BILL NUMBER: AB 1223 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Committee on Veterans Affairs (Cook (Chair), Pan
(Vice Chair), Atkins, Block, Gorell, Nielsen, V. Manuel Pérez,
Williams, and Yamada)
FEBRUARY 18, 2011
An act to repeal and add Section 14124.11 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code, relating to Medi-Cal.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1223, as introduced, Committee on Veterans Affairs. Medi-Cal:
Public Assistance Reporting Information System.
Existing law provides for 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 requires the department to
establish a 2-year pilot program to utilize the federal Public
Assistance and Reporting Information System (PARIS) to identify
veterans and their dependents or survivors who are enrolled in the
Medi-Cal program and assist them in obtaining federal veterans'
health care benefits. Existing law requires the department to select
3 counties, as specified, to participate in the pilot project and
authorizes the department to implement the program statewide at any
time and continue the operation of PARIS indefinitely if the
department determines that the pilot program is cost effective.
This bill would remove the pilot project nature of these
provisions and would require the department to implement this program
statewide.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 14124.11 of the Welfare and Institutions Code
is repealed.
14124.11. (a) The department shall establish a two-year pilot
program to utilize the federal Public Assistance Reporting
Information System (PARIS) to identify veterans and their dependents
or survivors who are enrolled in the Medi-Cal program and assist them
in obtaining federal veteran health care benefits.
(b) The department shall select three consenting counties that
have in operation a United States Department of Veterans Affairs
(USDVA) medical center to participate in the pilot program.
(c) Under the pilot program, the department shall exchange
information with PARIS and identify veterans and their dependents or
survivors who are receiving Medi-Cal benefits in the pilot program
counties.
(d) The department shall refer identified Medi-Cal beneficiaries
who are receiving high-cost services, including long-term care, to
county veteran service officers (CVSOs) to obtain information
regarding, and assistance in obtaining, USDVA benefits.
(e) Prior to commencement of the pilot program, the department
shall do all of the following:
(1) Enter into an agreement with the California Department of
Veterans Affairs (CDVA) to perform CVSO outreach services in
connection with the pilot program. The CDVA agreement shall contain
performance standards that would allow the department to measure the
effectiveness of the pilot program.
(2) Enter into any agreements that are required by the federal
government to utilize the PARIS system.
(3) Perform any information technology activities that are
necessary to utilize the PARIS system.
(f) The department shall monitor the two-year pilot program,
evaluate the outcomes and savings, and provide the fiscal committees
of the Legislature with a report on the findings and recommendations.
If the department determines that the pilot program is cost
effective, it may implement the program statewide at any time and
continue operation of PARIS indefinitely.
(g) Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of
Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the
department may implement, interpret, or make specific, this section
by means of written directives without taking further regulatory
action.
(h) The department shall implement the pilot program by July 1,
2009.
(i) In order to achieve maximum cost savings the Legislature
hereby determines that an expedited contract process for contracts
under this section is necessary. Therefore, contracts under this
section shall be exempt from the Public Contract Code and from
Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 11250) of Part 1 of Division 3 of
Title 2 of the Government Code.
SEC. 2. Section 14124.11 is added to the Welfare and Institutions
Code, to read:
14124.11. (a) The department shall utilize the federal Public
Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS) to identify veterans
and their dependents or survivors who are enrolled in the Medi-Cal
program and assist them in obtaining federal veteran health care
benefits.
(b) The department shall exchange information with PARIS and
identify veterans and their dependents or survivors who are receiving
Medi-Cal benefits.
(c) The department shall refer identified Medi-Cal beneficiaries
who are receiving high-cost services, including long-term care, to
county veteran service officers (CVSOs) to obtain information
regarding, and assistance in obtaining, USDVA benefits.
(d) In implementing this section, the department shall do all of
the following:
(1) Enter into an agreement with the California Department of
Veterans Affairs (CDVA) to perform CVSO outreach services. The CDVA
agreement shall contain performance standards that will allow the
department to measure the effectiveness of the program established by
this section.
(2) Enter into any agreements that are required by the federal
government to utilize the PARIS system.
(3) Perform any information technology activities that are
necessary to utilize the PARIS system.
(e) Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of
Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the
department may implement, interpret, or make specific, this section
by means of written directives without taking further regulatory
action.
(f) In order to achieve maximum cost savings the Legislature
hereby determines that an expedited contract process for contracts
under this section is necessary. Therefore, contracts under this
section shall be exempt from the Public Contract Code and from
Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 11250) of Part 1 of Division 3 of
Title 2 of the Government Code.