Bill Text: CA SB311 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Medi-Cal: Part A buy-in.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2023-10-10 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 707, Statutes of 2023. [SB311 Detail]
Download: California-2023-SB311-Amended.html
Amended
IN
Assembly
September 06, 2023 |
Introduced by Senator Eggman (Coauthor: Assembly Member Wood) |
February 06, 2023 |
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
This bill would require the department to submit a state plan amendment no
later than January 1, 2024, to enter into a Medicare Part A buy-in agreement with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. To the extent that the bill would increase duties for a county, the bill would create a state-mandated local program.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YESBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
(a)To the extent required by federal law for qualified Medicare beneficiaries, the department shall pay the premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance for elderly and disabled persons entitled to benefits under Title XVIII of the federal Social Security Act, whose income does not exceed the federal poverty level and whose resources do not exceed 200 percent of the Supplemental Security Income program standard.
(b)The department shall, in addition to subdivision (a), pay applicable additional premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance for drug coverage extended to qualified Medicare beneficiaries.
(c)The deductible payments required by
subdivision (b) may be covered by providing the same drug coverage as offered to categorically needy recipients, as defined in Section 14050.1.
(d)As specified in this section, it is the intent of the Legislature to assist in the payment of Medicare Part B premiums for qualified low-income Medi-Cal beneficiaries who are ineligible for federal sharing or federal contribution for the payment of those premiums.
(e)For a Medi-Cal beneficiary who has a share of cost but who is ineligible for the assistance provided pursuant to subdivision (a), or who is ineligible for any other federally funded assistance for the payment of the beneficiary’s Medicare Part B premium, the department shall pay for the beneficiary’s Medicare Part B premium in the month following each month that the
beneficiary’s share of cost has been met.
(f)When a county is informed that an applicant or beneficiary is eligible for Medicare benefits, the county shall determine whether that individual is eligible under the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program, the Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) program, or the Qualifying Individual program and enroll the applicant or beneficiary in the appropriate program.
(g)The department shall enter into a Medicare Part A buy-in agreement for qualified Medicare beneficiaries with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services by submitting a state plan amendment no later than January 1, 2024.
SECTION 1.
Section 14005.11 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, as amended by Section 69 of Chapter 42 of the Statutes of 2023, is amended to read:14005.11.
(a) To the extent required by federal law for qualified Medicare beneficiaries, the department shall pay the premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance for elderly and disabled persons entitled to benefits under Title XVIII of the federal Social Security Act, whose income does not exceed the federal poverty level and whose resources do not exceed 200 percent of the Supplemental Security Income program standard.(g)
SEC. 2.
Section 14005.11 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, as added by Section 70 of Chapter 42 of the Statutes of 2023, is amended to read:14005.11.
(a) To the extent required by federal law for qualified beneficiaries enrolled in the Medicare Program, the department shall pay the premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance for elderly and disabled persons entitled to benefits under Title XVIII of the federal Social Security Act, whose income does not exceed the federal poverty level.(g)