summary, linked below.