Wine Country Times

Assembly member Jim Wood (D-Santa Rosa) has introduced several bills targeting various elements of health care, including affordability, access, equality, quality and cost management, according to his website.

Wood, who introduced the legislation on Feb. 19, said that his proposed solutions would aid each component of the health care system.

Assembly Member Jim Wood | Twitter

"If we want to provide health care to everyone, it has to start with controlling its cost," Wood stated in a May 26 Tweet. "Every part of the health care system needs to a part of the solution, not the problem. I hope my Assembly colleagues agree."

One of the bills, Assembly Bill 1130, would create the Office of Health Care Affordability. According to a 2020 California Health Care Foundation study, 84% of Californians viewed health care affordability a very significant concern.

“The creation of this office will be a true partnership with Gov. (Gavin) Newsom and his administration,” Wood stated on his website. “We absolutely have the same goals, and working together on behalf of all Californians is something I look forward to.”

The Office of Health Care Affordability would be responsible for assessing the health care market for cost trends and expenditure drivers, along with setting and enforcing financial goals.

“It will be impossible to reach the goal of providing equitable, quality health care to every Californian without making it affordable, and that must include containing costs,” Wood said on his website. “This office will not only do the work of analyzing current costs, establishing cost targets and ensuring compliance with those targets, but will also measure quality and equity.”

Another bill, AB 1131, would establish a statewide comprehensive health information exchange capable of storing, monitoring and securely communicating patients' full medical histories.

Wood's third measure, AB 1132, establishes a procedure for evaluating the effects of health care consolidation, market influence and other market activities regarding growing health care prices.

"Research has shown that higher prices for health care services can be the result of market consolidation among health plans, hospitals, medical groups or physician organizations, pharmacy benefit managers and  others," Wood said.