Health care legislation seeking to extend coverage to millions of California’s uninsured has been approved by the state Assembly by a 46-31 vote.
Assembly Bill 1X1 is the result of nearly a year of negotiations between legislative leaders, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and labor, business, health care and consumer groups in the state.
Under the proposal, all 800,000 uninsured children in the state would be covered, said Assembly Speaker Fabian Nu?ez (D-Los Angeles).
The legislation would rely on a system of shared responsibility between employers, health care providers, consumers and government agencies. It would mandate that most Californians carry health care insurance but would subsidize the insurance for families earning up to 4 times the federal poverty line.