California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 1155


Introduced by Assembly Member Ridley-Thomas

February 27, 2015


An act to amend Section 14000 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to Medi-Cal.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 1155, as introduced, Ridley-Thomas. Medi-Cal.

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 provides that it is the intent of the Legislature to provide, to the extent practicable, for health care for those aged and other persons who lack sufficient annual income to meet the costs of health care, and whose other assets are so limited that their application toward the costs of care would jeopardize the person’s or family’s future minimum self-maintenance and security.

This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to this statement of legislative intent.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

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SECTION 1.  

Section 14000 of the Welfare and Institutions
2Code
is amended to read:

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14000.  

The purpose of this chapter is to afford to qualifying
2individuals health care and related remedial or preventive services,
3including related social servicesbegin delete whichend deletebegin insert thatend insert are necessary for those
4receiving health care under this chapter.

5The intent of the Legislature is to provide, to the extent
6practicable, through the provisions of this chapter, for health care
7for those aged and otherbegin delete persons,end deletebegin insert individuals,end insert including family
8begin delete personsend deletebegin insert members,end insert who lack sufficient annual income to meet the
9costs of healthbegin delete care,end deletebegin insert careend insert and whose other assets are so limited
10that their application toward the costs ofbegin delete suchend deletebegin insert thatend insert care would
11jeopardize thebegin delete personend deletebegin insert individual’send insert or family’s future minimum
12self-maintenance and security. It is intended that whenever possible
13and feasible:

14(a) The means employed shall allow, to the extent practicable,
15begin insert anend insert eligiblebegin delete personsend deletebegin insert individualend insert to secure health care in the same
16manner employed by the public generally, and without
17discrimination or segregation based purely onbegin delete theirend deletebegin insert his or herend insert
18 economic disability. The means employed shall include an
19emphasis on efforts to arrange and encourage access to health care
20through enrollment in organized, managed care plans of the type
21available to the general public.

22(b) The benefits available under this chapter shall not duplicate
23those provided under other federal or state laws or under other
24contractual or legal entitlements of thebegin delete personend deletebegin insert individualend insert orbegin delete personsend delete
25begin insert individualsend insert receiving them.

26(c) In the administration of this chapter and in establishing the
27means to be used to provide access to health care tobegin delete personsend delete
28begin insert individualsend insert eligible under this chapter, the department shall
29emphasize and take advantage of both the efficient organization
30and ready accessibility and availability of health care facilities and
31resources through enrollment in managed health care plans and
32new and innovative fee-for-service managed health care plan
33approaches to the delivery of health care services.



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