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Assembly Health Committee sends SB 439 to Appropriations to extend CHBRP and add $1 million annually
Summary
The Assembly Health Committee voted to refer SB 439 to the Appropriations Committee. The bill would extend the sunset of the California Health Benefits Review Program (CHBRP) by six years and add $1 million in annual funding, proponents told the committee during a brief hearing.
SACRAMENTO — The Assembly Health Committee on Tuesday voted to send SB 439 to the Assembly Appropriations Committee after hearing brief testimony that the bill would extend the California Health Benefits Review Program’s sunset by six years and increase its annual budget by $1,000,000.
Senator Weber Pearson introduced SB 439, saying the bill would extend the program commonly known as the California Health Benefits Review Program, or CHBRP. "I am here to present SB 439, which would extend the sunset of California Health Benefit Review Program ... by 6 years and increase its annual budget by $1,000,000," the senator said.
CHBRP staff and University of California representatives urged support. Jen Chase, speaking for the University of California, said the university is a sponsor and "respectfully ask[ed] for an aye vote." Garen Corbett, identified in committee as the director of CHBRP, described the program's role in providing evidence-based analysis for California policymaking and said the unit has completed nearly 250 requests. "With your kind support of this bill, we will have the essential resources to continue and meet the high standards of our statutory charge," Corbett said. He closed his testimony by asking members to support SB 439.
Committee leadership praised CHBRP’s role. The chair of the Assembly Health Committee said the program provides "much needed objective fact based review of benefit mandate bills" and that its work "better informs our debate and understanding the fiscal implications" of health-related legislation.
The motion to refer SB 439 to the Assembly Appropriations Committee was moved by Chen and seconded by Sharp Collins. The committee recorded a roll call vote in which members present registered aye votes; the measure was referred to Appropriations. The committee clerk announced the measure "out" after the vote.
SB 439 would extend CHBRP’s statutory sunset and add the specified annual funding to help the program address inflationary pressures, restore staffing compensation, and produce more analyses, proponents said. Corbett and Chase told the committee the program has had one budget increase in more than two decades and that the complexity and demand for CHBRP’s work have risen because of changes in federal and state policy and insurance markets.
No primary witnesses opposed the bill at the hearing and no public opposition was presented at the standing microphone during the allotted period. After the roll call, the committee concluded its business and opened the consent calendar for add-ons.
SB 439 will now be considered by the Assembly Appropriations Committee for further action.
