Bill > SB439

This bill extends the California Health Benefit Review Program (CHBRP), a University of California program that analyzes proposed legislation related to health insurance benefits, through July 1, 2033. Currently, the program is set to expire in 2027. The bill increases the annual assessment on health care service plans and health insurers from $2,200,000 to $3,200,000 to fund the program's operations, covering the fiscal years 2026-27 to 2032-33. The CHBRP provides detailed analyses of proposed health insurance mandates or repeals, examining public health impacts, medical effectiveness, and financial consequences for various stakeholders, including state health insurance programs like Medi-Cal. The bill removes specific reference to the Healthy Families Program in its language and requires a two-thirds majority vote in the California Legislature for passage due to its potential increase in taxpayer costs. The program will become inoperative on July 1, 2033, and will be fully repealed as of January 1, 2034, maintaining its existing sunset provision but with an extended timeframe.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB439