(1) Although the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) brought many improvements in health care and health care coverage, PPACA still leaves many Californians without coverage or with inadequate coverage.

(2) Californians, as individuals, employers, and taxpayers, have experienced a rise in the cost of health care and health care coverage in recent years, including rising premiums, deductibles, and copayments, as well as restricted provider networks and high out-of-network charges.

(3) Businesses have also experienced increases in the costs of health care benefits for their employees, and many employers are shifting a larger share of the cost of coverage to their employees or dropping coverage entirely.

(4) Individuals often find that they are deprived of affordable care and choice because of decisions by health benefit plans guided by the plan’s economic needs rather than patients’ health care needs.

(5) To address the fiscal crisis facing the health care system and the state, and to ensure Californians get the health care they need, comprehensive health care coverage needs to be provided. Read More