CA AB1636

Requires the Department of Managed Health Care to convene a special committee in collaboration with the Department of Insurance, California Health Benefit Exchange, and State Department of Public Health to review health and wellness incentive programs offered by health plans, insurers, and employers.

Committee must evaluate programs for effectiveness based on scientific evidence and examine whether they result in discrimination based on income, age, gender, race, ethnicity, medical condition, genetic information, or other health status-related factors.

Committee membership includes a bioethicist, health care coverage industry representative, chronic disease patient advocate, physician with chronic disease expertise, low-income and communities of color consumer representatives, health researcher, and two employers operating recognized worksite wellness programs.

First committee meeting must occur no later than March 30, 2013, with public meetings required and expert engagement in deliberations.

Committee must submit final report to Assembly and Senate Health Committees by March 30, 2014, with recommendations on promoting worksite wellness programs and whether to allow wellness incentive rewards linked to group health insurance premiums while preventing health status discrimination.