BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1797
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Date of Hearing: April 13, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
AB
1797 (Lackey) - As Amended February 25, 2016
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: YesReimbursable:
Yes
SUMMARY:
This bill allows an individual to apply for in-home supportive
services (IHSS) either in-person or through electronic means,
including by telephone, and requires the county, if the
application is filed through electronic means, to provide a
confirmation number. The bill permits the county to use the
case number as the confirmation number. Further, the bill
codifies the existing regulation requiring the county to process
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an IHSS application within 30 days of receipt of the completed
application.
FISCAL EFFECT:
Negligible costs to counties. Although potentially a
reimbursable state mandate it is unlikely a county would incur
sufficient costs to file a claim. Specifically, the bill is
clear that case numbers (generated automatically through the
existing application process) can be given as confirmation
numbers. Further, the 30 day processing period required in the
bill is currently required through regulations.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. According to the author, "Under current practice,
when a person wants to apply for IHSS, it is usually done by
telephone at the request of most counties. The issue which
this bill addresses is one that has been raised by many IHSS
beneficiaries and their advocates. Many IHSS applications
filed over the phone get lost in the system. This problem is
tremendously frustrating for beneficiaries who are elderly and
disabled. This bill would adopt a regular business practice
of giving the applicant a confirmation number when the
application is filed [electronically, including] by
telephone."
2)Background. The IHSS program enables low-income individuals
who are at least 65 years old, living with disabilities, or
blind to remain in their own homes by paying for care
providers to assist with personal care services (such as
toileting, bathing, and grooming), domestic and related
services (meal preparation, housecleaning, etc.), paramedical
services, and protective supervision. Approximately 464,000
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Californians receive IHSS, with approximately 99% receiving it
as a Medicaid benefit.
To apply for IHSS, an individual must fill out an application
in order to be assigned a caseworker who will complete the
in-home needs assessment. Applications are typically filed
over the telephone or in person at a county IHSS office, with
the majority of applications being initiated over the phone.
IHSS intake workers complete a paper application or enter
information directly into the Case Management, Information and
Payrolling System (CMIPS), which tracks case information and
processes payments for IHSS. This process then generates a
case number. Applicants must be sent the paper application to
sign and return. This bill would require that the applicant be
provided with a confirmation number, when applying by
telephone.
Upon receipt of applications for IHSS, existing regulations
require that applications must be processed and a notice of
action mailed no later than 30 days following the date the
written application is completed, with a few exceptions. This
bill seeks to codify this regulation.
Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Swenson / APPR. / (916)
319-2081
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