Bill Text: CA AB2965 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Medi-Cal: immigration status.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2018-08-16 - In committee: Held under submission. [AB2965 Detail]
Download: California-2017-AB2965-Amended.html
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Amended
IN
Assembly
May 25, 2018 |
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Amended
IN
Assembly
March 23, 2018 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION
| Assembly Bill | No. 2965 |
| Introduced by (Coauthors: Assembly Members |
February 16, 2018 |
An act to amend Section 14007.8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to Medi-Cal.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2965, as amended, Arambula.
Medi-Cal: immigration status: adults. status.
Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid Program program provisions. The federal Medicaid Program provisions prohibit program prohibits payment to a state for medical assistance furnished to an alien who is not lawfully admitted for permanent residence or otherwise permanently
residing in the United States under color of law.
Existing law requires that individuals under 19 years of age enrolled in restricted-scope Medi-Cal at the time the Director of Health Care Services makes a determination that systems have been programmed for implementation of these provisions, provisions be enrolled in the full scope of Medi-Cal benefits, if otherwise eligible, pursuant to an eligibility and enrollment plan. Existing law makes the effective date of enrollment for those individuals the same day that systems are operational to begin processing new applications pursuant to the director’s determination. Existing law requires the department, until the director makes the above-described determination, to provide monthly updates to specified legislative committees on
the status of the implementation of these provisions.
This bill would extend eligibility for full-scope Medi-Cal benefits to individuals of all ages who are under 26 years of age and who are otherwise eligible for those benefits but for their immigration status. The bill would delete provisions delaying eligibility and enrollment until the director makes the determination described above. The bill would require the department to provide, indefinitely, the above-described monthly updates to the legislative committees. Because counties are required to make Medi-Cal eligibility determinations and this bill would expand Medi-Cal eligibility, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution
requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YESBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 14007.8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:14007.8.
(a) (1) An individual who is under 26 years of age and who does not have satisfactory immigration status or is unable to establish satisfactory immigration status as required by Section 14011.2 shall be eligible for the full scope of Medi-Cal benefits, if he or she is otherwise eligible for benefits under this chapter.(2) (A) Individuals who are under 26 years of age and who are
enrolled in Medi-Cal pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 14007.5 shall be enrolled in the full scope of Medi-Cal benefits, if otherwise eligible, pursuant to an eligibility and enrollment plan. This plan shall include outreach strategies developed by the department in consultation with interested stakeholders, including, but not limited to, counties, health care service plans, consumer advocates, and the Legislature. Individuals subject to this subparagraph shall not be required to file a new application for Medi-Cal.
(B) The department shall provide monthly updates to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature on the status of the implementation of this section.
(b) To the extent permitted by state and federal law, an individual
eligible under this section shall be required to enroll in a Medi-Cal managed care health plan. Enrollment in a Medi-Cal managed care health plan shall not preclude a beneficiary from being enrolled in any other children’s Medi-Cal specialty program that he or she would otherwise be eligible for.
(c) The department shall seek any necessary federal approvals to obtain federal financial participation in implementing this section. Benefits for services under this section shall be provided with state-only funds only if federal financial participation is not available for those services.
(d) The department shall maximize federal financial participation in implementing this section to the extent allowable.
(e) This section
shall be implemented only to the extent it is in compliance with Section 1621(d) of Title 8 of the United States Code.
(f) (1) Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the department, without taking any further regulatory action, shall implement, interpret, or make specific this section by means of all-county letters, plan letters, plan or provider bulletins, or similar instructions until the time any necessary regulations are adopted. Thereafter, the department shall adopt regulations in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(2) Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government
Code, the department shall provide a status report to the Legislature on a semiannual basis, in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code, until regulations have been adopted.
(g) In implementing this section, the department may contract, as necessary, on a bid or nonbid basis. This subdivision establishes an accelerated process for issuing contracts pursuant to this section. Those contracts, and any other contracts entered into pursuant to this subdivision, may be on a noncompetitive bid basis and shall be exempt from the following:
(1) Part 2 (commencing with Section 10100) of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code and any policies, procedures, or regulations authorized by that part.
(2) Article 4
(commencing with Section 19130) of Chapter 5 of Part 2 of Division 5 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(3) Review or approval of contracts by the Department of General Services.
