BILL NUMBER: AB 1076INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Jones FEBRUARY 27, 2009 An act to add Section 14016.53 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to Medi-Cal, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1076, as introduced, Jones. Medi-Cal. Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which basic health care services are provided to qualified low-income persons. Existing law establishes the benefits under the program and the criteria under which they are provided, which may include the provision of services on a fee-for-service basis or pursuant to managed care plans. This bill would require the department, no later than September 1, 2009, in consultation with the Legislature, to develop and implement a program to improve the Medi-Cal fee-for-service health care delivery system to better coordinate and manage health care services, emphasize timely primary and preventive care and management of chronic diseases, and reduce the use and overuse of high cost emergency and hospital inpatient services. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute. Vote: 2/3. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 14016.53 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read: 14016.53. The department shall, no later than September 1, 2009, in consultation with the Legislature, develop and implement a program to do all of the following: (a) Improve the Medi-Cal fee-for-service health care delivery system to better coordinate and manage health care services. (b) Emphasize timely primary and preventive care and management of chronic diseases. (c) Reduce the use and overuse of high cost emergency and hospital inpatient services. SEC. 2. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are: In order to improve the Medi-Cal fee-for-service health care delivery system at the earliest possible time, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.