How Can We Achieve Low Cost Health Insurance in California?

Posted: June 23, 2016

by John Hansen

Assemblyman Rob Bonta Responds to the Need to Lower Health Care Prices in California

Rob Bonta (Democrat), State Assemblyman from the 18th District, responded to this question on May 17^th. He suggested ideas toward getting low cost health insurance in California. He commented on the prices of prescription drugs, Medi-Cal reimbursements and his bill AB 533 aimed at protecting consumers from surprise medical bills.

Specialty Drugs Driving Up Prices

New specialty drugs are driving up health care costs. There is much debate in Sacramento as to how to fight this trend. Bonta commented that we need to go after the “bad actors” that are putting out high priced specialty drugs without first doing the proper research and development.

These super drugs, some effective and some not, are making it difficult to achieve low cost health insurance in California.

Pass AB 533 and Protect Consumers from Surprise Medical Bills

Bonta is actually the author of this bill which is now on the Assembly floor. Despite the fact that this bill has been challenged by California health plans, it enjoys wide support from Democrats, Republicans and health care experts, so it will likely pass.

Bonta comments, “This has been a multi-year battle. Many consumers don’t know, but an out-of-network provider participates and a client doesn’t know.” Bonta and many others feel that this is not fair for consumers. Passing AB 533 will help toward gaining low cost health insurance in California.

He adds, “Consumers don’t know how to challenge it. They fear for their credit, so they just pay the bills. The patient should be held harmless.” This will be the case if Assembly Bill 533 is ratified and health care in California will become more affordable.