BILL NUMBER: SB 1469	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  MARCH 28, 2006

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Cedillo

                        FEBRUARY 23, 2006

    An act to amend Section 440.20 of the Health and Safety
Code, relating to health facilities.   An act to add
Section 14029.5 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to
Medi-Cal eligibility. 



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1469, as amended, Cedillo   Health facilities: patient
bills: copies.  Medi-Cal: eligibility: juvenile
offenders.  
   Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is
administered by the State Department of Health Services, and under
which qualified low-income persons receive health care benefits. The
Medi-Cal program is governed, in part, by federal Medicaid
provisions.  
   Existing law places specified juvenile offenders under the
jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation,
Division of Juvenile Facilities, which may include detention in a
juvenile facility.  
   This bill would require the division to provide specified
information relating to a ward of the division who is scheduled to be
released to a parent or guardian to the appropriate county welfare
department, and would require the county to determine the individual'
s eligibility for the Medi-Cal program, as specified. The bill would
require the division to give a parent or guardian the opportunity to
opt out of this eligibility determination.  
   This bill would require the division and the department, in
consultation with designated entities, to collaborate to establish
the protocols and procedures necessary to implement the bill. The
bill would require the department to implement its provisions by
means of all-county letters or similar instructions, and thereafter,
to adopt implementing regulations, as necessary. The bill would
require the department to seek any federal waivers necessary for its
implementation.  
   By increasing the duties of counties administering the Medi-Cal
program, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 

  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 these
statutory provisions.  
   Existing law requires that, within 7 days after completion of the
patient's itemized bill, every health facility provide to the primary
attending health care practitioner a copy, upon written request
specifying the individual patient, of the complete itemized charges
for services rendered by the health facility to the health care
practitioner's patient when the primary attending health care
practitioner is not employed by the health facility nor a member of
an integrated group practice that provided the health facility
services.  
   This bill would instead extent to 10 days the time within which
every health facility is required to provide a copy of this patient's
itemized bill. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no
  yes  . State-mandated local program:  no
  yes  .


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


   SECTION 1.    Section 14029.5 is added to the 
 Welfare and Institutions Code   , to read:  
   14029.5.  (a) (1) Immediately following the issuance of an order
scheduling the release date of a ward from the custody of the
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile
Facilities, into the custody of his or her parent or guardian, the
division shall provide the appropriate county welfare department with
the ward's name, his or her scheduled or actual release date, and
sufficient information for the county welfare department to begin the
process of determining the ward's eligibility for benefits under
this chapter.
   (2) Prior to providing information to the county welfare
department pursuant to this paragraph (1), the division shall notify
the parent or guardian, in writing, of its intention to submit the
information required by that paragraph to the county welfare
department. The parent or guardian shall be given a reasonable time
to opt out of the Medi-Cal eligibility determination provided for
under this section, in which case the division shall not comply with
paragraph (1).
   (3) For purposes of this section "ward" means a person in the
custody of the division.
   (b) (1) Immediately upon receipt of the information described in
paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), the county welfare department shall
determine the individual's eligibility for benefits under the
Medi-Cal program, and shall initiate an application for enrollment if
the individual satisfies program eligibility requirements. The
county welfare department shall promptly contact the parent or
guardian to arrange for completion of the application. The county
shall expedite the application of a ward who, according to the
information provided pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), is
scheduled to be released in fewer than 45 days.
   (2) If the county welfare department determines that the
individual does not meet the eligibility requirements for the
full-scope no-cost Medi-Cal program, the county welfare department
shall forward the individual's information to the appropriate entity
to determine eligibility for the Healthy Families Program, or other
appropriate health coverage program, as determined by the department.

   (c) By March 31, 2007, the department and the division, in
consultation with the Parole Services and Community Corrections
Branch of the Division of Juvenile Justice and the County Welfare
Directors Association, shall collaborate to establish the protocols
and procedures necessary to implement this section.
   (d) Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of
Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the
department shall implement this section by means of all-county
letters or similar instructions, without taking any further
regulatory action. Thereafter, the department shall adopt
regulations, as necessary, to implement this section in accordance
with the requirements of Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340)
of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
   (e) The department shall seek any federal waivers necessary for
the implementation of this section. 
   SEC. 2.    If the Commission on State Mandates
determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs
shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of
Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.  
  SECTION 1.    Section 440.20 of the Health and
Safety Code is amended to read:
   440.20.  Within 10 days after completion of the patient's itemized
bill, every health facility shall provide to the primary attending
health care practitioner a copy, upon written request specifying the
individual patient, of the complete itemized charges for services
rendered by the health facility to the health care practitioner's
patient when the primary attending health care practitioner is not
employed by the health facility nor is a member of an integrated
group practice that provided the health facility services.