BILL NUMBER: SB 970 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Senator De León
JANUARY 17, 2012
An act to add Sections 15927 and 15928 to the Welfare and
Institutions Code, relating to health and human services.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 970, as introduced, De León. Health Care Reform Eligibility,
Enrollment, and Retention Planning Act: coordination with other
programs.
Existing law, the Health Care Reform Eligibility, Enrollment, and
Retention Planning Act, requires the California Health and Human
Services Agency, in consultation with specified entities, to
establish standardized single, accessible application forms and
related renewal procedures for state health subsidy programs, as
defined, in accordance with specified requirements.
This bill would require a county human services department to
allow an applicant initially applying for, or renewing, health care
coverage using the single state application developed pursuant to the
act, with the applicant's consent, to have his or her application
information used to simultaneously initiate applications for CalWORKs
and CalFresh, and would similarly require the county to assess
CalFresh recipients for potential state health subsidy program
eligibility, as specified. The bill would require the California
Health and Human Services Agency to convene a workgroup of human
services and health care advocates, legislative staff, and other
specified representatives, to identify other human services and work
support programs that might be integrated into this cross-application
process. Implementation of the process created by the bill would be
required by December 31, 2015, except as specified.
By imposing new duties on counties, 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.
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 15927 is added to the Welfare and Institutions
Code, to read:
15927. (a) At the time of initial application for, or renewal of,
health care coverage using the single state application described in
subdivision (c) of Section 15926, an individual may consent to have
his or her application information used by the appropriate county
human services department to initiate a simultaneous application for
the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs)
and CalFresh programs, and by other state or local departments, as
appropriate, for other human services or work support programs
identified by the workgroup established in subdivision (c).
(b) (1) If information a beneficiary submits is sufficient to meet
the requirements for a CalWORKs or CalFresh report or
recertification, as specified in Sections 11265, 11265.1, 11265.2,
and 18925, the county human services department, with the beneficiary'
s consent, shall use that information to continue or recertify
CalWORKs or CalFresh benefits for all eligible household members.
(2) CalWORKs or CalFresh eligibility renewed or recertified
pursuant to this subdivision shall continue for the maximum time
allowed or required by state and federal law or guidance. All
scheduled renewal, recertification, or reporting dates required under
these programs, as applicable, shall be revised accordingly, to be
calculated from the date of redetermination as established pursuant
to this section.
(c) The California Health and Human Services Agency shall convene
a workgroup of human services and health care advocates, legislative
staff, representatives of county human services departments and
county eligibility workers, and staff from appropriate state and
local departments, to consider and develop a plan for the integration
of additional human services and work support programs into the
process described in subdivision (a).
(d) This section shall be implemented by December 31, 2015.
SEC. 2. Section 15928 is added to the Welfare and Institutions
Code, to read:
15928. (a) By October 1, 2013, a county human services agency
shall do all of the following, using data to which the agency has
access:
(1) Identify nonassistance CalFresh recipients who are not
currently enrolled in a state health subsidy program.
(2) Inform the recipients identified in paragraph (1) of the
requirement to be enrolled in health coverage under the PPACA, and of
their right to, and likely eligibility for, free or low-cost health
coverage. With a recipient's consent, and if information in his or
her CalFresh case file is sufficient to establish eligibility for
health care coverage, the recipient shall be enrolled into the state
health subsidy program for which he or she is eligible, beginning on
the earliest date that the recipient is eligible.
(b) For a CalFresh recipient identified pursuant to paragraph (1)
of subdivision (a) who cannot be enrolled into a state health subsidy
program based upon the information available within the case file,
the county shall make every reasonable effort to contact the CalFresh
recipient to obtain the information needed to enroll the recipient
in a state health subsidy program.
(c) The information shared pursuant to this section shall be used
exclusively for the purposes specified in this section.
(d) The department, in conjunction with counties, the State
Department of Social Services, and representatives of the Statewide
Automated Welfare System (SAWS) consortia, consumers, and other
affected stakeholder groups, shall conduct a planning process and
develop administrative enrollment and renewal policies and
procedures, which the department shall implement by means of
all-county letters or similar instructions from the director.
SEC. 3. 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.