Section 15853 - [Operative 1/1/2026] Proposal for funding for purpose of providing health insurance coverage to eligible children(a)(1) An applicant that will provide an intergovernmental transfer may submit a proposal to the department for funding for the purpose of providing comprehensive health insurance coverage to any child who meets citizenship and immigration status requirements that are applicable to persons participating in the program established by Title XXI of the Social Security Act, and whose family income is at or below 317 percent of the federal poverty level or, at the option of the applicant, at or below 411 percent of the federal poverty level, in specific geographic areas, as published quarterly in the Federal Register by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, as determined, counted, and valued in accordance with the requirements of Section 1396a(e)(14) of Title 42 of the United States Code, as added by the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148) and as amended by the federal Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-152) and any subsequent amendments, and which child meets both of the following requirements: (A) Does not qualify for the optional targeted low-income children group or the Access program.(B) Does not qualify for Medi-Cal with no share of cost pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) of Part 3.(2) In its application, the applicant shall specify the income level at or below 411 percent of the federal poverty level for which it will provide coverage.(3) The intergovernmental transfer amount is limited to the expenditures which would be eligible for federal financial participation.(b) The proposal shall guarantee at least one year of intergovernmental transfer funding by the applicant at a level that ensures compliance with the requirements of any applicable approved federal waiver or state plan amendment as well as the department's requirements for the sound operation of the proposed project, and shall, on an annual basis, either commit to fully funding the necessary intergovernmental amount or withdraw from the program. The department may identify specific geographical areas that, compared to the national level, have a higher cost of living or housing or a greater need for additional health services, using data obtained from the most recent federal census, the federal Consumer Expenditure Survey, or from other sources. The proposal may include an administrative mechanism for outreach and eligibility.(c) The applicant may include in its proposal reimbursement of medical, dental, vision, or mental health services delivered to children who are eligible under the Access program or under the Medi-Cal program as an optional targeted low-income children group beneficiary, if these services are part of an overall program with the measurable goal of enrolling served children in the Access program or the optional targeted low-income children group.(d) If a child is determined to be eligible for benefits for the treatment of an eligible medical condition under the California Children's Services Program pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 123800) of Chapter 3 of Part 2 of Division 106 of the Health and Safety Code, the health, dental, or vision plan providing services to the child pursuant to this chapter shall not be responsible for the provision of, or payment for, those authorized services for that child. The proposal from an applicant shall contain provisions to ensure that a child whom the health, dental, or vision plan reasonably believes would be eligible for services under the California Children's Services Program is referred to that program. The California Children's Services Program shall provide case management and authorization of services if the child is found to be eligible for the California Children's Services Program. Diagnosis and treatment services that are authorized by the California Children's Services Program shall be performed by paneled providers for that program and approved special care centers of that program and approved by the California Children's Services Program. All other services provided under the proposal from the applicant shall be made available pursuant to this chapter to a child who is eligible for services under the California Children's Services Program.(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, an applicant may submit a proposal to the department for the purposes of providing comprehensive health insurance coverage to children whose coverage is not eligible for funding under Title XXI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1397aa, et seq.), or to a combination of children whose coverage is eligible for funding under Title XXI of the Social Security Act and children whose coverage is not eligible for that funding. To be approved by the department, these proposals shall comply with both of the following requirements: (1) Meet all applicable requirements for funding under this chapter, except for availability of funding through Title XXI of the Social Security Act.(2) Provide for the administration of children's coverage by the department through the administrative infrastructure serving the Medi-Cal program, and through health care service plans serving the Medi-Cal program.(f) This section shall be implemented only to the extent any necessary federal approvals are obtained, and federal financial participation is available and not otherwise jeopardized.(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, the status of any application previously submitted to, and approved by, the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board pursuant to former Part 6.4 (commencing with Section 12699.50) of Division 2 of the Insurance Code shall not be altered as a result of the assumption by the department, pursuant to this chapter, of the responsibilities previously exercised by the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board.(h) If at any time the director determines that the eligibility criteria established for the program described in this section may jeopardize the state's ability to receive federal financial participation under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148), any amendment or extension of that act, or any similar federal legislation affecting federal financial participation, the director may alter the eligibility criteria to the extent necessary for the state to receive that federal financial participation.(i) Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, and Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 12693.25) and Chapter 9 (commencing with 12693.70) of Part 6.2 of Division 2 of the Insurance Code, the department may implement, interpret, or make specific this section, in whole or in part, through all-county letters or similar instructions, without taking any further regulatory action.(j) For any child found eligible under this section, they shall remain continuously eligible until they are five years of age. A redetermination of eligibility shall not be conducted before the child reaches five years of age unless the department or county possesses facts indicating that the family has requested the child's voluntary disenrollment, the child is deceased, the child is no longer a state resident, or the child's original enrollment was based on a state or county error or on fraud, abuse, or perjury attributed to the child or the child's representative.(k)(1) Implementation of this section is contingent on all of the following conditions:(A) All necessary federal approvals have been obtained by the department pursuant to subdivision (f).(B) The Legislature has appropriated funding to implement this section after a determination that ongoing General Fund resources are available to support the ongoing implementation of this section in the 2024-25 fiscal year and subsequent fiscal years.(C) The department has determined that systems have been programmed to implement this section.(2) The department shall issue a declaration certifying the date that all conditions in paragraph (1) have been met. The department shall post the declaration on its internet website and provide a copy of the declaration to the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Senate, the Chief Clerk of the Assembly, and the Legislative Counsel.(l)(1) If the voters approve the addition of Chapter 7.5 (commencing with Section 14199.100) to Part 3 of this division at the November 5, 2024, statewide general election, this section shall become operative on January 1, 2025, or the date certified by the department pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (k), whichever is later.(2) If the voters do not approve the addition of Chapter 7.5 (commencing with Section 14199.100) to Part 3 of this division at the November 5, 2024, statewide general election, this section shall become operative on January 1, 2026, or the date certified by the department pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 15832, as added by Section 137 of the act that added this subdivision, whichever is later, and shall be repealed on January 1 directly following that date.Ca. Welf. and Inst. Code § 15853
Amended by Stats 2024 ch 40 (SB 159),s 80, eff. 6/29/2024.Added by Stats 2022 ch 738 (AB 204),s 21, eff. 9/29/2022.