BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1580
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 1580 (Bonilla)
As Introduced February 2, 2012
Majority vote
HEALTH 13-6 APPROPRIATIONS 12-5
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|Ayes:|Monning, Ammiano, Atkins, |Ayes:|Fuentes, Blumenfield, |
| |Bonilla, Eng, Gordon, | |Bradford, Charles |
| |Hayashi, | |Calderon, Campos, Davis, |
| |Roger Hern�ndez, Torres, | |Gatto, Hall, Hill, Lara, |
| |Mitchell, Pan, V. Manuel | |Mitchell, Solorio |
| |P�rez, Williams | | |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Logue, Garrick, Mansoor, |Nays:|Harkey, Donnelly, |
| |Nestande, Silva, Smyth | |Nielsen, Norby, Wagner |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Makes technical and clarifying changes to provisions
enacted in AB 1296 (Bonilla), Chapter 641, Statutes of 2011,
relating to revised and simplified applications for state health
subsidy programs. Specifically, this bill :
1)Clarifies that a requirement granting an applicant benefits
during the time the application for eligibility is being
reviewed, also known as presumptive eligibility (PE), is not
intended to grant a right to PE beyond what is currently
required.
2)Clarifies that only when the applicant appears to be eligible
for Medi-Cal under the aged, blind, or disabled category, but
is determined to be ineligible after a screening for the new
Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) category, the
application will be forwarded to the Medi-Cal program for
further determination.
3)Makes other technical and clarifying changes.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Establishes the federal Medicaid Program, Medi-Cal in
California, administered by the Department of Health Care
AB 1580
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Services (DHCS), to provide comprehensive health care services
and long-term care to pregnant women, children, and people who
are aged, blind, and disabled.
2)Establishes the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board and
authorizes it to administer the Healthy Families Program, the
Access for Infants & Mothers Program, the Major Risk Medical
Insurance Program, and the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance
Plan.
3)Requires, under federal law, each state, by January 1, 2014,
to establish an American Health Benefit Exchange that makes
qualified health plans available to qualified individuals and
qualified employers.
4) Requires, under federal law, by January 2014, that states
offer Medicaid coverage to all adults, under age 65, with
income up to 133% of the federal Poverty Level using a MAGI
calculation.
5)Requires, under federal law, by January 2014, that state
enrollment systems for persons eligible for health subsidy
programs utilize a single streamlined application for
specified public subsidy programs.
6)Provides that certain limited categories of eligible
individuals, such as pregnant women, are granted immediate,
temporary Medi-Cal coverage for limited benefits by qualified
providers.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, this bill has negligible direct state costs. The
clarifications it provides narrow the scope of two requirements
in current law related to the eligibility and enrollment system
for health programs. Without this bill, these requirements may
have been construed to compel some level of additional
administrative workload or state cost in state health programs,
relative to that required under the provisions of this bill.
COMMENTS : According to the sponsor, Western Center on Law and
Poverty (WCLP), this bill is needed to fulfill the terms of an
agreement made with the Director of DHCS to amend the language
of AB 1296. The agreement is memorialized in a letter dated
September 21, 2011. According to the letter, WCLP agreed to
pursue amendments in the 2012 session to clarify two provisions.
AB 1580
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Specifically, the Director had expressed concern that language
describing individuals who may be potentially eligible for
Medi-Cal "was too broad" and the sponsor agreed to limit it to
"those who may be eligible as aged, blind or disabled."
Secondly, the Director requested clarification that AB 1296 was
not intended to grant presumptive eligibility to any new
categories.
Analysis Prepared by : Marjorie Swartz / HEALTH / (916)
319-2097
FN: 0003329