Governor Jerry Brown signed this week three health care bills, which will protects teenager in Santa Monica and the rest of California.
* California will be the first state to make it illegal for teenager under 18 years to use tanning beds. Currently approx 5-10 percent of tanning salon users are under 18 years old. But with research declaring that the use of tanning beds are a major cancer hazard, it makes sense to protect teenager under the age of 18.
* Teenagers in California as young as 12 years may choose to be vaccinated against human papillomavirus, known as HPV, the leading cause of cervical cancer, even when parents do not give consent. Sometimes over regulation can actual harm a society. A choice such as HPV vacination should be discussed between parents and children, why do we need to write a law that interferes with parents’ ability to make decision for their children ?
* Govenor Brown signed law SB946 that mandates that all insurance companies have to cover autism therapy treatment. Autism is a hardship for so many families, and is a welcome break for many families who have to deal daily with the hardship of Autism. The cost of Autism therapy treatment is approx $ 32,000 per patient . The California Association of Health estimates that the annual cost will be $ 850 million.
A consequence will be that health insurance premiums especially for children will increase, in a time when even fewer families and small business can afford to buy health insurance in Santa Monica, California.