California Proposition 45, the Public Notice Required for Insurance Company Rates Initiative

California Proposition 45, the Public Notice Required for Insurance Company Rates Initiative, is on the November 4, 2014 ballot in California as an initiated state statute. This initiative “requires Insurance Commissioner’s approval before health insurer can change its rates or anything else affecting the charges associated with health insurance, provides for publicnotice, disclosure, and hearing, and subsequent judicial review, and exempts employer large group health plans."

If approved by voters, the initiative would:

Require changes to health insurance rates, or anything else affecting the charges associated with health insurance, to be approved by the California Insurance Commissioner before taking effect

Provide for public notice, disclosure, and hearing on health insurance rate changes, and subsequent judicial review

Require sworn statement by health insurer as to accuracy of information submitted to Insurance Commissioner to justify rate changes

Exempt employer large group health plans under any circumstances

Prohibit health, auto, and homeowners insurers from determining policy eligibility or rates based on lack of prior coverage or credit history. Premiums for health insurance are at an all time high, benefits are going down, and many Californians cannot even get health insurance at any price. The public should expect a certain level of accountability and transparency for the skyrocketing rates being charged, especially when rates have been rising five times faster than the rate of inflation.

To read more about the bill, visit:

  http://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_45,_Public_Notice_Required_for_Insurance_Company_Rates_Initiative_(2014)

Proposition 46: Medical Malpractice Lawsuits Cap and Drug Testing of Doctors

California Proposition 46, the Medical Malpractice Lawsuits Cap and Drug Testing of Doctors Initiative, is on the November 4, 2014 ballot in California as an initiated state statute. The initiative was certified on May 15, 2014 by the California Secretary of State.

If approved by voters, the initiative will:

• Increase the state's cap on damages that can be assessed in medical negligence lawsuits to over $1 million from the current cap of $250,000.
• Require drug and alcohol testing of doctors and reporting of positive tests to the California Medical Board.
• Require the California Medical Board to suspend doctors pending investigation of positive tests and take disciplinary action if the doctor was found impaired while on duty.
• Require health care practitioners to report any doctor suspected of drug or alcohol impairment or medical negligence.
• Require health care practitioners to consult state prescription drug history database before prescribing certain controlled substances.

Supporters of the initiative refer to it as the Troy and Alana Pack Patient Safety Act of 2014, after two children who were killed by a driver under the influence of abused prescription drugs. According to a study published in the Journal of Patient Safety, medical negligence is the third leading cause of death in the country behind only heart disease and cancer. As many as 440,000 people die each year from preventable medical negligence. Additionally, the California Medical Board estimates that almost one-in-five doctors (18%) suffer from drug and/or alcohol abuse at some point during their careers – and leading medical safety experts have called for random drug testing to curb substance abuse and ensure patient safety. The Journal of the American Medical Association found that doctors are the biggest suppliers for chronic prescription drug abusers, and called for the mandatory usage of state prescription drug databases while a 2012 Los Angeles Times investigation found that drugs prescribed by doctors caused or contributed to nearly half of recent prescription overdose deaths in Southern California.

In order to prevent another death at the hands of drug abuse, especially by medical professionals in the field, please support this initiative as it will keep those accountable and will provide due process for the lives that could be lost as a result of these negligent actions.

Read more about the Medical Malpractice bill by visiting: http://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_46,_Medical_Malpractice_Lawsuits_Cap_and_Drug_Testing_of_Doctors_(2014)

California Proposition 2: Rainy Day Budget Stabilization Fund Act

The Rainy Day Budget Stabilization Fund Act, a ballot proposition on the November 4, 2014 statewide ballot in California as a legislatively-referred constitutional amendment, would force the Legislature to put 3 percent of revenue into the rainy day fund. Budget stabilization or "rainy day" funds allow states to set aside excess revenue for use in times of unexpected revenue shortfall or budget deficit (http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/state-local/fiscal/rainy-day.cfm).

