SB 644: Health care coverage outreach.

Existing federal law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), requires each state to establish an American Health Benefit Exchange to facilitate the purchase of qualified health benefit plans by qualified individuals and qualified small employers. Existing state law creates the California Health Benefit Exchange (Exchange), also known as Covered California, governed by an executive board, to facilitate the enrollment of qualified individuals and qualified small employers in qualified health plans as required under PPACA. Existing law requires the Exchange board to market and publicize the availability of health care coverage through the Exchange and to undertake outreach and enrollment activities.

Under existing law, the information obtained in the administration of the Unemployment Insurance Code is for the exclusive use and information of the Director of Employment Development in the discharge of the directors duties and is not open to the public. Existing law permits the use of the information for specified purposes, including to enable the Exchange and the State Department of Health Care Services to obtain information regarding employee wages, California employer names and account numbers, employer reports of wages and number of employees, and disability insurance and unemployment insurance claim information. Existing law makes it a crime for a person to knowingly access, use, or disclose this confidential information without authorization.

This bill would require the Exchange, at least monthly beginning no later than September 1, 2023, to request from the Employment Development Department (EDD) specified information of each new applicant for unemployment compensation, state disability, and paid family leave. The bill would require EDD to provide specified information to the Exchange to assist the Exchange or the State Department of Health Care Services in determining eligibility for the insurance affordability programs administered by those state agencies, to enable the Exchange to notify an employer that an employee is eligible for advance payments of the premium tax credit and cost-sharing reductions and has enrolled in a qualified health plan, and to enable the Exchange to verify if a consumer has been offered comprehensive employer-sponsored health care coverage. The bill would require the Exchange to market and publicize the availability of health care coverage through the Exchange, and engage in outreach activities, to the individuals whose information the Exchange receives from EDD. By expanding the scope of distribution of confidential information, thereby expanding the number of persons subject to the access, use, and confidentiality restrictions, the bill would expand the scope of related crimes and impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.