AB 1223
Version: Introduced
Author: Veterans Affairs
BILL NUMBER: AB 1223 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Committee on Veterans Affairs (Cook (Chair), Pan (Vice Chair),
Atkins, Block, Gorell, Nielsen, V. Manuel Perez, Williams, and Yamada)
FEBRUARY 18, 2011
An act to repeal and add Section 14124.11 of the Welfare and Institutions Code,
relating to Medi-Cal.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1223, as introduced, Committee on Veterans Affairs. Medi-Cal: Public
Assistance Reporting Information System.
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
requires the department to establish a 2-year pilot program to utilize the
federal Public Assistance and Reporting Information System (PARIS) to identify
veterans and their dependents or survivors who are enrolled in the Medi-Cal
program and assist them in obtaining federal veterans' health care benefits.
Existing law requires the department to select 3 counties, as specified, to
participate in the pilot project and authorizes the department to implement the
program statewide at any time and continue the operation of PARIS indefinitely
if the department determines that the pilot program is cost effective.
This bill would remove the pilot project nature of these provisions and would
require the department to implement this program statewide.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local
program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 14124.11 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is repealed.
14124.11. (a) The department shall establish a two-year pilot program to
utilize the federal Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS) to
identify veterans and their dependents or survivors who are enrolled in the
Medi-Cal program and assist them in obtaining federal veteran health care
benefits.
(b) The department shall select three consenting counties that have in
operation a United States Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) medical center
to participate in the pilot program.
(c) Under the pilot program, the department shall exchange information
with PARIS and identify veterans and their dependents or survivors who are
receiving Medi-Cal benefits in the pilot program counties.
(d) The department shall refer identified Medi-Cal beneficiaries who are
receiving high-cost services, including long-term care, to county veteran
service officers (CVSOs) to obtain information regarding, and assistance in
obtaining, USDVA benefits.
(e) Prior to commencement of the pilot program, the department shall do
all of the following:
(1) Enter into an agreement with the California Department of Veterans
Affairs (CDVA) to perform CVSO outreach services in connection with the pilot
program. The CDVA agreement shall contain performance standards that would
allow the department to measure the effectiveness of the pilot program.
(2) Enter into any agreements that are required by the federal government
to utilize the PARIS system.
(3) Perform any information technology activities that are necessary to
utilize the PARIS system.
(f) The department shall monitor the two-year pilot program, evaluate the
outcomes and savings, and provide the fiscal committees of the Legislature with
a report on the findings and recommendations. If the department determines that
the pilot program is cost effective, it may implement the program statewide at
any time and continue operation of PARIS indefinitely.
(g) 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 written directives
without taking further regulatory action.
(h) The department shall implement the pilot program by July 1, 2009.
(i) In order to achieve maximum cost savings the Legislature hereby
determines that an expedited contract process for contracts under this section
is necessary. Therefore, contracts under this section shall be exempt from the
Public Contract Code and from Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 11250) of Part
1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
SEC. 2. Section 14124.11 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to
read:
14124.11. (a) The department shall utilize the federal Public Assistance
Reporting Information System (PARIS) to identify veterans and their dependents
or survivors who are enrolled in the Medi-Cal program and assist them in
obtaining federal veteran health care benefits.
(b) The department shall exchange information with PARIS and identify veterans
and their dependents or survivors who are receiving Medi-Cal benefits.
(c) The department shall refer identified Medi-Cal beneficiaries who are
receiving high-cost services, including long-term care, to county veteran
service officers (CVSOs) to obtain information regarding, and assistance in
obtaining, USDVA benefits.
(d) In implementing this section, the department shall do all of the following:
(1) Enter into an agreement with the California Department of Veterans Affairs
(CDVA) to perform CVSO outreach services. The CDVA agreement shall contain
performance standards that will allow the department to measure the
effectiveness of the program established by this section.
(2) Enter into any agreements that are required by the federal government to
utilize the PARIS system.
(3) Perform any information technology activities that are necessary to utilize
the PARIS system.
(e) 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 written directives
without taking further regulatory action.
(f) In order to achieve maximum cost savings the Legislature hereby determines
that an expedited contract process for contracts under this section is
necessary. Therefore, contracts under this section shall be exempt from the
Public Contract Code and from Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 11250) of Part
1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.