Bill Text: CA AB382 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Chaptered

California Assembly Bill 382 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Whole Child Model program.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2)

Status: (Passed) 2021-07-09 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 51, Statutes of 2021. [AB382 Detail]

Download: California-2021-AB382-Chaptered.html

Assembly Bill No. 382

CHAPTER 51

An act to amend Section 14094.17 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to Medi-Cal.

[ Approved by Governor July 09, 2021. Filed with Secretary of State July 09, 2021. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 382, Kamlager. Whole Child Model program.

Under existing law, the State Department of Health Care Services administers various health programs, including the California Children’s Services (CCS) program, which is a statewide program providing medically necessary services required by physically handicapped children whose parents are unable to pay for those services, and the Medi-Cal program, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services under specified health care delivery systems, such as managed care. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law authorizes the department to establish a Whole Child Model (WCM) program, under which managed care plans served by a county organized health system or Regional Health Authority in designated counties provide CCS services to Medi-Cal eligible CCS children and youth. Existing law requires the department to establish a statewide WCM program stakeholder advisory group that includes specified persons, such as CCS case managers and labor organizations, to consult with that advisory group on the implementation of the WCM, and to consider the advisory group’s recommendations on prescribed matters. Existing law terminates the advisory group on December 31, 2021.

This bill would remove labor organizations from the stakeholder advisory group, and would instead include recognized exclusive representatives of CCS county providers. The bill would instead terminate the advisory group on December 31, 2023.

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

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

SECTION 1.

Section 14094.17 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:

14094.17.

(a) A Medi-Cal managed care plan participating in the Whole Child Model program shall create and maintain a clinical advisory committee, composed of the managed care contractor’s chief medical officer or the equivalent, the county CCS medical director, and at least four CCS-paneled providers, to advise on clinical issues relating to CCS conditions, including treatment authorization guidelines, and serve as clinical advisers on other clinical issues relating to CCS conditions.

(b) (1) A Medi-Cal managed care plan participating in the Whole Child Model program shall establish a family advisory group for CCS families.

(2) Family representatives who serve on this advisory group may receive a reasonable per diem payment to enable in-person participation in the advisory group. A plan may conduct family advisory group meetings by teleconference or through other similar electronic means to facilitate family participation in this advisory group.

(3) A representative of this local group shall be invited to serve on the department’s statewide stakeholder advisory group established pursuant to subdivision (c).

(c) (1) The department shall establish a statewide Whole Child Model program stakeholder advisory group, or modify an existing Whole Child Model program stakeholder advisory group, composed of representatives of CCS providers, county CCS program administrators, health plans, family resource centers, regional centers, recognized exclusive representatives of CCS county providers, CCS case managers, CCS medical therapy units, and representatives from family advisory groups established pursuant to subdivision (b). Participation on the statewide stakeholder advisory group shall be voluntary, and members shall be ineligible for travel or other per diem payments.

(2) The department shall consult with the stakeholder advisory group on the implementation of the Whole Child Model program and shall consider the recommendations of the stakeholder advisory group in developing the monitoring processes and outcome measures by which the plans participating in the Whole Child Model program shall be monitored and evaluated.

(3) The statewide Whole Child Model program stakeholder advisory group, as established under this section, shall terminate on December 31, 2023.