The measure, upon voter approval, would alter the state’s existing requirements for the Budget Stabilization Account (BSA), as established by Proposition 58. The BSA is a rainy day fund. ACA 1 would also establish a Public School System Stabilization Account (PSSSA). This proposition would require annual transfer of state general fund revenues to the budget stabilization account. It would also require half the revenues to be used to repay state debts. Additionally, it would limit the use of remaining funds to emergencies or budget deficits.

Major provisions of this initiative will:
· Transfer 3 percent of General Fund Revenues to the Budget Stabilization Fund;
· Strengthen Rainy Day fund with “unanticipated revenues”;
· Increase size of the Rainy Day fund;
· Provide flexibility in “Bad Budget Years”;
· Limits the use of Reserve Funds;
· Limits the use of excess revenues not deposited into the Rainy Day fund;
· And prohibits the Legislature from raiding the Rainy Day fund.

As for fiscal impact, the Assembly Budget Committee estimates that: “This provision would result in increased funding in the states’ “rainy day” reserve funds. It would also increase state spending on repaying budgetary borrowing and debt, and infrastructure projects. Finally, the additional reserve would reduce the extent of state cash borrowing, allowing for some savings in the short-term cash borrowing costs.” There would be no impact on the current state budget (http://www.caltax.org/members/Rainy_%20Day_Fund_Initiative_Analysis.pdf).

Read more about the Rainy Day Budget Stabilization Fund here: http://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_44,_Rainy_Day_Budget_Stabilization_Fund_Act_(2014)

Jerry Brown sets debate with Neel Kashkari

Gov. Jerry Brown will debate Republican Neel Kashkari in Sacramento early next month, the only debate the incumbent governor will participate in ahead of the November election, his campaign said Monday.

Brown, who leads Kashkari by a wide margin both in fundraising and public opinion polls,previously said he was unsure if he would debate Kashkari. The little-known Republican has pressed Brown to debate him 10 times, echoing a call Brown made four years ago in his race against Meg Whitman.

The one-hour debate, on Sept. 4, was first reported Monday by KQED News, one of the producers of the event. It comes relatively early in the race, and Dan Newman, a spokesman for Brown, said it is the only debate invitation the governor will accept.

KQED reported that the debate is being produced jointly with the Los Angeles Times, The California Channel and Telemundo California. The report said The California Channel will air the debate and offer a satellite feed to television stations around the state, and that Telemundo stations will broadcast a translated version of the debate in major media markets. Newman said the debate will be held at The California Channel’s Sacramento studios.

Brown has declined a debate invitation from a Sacramento-based consortium including The Sacramento Bee, KCRA, Capital Public Radio and California State University, Sacramento. The same media partners sponsored a debate between Brown and Whitman in 2010. 

via: http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/18/6637856/jerry-brown-sets-debate-with-neel.html#mi_rss=Capitol%20Alert

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/18/6637856/jerry-brown-sets-debate-with-neel.html#mi_rss=Capitol%20Alert#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/18/6637856/jerry-brown-sets-debate-with-neel.html#mi_rss=Capitol%20Alert#storylink=cpy

Get Out Your Vote Today!

After months of campaigning, tens of millions of dollars in outside spending and plenty of hand-wringing over whether turnout would reach a new low, California's 2014 primary election is finally upon us. 

Across the state today, voters (though probably not very many of them) will be selecting the top two candidates for eight statewide offices, 100 legislative seats and 53 congressional races, as well deciding the fates of two propositions and countless local initiatives, county supervisor positions and judgeships.

Capitol Alert will be bringing you results, analysis and video all night long on sacbee.com. Check back for complete coverage after the polls close at 8 p.m.

via: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/06/am-alert-voters-head-to-polls-for-primary-election.html

Read more here: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/06/am-alert-voters-head-to-polls-for-primary-election.html#storylink=cpy