A special legislative session will occur in California at the end of the year.
Governor Jerry Brown has announced his intentions to call a special legislative session that will occur in California at the end of the year, in order to discuss the health care reforms and the way they will be implemented in the state.
This session will begin in either December 2012, or January 2013.
According to Diana Dooley, the California Health and Human Services Secretary, the special session will run alongside the regular legislative session. Dooley explained that the state – which was among the first to embrace the health care reforms made by President Obama – is now simply awaiting the guidelines that the federal government will be providing. Until then, it cannot take any additional legislative actions.
It is for this reason that the special legislative session for the health care reforms was suggested.
It gives the administration the time that is necessary to make the necessary changes and implement the various elements of the act once the federal government’s guidelines have been received. Any laws that are passed within the special session by the Legislature would become effective within 90 days, instead of having to wait until the following January, as is typically the case.
The health care reform system will require the Medi-Cal program in the state to be dramatically expanded. The state is also already beginning its efforts to establish the required insurance exchange marketplace for individuals and small businesses.
According to the Governor, the special session will be by the state’s legislature to give itself the opportunity to address the various issues that “cannot be addressed or answered without further guidance from the federal government and additional analysis.” The current session ends on August 31, and as the federal government’s guidance has not yet been received, there is not enough time before the end of the current session to use it.
The state is currently considered to be one of the key testers for the preparations that are necessary for the implementation of the health care reforms. The leaders in California are hoping that by 2014, millions of Californians who are currently uninsured will be enjoying the benefits of expanded coverage.