CA AB591

Prohibits health care service plans and health insurers from increasing premium rates on individual contracts or policies for 90 days from the bill's operative date.

After the 90-day freeze, limits premium rate increases for individual contracts or policies to no more than the average percentage increase in the medical care component of the Consumer Price Index for the preceding calendar year.

Prohibits premium rate increases for individual contracts or policies during the 12 months following the effective date of the immediately preceding premium rate increase.

Exempts publicly funded state health care coverage programs (Medi-Cal, Healthy Families Program) and Medicare supplement contracts from these restrictions.

Takes effect immediately as an urgency statute and declares no state reimbursement is required for costs related to new criminal violations created by the act.