Health care coverage: temporary high risk pool.

Existing law, the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, requires the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a temporary high risk health insurance pool program to provide health insurance coverage for eligible individuals until January 1, 2014. Existing law authorizes the secretary to implement this program directly or through contracts with eligible entities, including the states, and requires that federal money made available pursuant to these provisions be used to establish a qualified high risk pool that meets certain requirements.