Sacramento - Legislation authored by Assemblymember Bill Monning (D-Carmel) to help California consumers access information and assistance about their health plans and providers was signed by California Governor Jerry Brown on October 7, 2011. (Chapter 552, Statutes of 2011)
"I am extremely pleased that Governor Brown signed AB 922. This enables the state to provide Californians with a single source of correct and current information about health care coverage," said Assemblymember Monning. "There are numerous governmental and non-profit entities that currently provide help and AB 922 provides consumers with a one-stop location for assistance."
The federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as federal health care reform, will expand health care coverage to over 4 million Californians. AB 922 will streamline the confusing and burdensome number of agencies that currently exist to assist consumers by making the Office of Patient Advocate (OPA) a one-stop-shop for that assistance, as well as ensure that Californians get clear and understandable consumer information and assistance by strengthening current programs consistent with the federal requirements. The OPA will also catalog and direct complaints about health care coverage as required by federal health care reform.
AB 922 also moves the Department of Managed Health Care and the Office of the Patient Advocate from the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency to the Health and Human Services Agency, creating a clear internal chain of command for the Administration with regard to health care coverage. The Secretary of Health and Human Services will be responsible for overseeing the state's progress on providing access to expanded health care coverage.
Assemblymember Monning was first elected to represent the 27th Assembly District in 2008 and re-elected in 2010. The 27th Assembly District includes portions of Monterey, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Counties. Prior to his election to the Assembly, Assemblymember Monning was a Professor at the Monterey College of Law and a Professor of International Negotiation and Conflict Resolution at the Monterey Institute of International Studies.
Contact: Melanie Moreno, (916) 319-2097
