Bill > SB78

This bill: - Establishes the Minimum Essential Coverage Individual Mandate, which requires California residents to enroll in and maintain minimum essential health coverage, with some exceptions, or face a penalty. The bill grants the California Health Benefit Exchange the authority to determine eligibility for exemptions from the mandate. - Creates the Individual Market Assistance program to provide health care coverage financial assistance, including advanced premium assistance subsidies, to California residents with household incomes at or below 600% of the federal poverty level, until January 1, 2023. - Establishes the Office of the Surgeon General within the California Health and Human Services Agency to raise public awareness, coordinate policies, and advise policymakers on health issues, including toxic stress and adverse childhood events. - Restores coverage for certain optional Medi-Cal benefits, including audiology, speech therapy, podiatric, and psychology services, but suspends those benefits on December 31, 2021, unless certain revenue conditions are met. - Authorizes the State Department of Public Health to allocate funds to local health jurisdictions for sexually transmitted disease control and prevention activities, hepatitis C virus activities, and HIV prevention and control activities, but suspends those programs on December 31, 2021, unless certain revenue conditions are met. - Makes various other changes related to Medi-Cal, workers' compensation, and state hospital patient programs, as well as establishing a Medi-Cal Drug Rebate Fund and authorizing a managed care organization provider tax.