BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1223
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 1223 (Veterans Affairs Committee)
As Amended August 24, 2011
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |79-0 |(May 31, 2011) |SENATE: |36-0 |(July 6, 2012) |
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Original Committee Reference: V.A.
SUMMARY : Repeals language creating a two-year pilot program to use
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 assists them in obtaining
federal veterans' health care benefits. Specifically, this bill
makes the pilot program permanent and statewide.
The Senate amendments add a co-author to the bill.
EXISTING LAW provides that the Department of Health Care Services
(DHCS) administers a two-year, three-county pilot program to utilize
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.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill was substantially the same
except Assembly Member Beth Gaines was not a co-author.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations Committee,
potential annual net savings to the Medi-Cal program in the low
millions, depending on outreach efforts by DHCS and local county
veteran service officers (50% General Fund, 50% federal funds).
COMMENTS : Identifying and, as appropriate, assisting those veterans
to transition from Medi-Cal to the federal system for coverage could
result in cost savings to the state. Under current law (AB 1183
(Budget Committee), Chapter 758, Statutes of 2008), the DHCS has
operated a pilot project to use information in PARIS to identify
Medi-Cal enrollees who may be eligible for federal veteran's
benefits. DHCS, in coordination with the Department of Veterans
Affairs and local county veteran service officers, has worked to
contact those enrollees to advise them of the federal benefits they
are entitled to and the potential financial benefits to the veteran
to access federal services instead of Medi-Cal. DHCS has
AB 1223
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implemented the pilot project in 10 counties and has realized two
year net savings of about $1.4 million (50% General Fund, 50%
federal funds).
An analysis conducted by the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) in
2007 stated that implementing PARIS could save the state millions of
dollars annually in General Fund costs by shifting eligible veterans
enrolled in Medi-Cal to the United States Department of Veterans
Affairs (USDVA) health care system. According to the LAO report,
144,000 veterans and dependents on Medi-Cal coverage could be
eligible for comprehensive medical care and health services through
the USDVA health care system. It is estimated that connecting only
10% of these veterans will save the state $25 million annually.
Analysis Prepared by : John Spangler / V. A. / (916) 319-3550
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