RESOLUTION NO. _____________

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA

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RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF SENATE BILL 900 (ALQUIST AND STEINBERG), CALIFORNIA HEALTH BENEFITS EXCHANGE

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RESOLVED, by the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo, State of California, that

 

WHEREAS, the Federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, requires each state to, by January 1, 2014, establish an American Health Benefits Exchange (Exchange) that makes available qualified health plans to qualified individuals and qualified employers; and

 

WHEREAS, Senate Bill 900 would establish the California Health Benefits Exchange (CHBE), within the California Health and Human Services Agency with an appointed governing board to purchase health insurance on behalf of Californians up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level and employees of small businesses; and

 

WHEREAS, Senate Bill 900 would require the CHBE to negotiate and enter into contracts with health plans seeking to participate in the Exchange, and it would require that incentives be established for health plans that encourage the use of cost-effective, high quality delivery systems, and it would be required to offer a choice of health plans in each region of the state of the five levels of coverage (platinum, gold, silver, bronze, and catastrophic) contained in the federal law; and

 

WHEREAS, Federal health care reform makes the Exchange the only place where tax credits for health coverage are available to individuals up to 400 percent of poverty, and after 2014, for small employers; and

 

WHEREAS, estimates are that approximately 43,000 San Mateo County residents with incomes below 400 percent of poverty will be purchasing insurance through the Exchange established by the state, many of whom currently receive subsidized health care through the County’s ACE program; and

 

WHEREAS, Senate Bill 900 would potentially provide significant fiscal savings to the County as many current ACE program participants move to the CHBE.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY DETERMINED AND ORDERED that the Board of Supervisors by the adoption of this resolution hereby supports Senate Bill 900 (Alquist and Steinberg) regarding the California Health Benefits Exchange.

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