BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 4|
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UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Bill No: SB 4
Author: Lara (D), et al.
Amended: 9/10/15
Vote: 21
SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE: 7-0, 4/15/15
AYES: Hernandez, Hall, Mitchell, Monning, Pan, Roth, Wolk
NO VOTE RECORDED: Nguyen, Nielsen
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 5-2, 5/28/15
AYES: Lara, Beall, Hill, Leyva, Mendoza
NOES: Bates, Nielsen
SENATE FLOOR: 28-11, 6/2/15
AYES: Allen, Beall, Block, Cannella, De León, Galgiani,
Glazer, Hall, Hancock, Hernandez, Hertzberg, Hill, Hueso,
Jackson, Lara, Leno, Leyva, Liu, McGuire, Mendoza, Mitchell,
Monning, Pan, Pavley, Roth, Vidak, Wieckowski, Wolk
NOES: Anderson, Bates, Berryhill, Fuller, Gaines, Huff,
Moorlach, Morrell, Nielsen, Runner, Stone
NO VOTE RECORDED: Nguyen
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: Not available
SUBJECT: Health care coverage: immigration status
SOURCE: Author
DIGEST: This bill requires undocumented individuals under 19
years of age enrolled in Medi-Cal at the time the Director of
Health Care Services (director) makes the determination to be
enrolled in full scope of Medi-Cal benefits, if otherwise
eligible, pursuant to an eligibility and enrollment plan.
SB 4
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Assembly Amendments delete provisions extending eligibility for
full-scope Medi-Cal benefits to individuals under age 19 who are
otherwise eligible for those benefits but for their immigration
status (these provisions were included in the health budget
trailer bill), provisions extending Medi-Cal eligibility for
full-scope Medi-Cal benefits to individuals age 19 and older if
sufficient funding is available, and provisions requiring the
Secretary of California Health and Human Services Agency to
apply to the federal Department of Health and Human Services for
a Section 1332 innovation waiver in order to allow persons
otherwise not able to obtain coverage through Covered California
because of their immigration status to obtain coverage without
premium or cost-sharing subsidies.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law:
1)Establishes the Medi-Cal program, administered by the
Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), under which low
income individuals are eligible for medical coverage. Medi-Cal
provides coverage to adults to adults and parents with incomes
up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) who are
under age 65, and to children with incomes up to 266 percent
of the FPL.
2)Makes individuals who are under 19 years of age and who does
not have satisfactory immigration status or who are unable to
establish satisfactory immigration status eligible for the
full scope of Medi-Cal benefits, if he or she is otherwise
Medi-Cal eligible after the director determines that systems
have been programmed for implementation, but no sooner than
May 1, 2016. This provisions was contained this year's health
budget trailer bill.
3)Requires, to the extent permitted by state and federal law, an
undocumented individual under age 19 eligible under SB 97 to
enroll in a Medi-Cal managed care health plan.
SB 4
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This bill:
1)Requires undocumented individuals under 19 years of age
enrolled in Medi-Cal at the time the director makes the
determination to be enrolled in the full scope of Medi-Cal
benefits, if otherwise eligible, pursuant to an eligibility
and enrollment plan.
2)Requires this plan to include outreach strategies developed by
the DHCS in consultation with interested stakeholders,
including, but not limited to, counties, health care service
plans, consumer advocates, and the Legislature.
3)Prohibits undocumented individuals under 19 years of age
enrolled in Medi-Cal from being required to file a new
application for Medi-Cal.
4)Prohibits enrollment in a Medi-Cal managed care plan from
precluding a beneficiary from being enrolled in any other
children's Medi-Cal specialty program that he or she would
otherwise be eligible for.
5)Makes legislative findings that no child in California should
endure suffering and pain due to a lack of access to health
care services, expanding access and increasing enrollment in
comprehensive health care coverage benefits the health and
welfare of all Californians, and through the enactment of SB
75 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, Chapter 18,
Statutes of 2015), the Legislature extended eligibility for
full-scope Medi-Cal benefits to all children in California,
regardless of immigration status.
Comments
1)Author's statement. According to the author, this bill, the
"Health for All Act", expands access to healthcare coverage
for undocumented Californian children. The bill makes
important changes to ensure successful implementation of the
recent Health for All Kids budget action that will cover all
income-eligible children under the state Medi-Cal program.
Related Legislation
SB 4
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SB 75 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, Chapter 18,
Statutes of 2015), the health budget trailer bill, extended
full-scope coverage to undocumented individuals under age 19 who
are Medi-Cal eligible except for the immigration status,
effective no sooner than May 1, 2015. Prior to this change,
these individuals were eligible for limited-scope coverage,
which is primarily coverage for pregnancy-related services and
emergency services. An estimated 170,000 individuals under age
19 are eligible under this benefit expansion. To fund the
expansion, the Legislature augmented the 2015-16 Budget by $40
million General Fund. Ongoing annual costs are estimated at $132
million General Fund.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal
Com.:YesLocal: No
Unknown with latest amendments.
SUPPORT: (Verified9/9/15)
ACCESS Women's Health Justice
ACT for Women and Girls
Advancement Project
Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus
AltaMed Health Services Corporation
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Civil Liberties Union of California
Asian Americans Advancing Justice Sacramento
Asian Health Services
ASPIRE Los Angeles
California Alliance of Retired Americans
California Asian Pacific Islander Budget Partnership
California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems
California Black Health Network
California Chapter National Association of Social Workers
California Chapter National Council of Jewish Women
California Communities United Institute
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California Coverage and Health Initiatives
California Immigrant Policy Center
California Family Health Council
California Family Resource Association
California Labor Federation
California Latinas for Reproductive Justice
California Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health and
Human Services Network
California Nurse-Midwife Association
California Nurses Association
California Pan-Ethnic Health Network
California Partnership
California Primary Care Association
California Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly
California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation
California School Employees Association
California School-Based Health Alliance
California State Council of the Service Employees International
Union
California Teachers Association
Cal-Islanders Humanitarian Association
Campaign for a Healthy California
Children's Defense Fund California
Clínica Monseñor Oscar A. Romero
Community Clinic Consortium
Congregations Building Community
Consumers Union
Council of Mexican Federations
Educators for Fair Consideration
Equality California
Friends Committee on Legislation of California
Gray Panthers of San Francisco
Greenlining Institute
Having Our Say Coalition
Health Access
HOPE (Hispanas Organized for Political Equality)
Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones
Korean Resource Center
La Familia Family Counseling Center, Inc.
Latino Coalition for a Healthy California
Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
March of Dimes Foundation
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National Council of La Raza
National Health Law Program
National Immigration Law Center
Orange County Immigrant Youth United
Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California
Planned Parenthood Mar Monte
Sacramento Covered
St. Anthony Foundation
St. John's Well Child & Family Center
San Francisco Bay Area Physicians for Social Responsibility
SEIU California
The Children's Partnership
United Christian Centers of the Greater Sacramento Area, Inc.
United Domestic Workers/AFSCME Local 3930
United Way Silicon Valley
United Ways of California
Western Center on Law & Poverty
Young Invincibles
OPPOSITION: (Verified9/9/15)
None received
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: Supporters of this bill include
immigrant rights, consumer, labor and children's groups, who
argue that individuals and communities suffer when people are
uninsured. Supporters argue the uninsured are more likely to be
diagnosed with cancer at an advanced state, to die after a heart
attack or accident, and to suffer poor outcomes from a stroke,
and that Californians are better off when everyone has access to
health insurance.
Prepared by:Scott Bain / HEALTH /
9/11/15 21:00:13
SB 4
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