AB-278
Health & Public Health

Health care affordability.

Introduced
CA
2025-2026 Regular Session
0
0
Track

Key Takeaways

  • Establishes a Patient Advocate Advisory Committee to inform state healthcare affordability policies by June 2026.
  • Requires eight patient advocates representing chronic, rare, terminal, and mental health conditions.
  • Mandates quarterly public meetings to gather input on healthcare access and affordability challenges.

Summary

Assembly Member Ransom's proposal to establish a Patient Advocate Advisory Standing Committee within California's Health Care Affordability Board aims to formalize patient representation in health care cost policy decisions. The committee would comprise eight representatives from patient advocacy organizations, equally distributed across chronic conditions, rare diseases, terminal illnesses, and mental or behavioral health conditions.

The committee would convene at least four public meetings annually to gather community input on health care access challenges and potential solutions. These meetings would generate recommendations for improving care quality and accessibility for patients across the specified condition categories while addressing affordability concerns. The Health Care Affordability Board would incorporate these findings into its annual report, as mandated by state law.

This addition to the existing Health Care Affordability framework, which currently analyzes market trends and develops cost control strategies, would take effect by June 2026. The measure maintains the Board's core functions of establishing statewide health care cost targets, defining sector-specific standards, and determining exemption criteria, while creating a dedicated channel for incorporating patient perspectives into these decisions.

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Health
Next Step
Assembly Committee
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Health
Hearing has not been scheduled yet
Read first time. To print.
Assembly Floor
Read first time. To print.
Read first time. To print.

Contacts

Profile
Cecilia Aguiar-CurryD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Heath FloraR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Joaquin ArambulaD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Mia BontaD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Dawn AddisD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 17 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 4
Select All Legislators
Profile
Cecilia Aguiar-CurryD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Heath FloraR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Joaquin ArambulaD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Mia BontaD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Dawn AddisD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Joe PattersonR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Juan CarrilloD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Kate SanchezR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Pilar SchiavoD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Mark GonzalezD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Maggy KrellD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Darshana PatelD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Rhodesia RansomD
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Profile
Celeste RodriguezD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
LaShae Sharp-CollinsD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Catherine StefaniD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
David TangipaR
Assemblymember
Committee Member

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Rhodesia Ransom
Rhodesia RansomD
California State Assembly Member
10% progression
Bill has been formally introduced and read for the first time in its house of origin (1/21/2025)

Key Takeaways

  • Establishes a Patient Advocate Advisory Committee to inform state healthcare affordability policies by June 2026.
  • Requires eight patient advocates representing chronic, rare, terminal, and mental health conditions.
  • Mandates quarterly public meetings to gather input on healthcare access and affordability challenges.

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Rhodesia Ransom
Rhodesia RansomD
California State Assembly Member

Summary

Assembly Member Ransom's proposal to establish a Patient Advocate Advisory Standing Committee within California's Health Care Affordability Board aims to formalize patient representation in health care cost policy decisions. The committee would comprise eight representatives from patient advocacy organizations, equally distributed across chronic conditions, rare diseases, terminal illnesses, and mental or behavioral health conditions.

The committee would convene at least four public meetings annually to gather community input on health care access challenges and potential solutions. These meetings would generate recommendations for improving care quality and accessibility for patients across the specified condition categories while addressing affordability concerns. The Health Care Affordability Board would incorporate these findings into its annual report, as mandated by state law.

This addition to the existing Health Care Affordability framework, which currently analyzes market trends and develops cost control strategies, would take effect by June 2026. The measure maintains the Board's core functions of establishing statewide health care cost targets, defining sector-specific standards, and determining exemption criteria, while creating a dedicated channel for incorporating patient perspectives into these decisions.

10% progression
Bill has been formally introduced and read for the first time in its house of origin (1/21/2025)

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Health
Next Step
Assembly Committee
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Health
Hearing has not been scheduled yet
Read first time. To print.
Assembly Floor
Read first time. To print.
Read first time. To print.

Contacts

Profile
Cecilia Aguiar-CurryD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Heath FloraR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Joaquin ArambulaD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Mia BontaD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Dawn AddisD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 17 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 4
Select All Legislators
Profile
Cecilia Aguiar-CurryD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Heath FloraR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Joaquin ArambulaD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Mia BontaD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Dawn AddisD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Joe PattersonR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Juan CarrilloD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Kate SanchezR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Pilar SchiavoD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Mark GonzalezD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Maggy KrellD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Darshana PatelD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Rhodesia RansomD
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Profile
Celeste RodriguezD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
LaShae Sharp-CollinsD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Catherine StefaniD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
David TangipaR
Assemblymember
Committee Member