Rob Bonta
- Democratic
Author
Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and 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 authorizes a Medi-Cal provider of ground emergency medical transportation services, that is owned or operated by the state, a city, county, city and county, fire protection district, special district, community services district, health care district, or a federally recognized Indian tribe, to receive supplemental Medi-Cal reimbursement, in addition to the rate of payment the eligible provider would otherwise receive for those services. Existing law requires the department to develop a modified supplemental reimbursement program, with necessary federal approvals, that would seek to increase the reimbursement to the above-described eligible providers. Existing law requires the nonfederal share of any supplemental reimbursement provided under the modified program to be derived from voluntary intergovernmental transfers of local funds. Existing law states the Legislature's intent in enacting these provisions to provide the supplemental reimbursement without any expenditure from the General Fund. The bill would instead require the department to implement, subject to any necessary federal approvals, and no sooner than July 1, 2021, the Public Provider Intergovernmental Transfer Program (program) , for the duration of any Medi-Cal managed care rating period, and would authorize the department to continue conducting any administrative duties related to the above-specified supplemental Medi-Cal reimbursement. The bill would require an eligible provider, defined, in part, as a provider of emergency medical transport, to receive an add-on increase to the associated Medi-Cal fee-for-service payment schedule, and would require the department to develop the add-on increase pursuant to specified standards, including an eligible provider's average cost directly associated with providing a Medi-Cal emergency medical transport under the Medi-Cal program. The bill would require Medi-Cal managed care health plans and emergency medical transport providers to comply with specified federal standards relating to the payment standards for emergency medical transport. The bill would limit the amount that a noncontract eligible provider may collect for emergency medical transport. The bill would require the department to assess a 10% fee on each transfer of public funds to the state to pay for health care coverage and to reimburse the department for its administrative costs relating to the program. The bill would limit the operation of the program on the condition that the program would be financially and programmatically supportive of the Medi-Cal program. The bill would authorize the department to implement these provisions by various means, including all-county letters or provider bulletins, without taking regulatory action. Existing law, the Medi-Cal Emergency Medical Transportation Reimbursement Act, commencing July 1, 2018, and subject to federal approval and the availability of federal financial participation, imposes a quality assurance fee for each emergency medical transport provided by an emergency medical transport provider subject to the fee in accordance with a prescribed methodology. Existing law requires the Director of Health Care Services to deposit the collected quality assurance fee into the continuously appropriated Medi-Cal Emergency Medical Transport Fund, for exclusive use in a specified order of priority, including to enhance federal financial participation for ambulance services under the Medi-Cal program. Existing law requires each emergency medical transport provider to report to the department specified data and material, including the number of actual emergency medical transports by payer type. The act increases Medi-Cal reimbursement to emergency medical transport providers for emergency medical transports. The bill would exempt an eligible provider from the quality assurance fee and add-on increase for the duration of any Medi-Cal managed care rating during which the Public Provider Intergovernmental Transfer Program is implemented.
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 544, Statutes of 2019.
Approved by the Governor.
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3:30 p.m.
Assembly Rule 77 suspended. (Page 3370.)
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 3392.).
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2779.).
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. May be considered on or after September 12 pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (August 30).
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (July 10). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 2103.)
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 18. Noes 0.) (May 16).
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
Read second time and amended.
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (April 9).
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. Read second time and amended.
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. Read second time and amended.
Read first time.
From printer. May be heard in committee March 25.
Introduced. To print.
| Bill Text Versions | Format |
|---|---|
| AB1705 | HTML |
| 02/22/19 - Introduced | |
| 03/18/19 - Amended Assembly | |
| 03/28/19 - Amended Assembly | |
| 04/11/19 - Amended Assembly | |
| 05/16/19 - Amended Assembly | |
| 07/03/19 - Amended Senate | |
| 08/30/19 - Amended Senate | |
| 09/06/19 - Amended Senate | |
| 09/17/19 - Enrolled | |
| 10/07/19 - Chaptered |
| Document | Format |
|---|---|
| No related documents. |
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