Health care coverage: minimum essential coverage.

Existing federal law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) , requires each state to establish an American Health Benefit Exchange to facilitate the purchase of qualified health benefit plans by qualified individuals and qualified small employers. Existing state law creates the California Health Benefit Exchange (Exchange) , also known as Covered California, to facilitate the enrollment of qualified individuals and qualified small employers in qualified health plans as required under PPACA. PPACA generally requires individuals, and any dependents of the individual, to maintain minimum essential coverage, as defined, and, if an individual fails to maintain minimum essential coverage, PPACA imposes on the individual taxpayer a penalty. This provision is referred to as the individual mandate. Existing state law creates the Minimum Essential Coverage Individual Mandate to ensure an individual and the individual's spouse and dependents maintain minimum essential coverage, and imposes the Individual Shared Responsibility Penalty for the failure to maintain minimum essential coverage. This bill, on or before March 1, 2022, and annually on or before March 1 thereafter, would require the Franchise Tax Board to report to the Legislature on specified information regarding the Minimum Essential Coverage Individual Mandate, the Individual Shared Responsibility Penalty, and state financial subsidies paid for health care coverage.