Government

Calif. governor vetoes insurance bill

NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Oct. 20, 2008

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A bill backed by the California Medical Assn. that would have required insurance companies to seek a state review before cancelling their customers' health insurance policies was vetoed Sept. 30 by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

CMA President Richard Frankenstein, MD, said thousands of Californians have had their coverage cancelled by insurance companies after they became sick. The governor is reneging on promises he made to protect consumers from such actions, Dr. Frankenstein said. "Californians need health care coverage they can count on when they get sick. This veto denies them that security."

In his veto message, Schwarzenegger said he could not sign the bill because it lacked several consumer protections included in comprehensive health legislation that he pushed for unsuccessfully earlier this year.

Schwarzenegger did sign a CMA-backed measure requiring restaurant chains with 20 or more locations in California to display food calorie content on menus. The law goes into effect Jan. 1, 2011.

Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2008/10/20/gvbf1020.htm.

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