BILL NUMBER: SB 640	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Lara

                        FEBRUARY 22, 2013

   An act to amend Section 14000 of the Welfare and Institutions
Code, relating to Medi-Cal.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 640, as introduced, Lara. Medi-Cal.
   The Med-Cal Act establishes 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 provides that the purpose
of the Medi-Cal Act is to afford to qualifying individuals health
care and related remedial or preventive services, including related
social services that are necessary for those receiving health care.
   This bill would make a technical, nonsubstantive change to those
provisions.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


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

  SECTION 1.  Section 14000 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is
amended to read:
   14000.  The purpose of this chapter is to afford to qualifying
individuals health care and related remedial or preventive services,
including related social services  which   that
 are necessary for those receiving health care under this
chapter.
   The intent of the Legislature is to provide, to the extent
practicable, through the provisions of this chapter, for health care
for those aged and other persons, including family persons who lack
sufficient annual income to meet the costs of health care, and whose
other assets are so limited that their application toward the costs
of such care would jeopardize the person or family's future minimum
self-maintenance and security. It is intended that whenever possible
and feasible:
   (a) The means employed shall allow, to the extent practicable,
eligible persons to secure health care in the same manner employed by
the public generally, and without discrimination or segregation
based purely on their economic disability. The means employed shall
include an emphasis on efforts to arrange and encourage access to
health care through enrollment in organized, managed care plans of
the type available to the general public.
   (b) The benefits available under this chapter shall not duplicate
those provided under other federal or state laws or under other
contractual or legal entitlements of the person or persons receiving
them.
   (c) In the administration of this chapter and in establishing the
means to be used to provide access to health care to persons eligible
under this chapter, the department shall emphasize and take
advantage of both the efficient organization and ready accessibility
and availability of health care facilities and resources through
enrollment in managed health care plans and new and innovative
fee-for-service managed health care plan approaches to the delivery
of health care services.