Bill Text: CA AB515 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 515 (Prior Session Legislation)

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: Medi-Cal: unrecovered payments: interest rate.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)

Status: (Vetoed) 2020-09-28 - Vetoed by Governor. [AB515 Detail]

Download: California-2019-AB515-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 515

Introduced by Assembly Member Mathis

February 13, 2019

An act to add Section 14172.6 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to Medi-Cal.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 515, as introduced, Mathis. Medi-Cal: overpayments: federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics.

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 provides that federally qualified health center (FQHC) services and rural health clinic (RHC) services, as defined, are covered benefits under the Medi-Cal program, to be reimbursed, to the extent that federal financial participation is obtained, to providers on a per-visit basis. Existing law requires the department to audit amounts paid for services provided to Medi-Cal beneficiaries, as specified. Existing law sets forth provisions governing the procedures for recovery of an overpayment to a Medi-Cal provider, including the assessment of interest.

This bill would prohibit the department from assessing or collecting interest on the recovery of an overpayment from a federally qualified health center or a rural health clinic located in a medically underserved area, as defined. The bill would authorize the department to implement the bill by means of all-county letters or similar instructions until regulations are adopted.

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

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

SECTION 1.

Section 14172.6 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:

14172.6.

(a) Notwithstanding Section 14171.6 or any other law, the department shall not assess or collect interest on the recovery of an overpayment made to a federally qualified health center or a rural health clinic located in a medically underserved area, as defined in Section 14076.

(b) Notwithstanding the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the department may implement this section through all-county letters or similar instructions from the director until regulations are adopted.