BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �




                   Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
                           Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair


          AB 2034 (Fuentes) - Medical care: genetically handicapping 
          conditions.
          
          Amended: June 15, 2012          Policy Vote: Health 9-0
          Urgency: No                     Mandate: No
          Hearing Date: August 16, 2012                          
          Consultant: Brendan McCarthy    
          
          SUSPENSE FILE.  AS PROPOSED TO BE AMENDED.
          
          
          Bill Summary:  AB 2034 would require the Department of Health 
          Care Services to develop a plan for the continued operation of 
          the Genetically Handicapped Persons Program after the full 
          implementation of the federal Affordable Care Act. The bill also 
          requires the plan to address adding genetic Amyotrophic Lateral 
          Sclerosis (ALS) to the conditions covered by the program.

          Fiscal Impact: 
              Costs to develop the plan between $50,000 and $100,000 
              (General Fund).

          Background:  Under current law, the Department of Health Care 
          Services operates the Genetically Handicapped Persons Program, 
          which provides specialized care to people with designated 
          conditions. Most of the program's participants are eligible for 
          Medi-Cal and/or Medicare. Thus, the Program generally provides 
          "wrap-around services" by paying for specialized services such 
          as case management not covered by other health coverage. The 
          Program is the payer of last resort, so other public or private 
          health coverage is required to pay for covered treatments and 
          the Program covers remaining costs. For participants that do not 
          have other health care coverage, the Program covers basic health 
          care costs.

          Proposed Law:  AB 2034 requires the Department of Health Care 
          Services to develop a plan for the continued operation of the 
          Genetically Handicapped Persons Program after the full 
          implementation of the federal Affordable Care Act. The bill also 
          requires the plan to address adding genetic Amyotrophic Lateral 
          Sclerosis (ALS) to the conditions covered by the program.









          AB 2034 (Fuentes)
          Page 1


          Related Legislation:  AB 1467 (Committee on Budget, Chapter 23 
          of 2012), the budget trailer bill on health, eliminates an 
          existing advisory committee for the Genetically Handicapped 
          Persons Program and deletes the Department's authority to add 
          conditions to the program through regulation.

          The proposed committee amendments would only require the 
          Department to report to the Legislature on the health care 
          coverage needs of program participants and ALS patients after 
          implementation of the Affordable Care Act.