Paul Eisner, a retired attorney from Los Angeles, has filed a proposed ballot initiative in California that aims to prevent insurance companies from delaying or denying doctor-recommended medical procedures and medications. The initiative, initially named the “Luigi Mangione Access to Health Care Act,” seeks to ensure that insurers comply with medical recommendations when serious health risks are involved. Under the proposed law, insurance companies would be prohibited from delaying, denying, or modifying any medical procedure or medication recommended by a treating physician if the delay, denial, or modification could result in disability, death, amputation, permanent disfigurement, or loss or reduction of any bodily function.
Eisner stated that he does not mind if Mangione’s name is dropped from the initiative during the review process by the attorney general’s office. The proposal also stipulates that any decision to deny a physician-recommended procedure or medication must be made by a physician, making it a felony to employ a non-physician to review such decisions.
Preventing insurance delays for care
Eisner’s own experience with rectal cancer 15 years ago partially inspired the proposal, and he acknowledges that while he does not support violent methods, the message about flaws in the health insurance system needs to be addressed through legal and political channels. The California Association of Health Plans has criticized the initiative, stating that the lawyer behind the measure is attempting to use a tragic event to market his political agenda. The public comment period for the proposed initiative remains open through April 25, and the initiative must gather 546,000 valid signatures from registered California voters to appear on the November 2026 ballot.
Eisner remains optimistic about the initiative’s prospects, noting that most people he has spoken to support the idea. The proposed law has the potential to bring about significant changes in the way healthcare coverage is administered in California, potentially setting a precedent for other states to follow.