BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 315
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SENATE THIRD READING
SB
315 (Monning and Hernandez)
As Amended August 31, 2015
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE: 29-10
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|Committee |Votes|Ayes |Noes |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Health |18-0 |Bonta, Maienschein, | |
| | |Bonilla, Burke, Chiu, | |
| | |Gomez, Gonzalez, | |
| | |Roger Hernández, | |
| | |Lackey, McCarty, | |
| | |Nazarian, Patterson, | |
| | |Ridley-Thomas, | |
| | |Rodriguez, Steinorth, | |
| | |Thurmond, Waldron, | |
| | |Wood | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Appropriations |17-0 |Gomez, Bigelow, | |
| | |Bloom, Bonta, | |
| | |Calderon, Chang, | |
| | |Nazarian, Eggman, | |
| | |Gallagher, Eduardo | |
SB 315
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| | |Garcia, Holden, | |
| | |Jones, Quirk, Rendon, | |
| | |Wagner, Weber, Wood | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY: Authorizes the California Health Facilities Financing
Authority (CHFFA) to transfer up to $3 million from its Hospital
Equipment Loan Program Fund (Fund) for use in a second
California Health Access Model Program (CHAMP) competitive grant
selection process. Specifically, this bill:
1)Creates a California Health Access Model Program Two (CHAMP 2)
Account within the CHFFA Fund for the purpose of administering
a second competitive grant selection process, to fund one or
more projects designed to demonstrate new or enhanced
cost-effective methods of delivery of health care services to
improve access to care for vulnerable populations or
communities.
2)Requires any funds remaining in the CHAMP 2 account on January
1, 2023 to revert to the CHFFA Fund.
3)Requires CHFFA to prepare and provide a biennial report to the
Legislature and the Governor, commencing on January 1, 2017,
on the outcomes of CHAMP and CHAMP 2.
4)Lowers from 62 to 60 the age range used in the CHFFA
definition of a residential care facility for the elderly
(RCFE) to be consistent with the age range used by the
Department of Social Services for RCFE licensing requirements.
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5)Makes enactment of these provisions contingent upon enactment
of AB 648 (Low) of the current legislative session, which
would establish a grant program to provide funding to support
virtual dental homes and authorize a $3 million appropriation
from CHFFA to be used for the program.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, $3 million from the CHFFA Fund will be redirected to
fund the CHAMP 2 effort as specified, to be allocated to
eligible projects, as defined. The timing of actual
expenditures is unclear.
COMMENTS: According to the author, this bill is needed to
provide CHFFA with the legislative authority to utilize up to $3
million from CHFFA's Hospital Equipment Loan Program Fund to
support a second round of CHAMP grants for demonstration
projects designed to improve health outcomes and advance the
innovative delivery of health care to underserved and vulnerable
populations throughout California. The CHAMP grants have the
potential to increase health access, improve clinical outcomes,
and achieve cost savings in the health care system.
CHFFA provides financial assistance to public and nonprofit
health care providers through loans funded by the issuance of
tax-exempt bonds. CHFFA also provides direct loans to small and
rural health facilities through the Healthcare Expansion Loan
Program II Financing Program and the Medi-Cal Bridge Loan
Program. Generally, non-profit, licensed health facilities in
California, including adult day health centers, community
clinics, skilled nursing facilities, developmentally disabled
centers, hospitals, and drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers
are eligible for CHFFA financing. Additionally, CHFFA
administers four grant programs, the Community Clinic Grant
Program, the Children's Hospital Programs, CHAMP, and the
Investment in Mental Health Wellness Grant Program to provide
funding to community clinics, children's hospitals, a
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demonstration project that seeks to fund innovative models of
health care delivery, and counties to improve access to mental
health crisis services.
According to CHFFA, in 2013 it informed over 900 interested
parties of the opportunity to submit a letter of interest to
participate in the initial phase of CHAMP, including
California's health care related associations, foundations,
colleges, clinics, and counties. A single CHAMP grant of $1.4
million was awarded to the San Francisco Health Plan (SFHP) for
its Community-Based Care Management pilot program. The program,
known as CareSupport, serves vulnerable SFHP members who are
high utilizers of hospital inpatient and emergency departments
and who are at extremely high risk for mortality and mobility
due to housing instability, mental illness, and addiction.
SFHP's partners in the project are the San Francisco Department
of Public Health and San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma
Center. CHFFA will monitor the outcomes of the Program and
determine 18 months after the first grant allocation if the
implementation of the second grant is warranted.
According to California State Treasurer, John Chiang, the
sponsor of this bill, California's health care and medical
services systems have undergone devastating reductions, leaving
its most vulnerable and underserved populations without the
proper access to health care needed to survive and thrive. The
Treasurer states, we continue to see limited funding for adult
dental benefits and decreased access as fewer providers accept
Medi-Cal patients due to decreases in provider payments. In
2012 the Legislature took steps to address these issues and
increase health access to those most vulnerable by passing CHAMP
as part of a Budget trailer bill. The existing CHAMP program
furthers CHFFA's mission to utilize available funds to spur
innovative and cost-effective health care services approaches.
The Treasurer concludes, with the same vision in mind, this bill
would provide CHFFA with another opportunity to support the
creation of new models for health care deliver to California's
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most vulnerable populations and communities.
Analysis Prepared by: Lara Flynn / HEALTH /
(916) 319-2097 FN: 0001715