BILL NUMBER: SB 18CHAPTERED BILL TEXT CHAPTER 551 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 25, 2014 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR SEPTEMBER 25, 2014 PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 28, 2014 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 20, 2014 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 18, 2014 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 30, 2014 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 18, 2014 AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 17, 2013 INTRODUCED BY Senators Leno and Hernandez DECEMBER 3, 2012 An act relating to Medi-Cal, and making an appropriation therefor. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 18, Leno. Medi-Cal renewal. 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 establishes the Healthcare Outreach and Medi-Cal Enrollment Account to collect and allocate non-General Fund public or private grant funds for expenditure, upon appropriation of the Legislature, for outreach to and enrollment of target Medi-Cal populations and to compensate Medi-Cal in-person assisters. This bill would require the State Department of Health Care Services to accept contributions by private foundations in the amount of at least $6,000,000 for the purpose of providing Medi-Cal renewal assistance payments, as specified. The bill would also appropriate $6,000,000 from the Healthcare Outreach and Medi-Cal Enrollment Account and $6,000,000 from the Federal Trust Fund, to be available for encumbrance or expenditure until December 31, 2016, and authorize the use of previously appropriated funds in that account for this purpose. The bill would require the department to seek federal matching funds for the contributions to the extent permissible for training, testing, certifying, supporting, and compensating persons and entities providing renewal assistance and for any other permissible renewal assistance related activities, and to seek all necessary federal approvals for purposes of obtaining federal funding. The bill would also require the department, in collaboration with the County Welfare Directors Association and legal services organizations, to develop renewal assistance training for employees of community-based organizations, as specified. Appropriation: yes. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. (a) (1) The State Department of Health Care Services shall accept contributions by private foundations in the amount of at least six million dollars ($6,000,000) for the purpose of providing Medi-Cal renewal assistance payments starting January 1, 2015. These contributions shall be deposited in the Healthcare Outreach and Medi-Cal Enrollment Account that has been created in the Special Deposit Fund within the State Treasury for the purposes specified in this section. (2) There is hereby appropriated to the State Department of Health Care Services the following sums for the purposes specified in this section: (A) The sum of six million dollars ($6,000,000) from the Healthcare Outreach and Medi-Cal Enrollment Account, to be available for encumbrance or expenditure until December 31, 2016. (B) The sum of six million dollars ($6,000,000) from the Federal Trust Fund, to be available for encumbrance or expenditure until December 31, 2016. (3) The department may expend a portion of the five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) authorized for expenditure in subdivision (d) of Section 5 of Chapter 361 of the Statutes of 2013 to administer the activities described in this section. Private foundation funding expended by the department to administer the activities described in this section shall be expended only for filled positions and administrative expenses directly related to this section. (b) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, and in a manner that the Director of the State Department of Health Care Services shall provide, the department may make allocations to fund Medi-Cal renewal assistance activities as described in this section. (2) The department may determine the number of allocations and the application process. The director may consult or obtain technical assistance from private foundations in implementation of the application and allocation process. (3) The director may, at his or her discretion, give consideration to distributing funds to community-based organizations in an area or region of the state if a county or counties, acting jointly, do not seek an allocation or if funds are made available. (c) Renewal assistance payments shall be distributed to community-based organizations providing renewal assistance to Medi-Cal beneficiaries. Authorized payments shall be made to counties by the department for distribution of funds to community-based organizations. Counties may retain an amount for administrative costs that have been approved by the department. (d) The department, in collaboration with the County Welfare Directors Association and legal services organizations, shall develop renewal assistance training for employees of community-based organizations that shall be consistent with the counties' human services agencies Medi-Cal redetermination timeframes and process. In order to be eligible for renewal assistance payments under this section, the community-based organization's employees providing the assistance shall have completed the renewal assistance training developed under this subdivision. (e) (1) The funds allocated under this section shall be used only for the Medi-Cal renewal assistance activities and may supplement, but shall not supplant, existing local, state, and foundation funding of county renewal assistance activities. (2) Notwithstanding Section 10744 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, the department may recoup or withhold all or part of an allocation for failure to comply with any requirements or standards set forth by the department for the purposes of this section. (f) The department shall require progress reports, in a manner as determined by the department, from those receiving allocations under this section. (g) The department shall seek federal matching funds for the contributions to the extent permissible for training, testing, certifying, supporting, and compensating persons and entities providing renewal assistance and for any other permissible renewal assistance related activities and shall seek all necessary federal approvals for purposes of obtaining federal funding for activities conducted under this section. (h) To the extent federal funding is received for the services specified in this section, reimbursements for costs incurred under the approved allocations shall be made in compliance with federal law. (i) Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the department may implement, interpret, or make specific this section by means of all-county letters, provider bulletins, or similar instructions. (j) This section shall cease to be implemented when all of the private contributions and any federal matching funds have been exhausted.