Legislation Mandating Health Insurers to Cover All Individuals V - Central Coast News KION/KCBA

SACRAMENTO--Healthcare legislation that would have required insurers to make coverage available for all individuals, regardless of their medical condition, was vetoed by Governor Jerry Brown.

According to state officials, the legislation is almost there - it just needs clearer, stronger ties to federal law.

California has long been a leader in health care reform and that hasn't changed.

That's the message from California's Department of Health and Human Services. The Department reaffirms that Brown supports the ideas that all individuals have access to affordable health care, but said the Governor wants more thorough language tying the measures to ongoing changes in the Federal Affordable Care Act, such as eliminating the requirement that everyone carry insurance or pay a penalty.

Secretary Dooley says the state is moving to implement the Affordable Care Act on a very ambitious time frame. The state has 15 months to do so and will be ready by January 2014.