Bill Text: CA AB2807 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 2807 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Medically Tailored Meals Pilot Program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-03-12 - Referred to Com. on HEALTH. [AB2807 Detail]

Download: California-2019-AB2807-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2807

Introduced by Assembly Member Blanca Rubio

February 20, 2020

An act to amend Section 14042.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to Medi-Cal.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2807, as introduced, Blanca Rubio. Medically Tailored Meals Pilot Program.

Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law, until January 1, 2021, or until funding is no longer available, requires the department to establish a 3-year pilot program in specified counties, including the Counties of Alameda and Sonoma, to provide medically tailored meals, as defined, to Medi-Cal participants with specified health conditions, such as cancer and renal disease. Existing law requires the department to evaluate, at the conclusion of the program, the impact of the pilot program on specified matters related to participants, including hospital readmission and emergency room utilization rates, and to send a report on the evaluation, on or before January 1, 2021, or within 12 months after the end of the program, to the Legislature.

This bill would, commencing January 1, 2021, include the Counties of Fresno and Kern in the program, would extend the program to January 1, 2025, and would make conforming changes.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 14042.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:

14042.1.

(a) No Upon appropriation by the Legislature for this purpose, and no earlier than January 1, 2018, the ~~State Department of Health Care Services~~ department shall establish a Medically Tailored Meals Pilot Program to operate ~~for a period of three years, or until funding is no longer available for the program, whichever date is earlier.~~ until January 1, 2025.

(1) The department shall determine the number of eligible participants and providers in the program and shall use ~~Medi-Cal data~~ data from the Medi-Cal program to identify eligible ~~members~~ beneficiaries for participation in the program.

(2) The program shall provide medically tailored meal intervention services to Medi-Cal participants with one or more of the following health conditions: congestive heart failure, cancer, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or renal disease.

(3) The department may establish additional eligibility requirements based on acuity and other selection criteria. Each participant in the program shall receive a standard ~~intervention~~ intervention, as determined by the department, of up to 21 meals per week for 12 to 24 weeks. ~~All meals provided~~ The provided meals shall be medically tailored and designed to meet the specific nutritional needs of the participant’s specific illness.

~~(4)The~~

(4) (A) Until January 1, 2021, the program shall be conducted in the ~~following counties:~~ Counties of Alameda, Los Angeles, Marin, San Diego, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Sonoma.

(B) Commencing January 1, 2021, the program shall be conducted in the Counties of Fresno and Kern, in addition to the counties specified in subparagraph (A).

(5) (A) At the conclusion of the program, the department shall use ~~Medi-Cal data~~ data from the Medi-Cal program on the program participants to evaluate what impact, to the extent it can be determined, the program had on hospital readmissions, decreased admissions to ~~long term~~ long-term care facilities, and emergency room utilization.

(B) The department shall send a report containing its evaluation to the Legislature on or before ~~January 1, 2021,~~ January 1, 2025, or within 12 months after the end of the ~~three-year~~ program.

(C) The legislative report submitted pursuant to subparagraph (B) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(b) For the purposes of this section, “medically tailored meals” means a specifically tailored diet to address the participant’s specific medical condition and associated symptoms.

(c) The department shall develop a methodology for reimbursing contractors, or other ~~entities~~ entities, as applicable, for services or activities provided ~~pursuant to~~ under this section based on, and not to exceed, the aggregate amount of funds allocated per year for purposes of the program. The department may use up to 20 percent of the funds allocated per year for the program to support its administration and evaluation.

(d) Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the department may implement, interpret, or make specific this section, in whole or in part, by means of policy letters, all-county letters, plan letters, or other similar instructions, without taking regulatory action.

(e) For purposes of implementing this section, the department may enter into exclusive or nonexclusive contracts, or amend existing contracts, on a bid or negotiated basis. Contracts entered into or amended pursuant to this section shall be exempt from Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 14825) of Part 5.5 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, Section 19130 of the Government Code, and Part 2 (commencing with Section 10100) of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code, and shall be exempt from the review or approval of any division of the Department of General Services.

(f) The department shall seek any federal approvals necessary to implement this section, including any waivers it deems necessary to obtain federal financial participation for the program, and shall claim federal financial participation to the full extent permitted by law. ~~In the event~~ If federal financial participation is ~~not available,~~ unavailable, the department shall implement the program using available state-only funds, subject to annual appropriation by the Legislature.

(g) This section shall remain in effect until the earlier of January 1, ~~2021,~~ 2025, or six months following the end of the program, and as of that date is repealed.