Insurance official gets set for new health care plans

The Affordable Health Care Act is expected to provide millions of uninsured Californians with care some have never seen before. A top State Department of Insurance official explained many details of the program this afternoon to the Santa Barbara Women’s Political Committee.

Deputy Commissioner of the California Department of Insurance, Janice Rocco there will be ten essential areas that will see improvements. She said, “doctor visits, preventative health care, lab work, hospitalization, emergency room visits, mental health care, substance abuse, and rehabilitation care,” were among the primary areas.

Rocco warned however, that rates may go up, possibly in 2014.

“But California is the can do state,” said Senator Hannah Beth-Jackson. “We want to be the first and we are leading the nation in the implementation of the Health Care Act,” she said.

Congresswoman Lois Capps said, the program, “will mean huge differences in people’s lives.”

19th District Assemblyman Das Williams said he sees sweeping changes in costs because of prevention. “People who don’t have health insurance and get sick have to go to the emergency room, which is the most expensive way to get health care,” said Williams. “So in the long run by shifting people to preventative care we’re gonna save money in the system.”