“Lindalee’s Law” (AB 1770) Clears Assembly Judiciary Committee and Advances to Assembly Appropriations

Sacramento, CA – The Patient Equity Coalition announced that “Lindalee’s Law” (AB 1770), a bill introduced by Assembly Assistant Majority Leader Robert Garcia (D-Rancho Cucamonga) to protect patients forced into healthcare arbitration, advanced out of the Assembly Judiciary Committee today with a bipartisan vote of 10 to 2. The bill will now head to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. 

“We are thankful to the committee and in particular to Chairman Kalra for standing on the side of patients who are forced into healthcare arbitration,” said Stephen Martinez of the Patient Equity Coalition. “The existing forced healthcare arbitration system is biased against patients and consumers. Arbitrators that are supposed to be neutral, are in fact financially incentivized to rule against patients in order to generate repeat business from the very entities they are judging: the healthcare plans. Lindalee’s Law will make the healthcare arbitration system fairer and more responsive to patients by empowering the Attorney General to ensure these health plan providers are in compliance with the California Arbitration Act.”

AB 1770, was named “Lindalee’s Law,” in honor of Lindalee Iverson, a Southern California woman whose misdiagnosed breast cancer and subsequent experiences in the healthcare arbitration system inspired the bill’s introduction. 

“Lindalee’s Law was inspired by the unnecessary and entirely preventable struggles that Lindalee Iverson faced as she courageously battled breast cancer,” said Assemblymember Robert Garcia (D-Rancho Cucamonga). “The current system incentivizes financial bias against patients who are left with little to no recourse even in clear cases where wrongdoing has been established. Empowering the Attorney General with oversight over healthcare service plans to ensure that plans that force patients into arbitration are complying with existing law, is a step toward a more equitable system.”

“AB 1770 brings key oversight to health plan arbitrators by applying the California Arbitration Act to these cases,” said Xavier Morales, Executive Director of the Praxis Project. “It requires greater disclosure, helps reduce bias, and moves us toward more equitable outcomes. If Californians are going to be required to give up their day in court, the least we can do is ensure the process is fair and protects consumers.”

Lindalee’s Law is sponsored by the Patient Equity Coalition and the Praxis Project. Supporters of the bill include the Consumer Attorneys of California and Courage California.