California Health Insurer Accountability Initiative (2012)
From Ballotpedia
| Not on Ballot |
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| This measure was not put on an election ballot |
A California Health Insurer Accountability Initiative (#11-0060) was approved for circulation in California as a contender for the November 6, 2012 ballot.
Its sponsors, however, did not submit any signatures to election officials by the deadline.
If the initiative had qualified for the ballot and been approved by the state's voters, it would have:
- Required interpretation of insurance policies "according to plain meaning of words unless special definition included in policy."
- Prohibited insurers from reducing policy benefits without prior consent and refund.
- Required insurers to "provide written reasons for delay, limitation, or denial of benefits and certify determinations are not based on false or misleading information."
- Voided agreements rewarding providers for denial of covered services.
- Subjected violators to "license suspension, disgorgement, damages, punitive damages, and publication of otherwise confidential business information involved in violation."
- Authorized individual enforcement actions on behalf of the State.
- Created an ownership interest in one's own health information.
Text of measure
Ballot title:
Official summary:
- "Requires interpretation of insurance policies according to plain meaning of words unless special definition included in policy. Prohibits insurers from reducing policy benefits without prior consent and refund. Requires insurers to provide written reasons for delay, limitation, or denial of benefits and certify determinations are not based on false or misleading information. Voids agreements rewarding providers for denial of covered services. Subjects violators to license suspension, disgorgement, damages, punitive damages, and publication of otherwise confidential business information involved in violation. Authorizes individual enforcement actions on behalf of State. Creates ownership interest in one's own health information."
Summary of estimated fiscal impact:
(This is a summary of the initiative's estimated "fiscal impact on state and local government" prepared by the California Legislative Analyst's Office and the Director of Finance.)
- "Likely increase in costs to the state and local governments, at least in the millions of dollars annually, associated with increased premiums for government-purchased health insurance. Likely minor impact on state General Fund revenues from gross premiums and corporate income taxes. Potentially significant increase in state court costs depending on the number of cases filed and how they are adjudicated by the courts."
Path to the ballot
- See also: California signature requirements
- John Metz submitted a letter requesting a ballot title on November 1, 2011.
- The ballot title and ballot summary were issued by California's attorney general's office on December 27, 2011.
- 504,760 valid signatures were required for qualification purposes.
- The 150-day circulation deadline for #11-0060 was May 25, 2012.
