Bill Text: CA SB1289 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Medi-Cal: call centers: standards and data.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2024-09-27 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 792, Statutes of 2024. [SB1289 Detail]
Download: California-2023-SB1289-Amended.html
Bill Title: Medi-Cal: call centers: standards and data.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2024-09-27 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 792, Statutes of 2024. [SB1289 Detail]
Download: California-2023-SB1289-Amended.html
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Amended
IN
Assembly
June 06, 2024 |
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Amended
IN
Senate
April 29, 2024 |
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Amended
IN
Senate
April 08, 2024 |
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Amended
IN
Senate
March 18, 2024 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 1289
| Introduced by Senator Roth |
February 15, 2024 |
An act to add Section 14000.8 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to Medi-Cal.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 1289, as amended, Roth.
Medi-Cal: call centers: standards and data.
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 provisions. Existing law sets forth various responsibilities for counties relating to eligibility determinations and enrollment functions under the Medi-Cal program.
Existing federal law sets forth Medicaid reporting requirements for each state during the period between April 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024, inclusive, relating to eligibility redeterminations, including, among other information, the total call-center volume, average wait times, and average abandonment rate for each call center of the state agency responsible for administering the state plan, as specified.
This bill would require the department to establish, with stakeholder input, statewide minimum standards for assistance provided by a county’s call center to applicants or beneficiaries applying for, renewing, or requesting help in obtaining or maintaining Medi-Cal coverage. The bill would require promulgation of the standards in regulation by July 1, 2026, as specified.
The bill would require a county with a call center as described above, commencing on April 1, 2025, and each quarter thereafter, to collect and submit to the department call-center data metrics, including, among other information, call volume, average call wait times by language, and callbacks. By creating new duties for counties relating to call-center data, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The bill would require the department to prepare a report, excluding any personally identifiable
information, on call-center data, identifying challenges and targets or standards for improvement. data. The bill would require the department to post the report on its internet website on a quarterly basis no later than 45 calendar days after the conclusion of each quarter, with the initial report due on May 15, 2025.
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 14000.8 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:14000.8.
(a) (1) The department shall establish statewide minimum standards for assistance provided by a county’s call center to applicants or beneficiaries applying for, renewing, or requesting help in obtaining or maintaining Medi-Cal coverage. The standards shall take into account challenges that Medi-Cal applicants or beneficiaries face in communicating with county agencies during regular business hours. Before establishing those standards, the department shall seek input from stakeholders, including, but not limited to, counties, representatives of employee organizations representing county eligibility workers, and consumer advocates.(2) The
standards described in paragraph (1) shall be promulgated in regulation by July 1, 2026, and shall be consistent with standards for other call centers operated by, or under contract with, the department and any applicable federal reporting requirements.
(b) (1) Commencing on April 1, 2025, and each quarter thereafter, a county with a call center for Medi-Cal applicants or beneficiaries applying for, renewing, or requesting help in obtaining or maintaining Medi-Cal coverage shall collect and submit to the department call-center data metrics, including, but not limited to, call volume, average call wait times by language, call answer rate, call abandonment rate, maximum wait times, total handle time, disconnects, calls resolved by interactive voice response, callbacks, and calls disconnected during high-call-volume periods.
(2) The department shall prepare a report, excluding any personally identifiable information, on call-center data as described in paragraph (1), identifying challenges and targets or standards for improvement. (1). The department shall post the report on the department’s internet website on a quarterly basis no later than 45 calendar days after the conclusion of each quarter. The initial report on call-center data described in paragraph (1) shall be due on May 15, 2025.
