BILL NUMBER: AB 1568 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 23, 2009
INTRODUCED BY Committee on Veterans Affairs (Salas (Chair), Cook
(Vice Chair), Huber, Lieu, V. Manuel Perez, Saldana, and Yamada)
MARCH 16, 2009
An act to add Section 722 to the Military and Veterans
Code amend Section 14124.11 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code , relating to veterans.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1568, as amended, Committee on Veterans Affairs. Veterans:
benefits.
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 requires the department, by July 1, 2009, to establish a 2-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, and to select 3
consenting counties that have in operation a United States Department
of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) medical center to participate in the
pilot program.
This bill would delete references to the 2-year pilot program and,
instead, require the department, by July 1, 2010, to implement a
program to utilize the federal PARIS to identify veterans and their
dependents or survivors who are enrolled in the Medi-Cal system and
assist them in obtaining federal veteran health care benefits. The
bill would eliminate the requirement that the department select 3
consenting counties that have USDVA medical centers to participate in
the program.
Existing law requires every state and local public agency to
render the service or provide the benefits and assistance it provides
to the public to every veteran on the same basis as to any other
eligible person.
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 permits a county board of supervisors to appoint a county
veterans services officer.
This bill would declare legislative intent to implement the Public
Assistance and Reporting Information System (PARIS)
interstate-federal match to allow the department to identify veterans
enrolled in the Medi-Cal program who could receive medical benefits
through the federal Veterans Health Administration that would either
replace or supplement Medi-Cal benefits. The bill would require the
department to work in conjunction with designated state and local
entities in utilizing the PARIS to identify veterans enrolled in the
Medi-Cal program, and to assist them in obtaining federal veterans'
health care benefits. The bill also would require the department to
work in conjunction with the Department of Veterans Affairs to
develop a plan for the dissemination of PARIS match results, and to
establish outreach standards and performance criteria for county
veteran services offices that receive information regarding veterans
identified by the PARIS.
Because the bill would impose increased duties upon county
veterans services officers, this bill would create 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.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 14124.11 of the
Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:
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)
(b) 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)
(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.
(e)
(d) 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)
(e) 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)
(f) 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)
(g) The department shall implement the pilot
program by July 1, 2009 2010
.
(i)
(h) 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.
SECTION 1. Section 722 is added to the Military
and Veterans Code, to read:
722. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this
section to implement the Public Assistance and Reporting Information
System (PARIS) interstate-federal match to allow the State Department
of Health Care Services to identify veterans enrolled in the
Medi-Cal program who could receive medical benefits through the
federal Veterans Health Administration that would either replace or
supplement benefits available from the Medi-Cal program.
(b) The State Department of Health Care Services shall work in
conjunction with the State Department of Social Services, the
Department of Veterans Affairs, county welfare departments, and other
state agencies and departments, as needed, in utilizing the federal
PARIS to identify veterans enrolled in the Medi-Cal program, and to
assist them in obtaining federal veterans' health care benefits.
(c) The State Department of Health Care Services shall work in
conjunction with the Department of Veterans Affairs to do both of the
following:
(1) Develop a plan for the dissemination of PARIS match results to
county veteran services offices (CVSOs).
(2) Establish outreach standards and measurable performance
criteria for CVSOs that receive information regarding veterans
identified by the PARIS.
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.
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