Schwarzenegger Signs Bill To Continue Medi-Cal Funding for Hospitals
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) on Wednesday signed a bill (SB 1100) by Senate President Pro Tempore Don Perata (D-Oakland) that will ensure continued Medi-Cal funding for hospitals, the Los Angeles Times reports (Los Angeles Times, 10/6).
The law authorizes a five-year agreement between the state and the federal government to expand federal funding for hospitals that serve Medi-Cal beneficiaries to $18 billion over five years, an increase of $3.3 billion (AP/Contra Costa Times, 10/6).
In addition, California will receive a five-year waiver from federal rules related to Medi-Cal hospital reimbursements. The waiver allows the state to continue to contract with 230 hospitals for Medi-Cal services, rather than pay the 600 hospitals statewide (California Healthline, 9/7). Under the agreement, funding for the hospitals must remain at least at current levels (San Francisco Chronicle, 10/6).
The bill originally was part of a measure that would have shifted more than 500,000 Medi-Cal beneficiaries to managed care plans as part of a proposal to restructure Medi-Cal in exchange for increased federal funding.
However, the Legislature in September agreed to suspend until January consideration of the proposal to shift beneficiaries to managed care and instead drafted separate bills for the restructuring of hospital funding and the enrollment of beneficiaries in managed care (California Healthline, 9/7).
After separating the measures, legislators approved the Perata bill to ensure that hospitals would not lose federal Medicaid matching funds (San Francisco Chronicle, 10/6). The move decreased by $90 million the $360 million the federal government is offering the state if legislators approve a plan to move Medi-Cal beneficiaries to managed care (California Healthline, 9/7).
Schwarzenegger this week signed 14 additional health-related bills.
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AB 258, by Assembly member Barbara Matthews (D-Stockton), requiring providers of Medi-Cal durable equipment to employ rehabilitation professionals with specialized training (Office of the Governor release [1], 10/5);
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AB 296, by Assembly member Gloria Negrete McLeod (D-Monclair), addressing hepatitis C (Office of the Governor release [2], 10/5);
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AB 356, by Assembly member Wilma Chan (D-Oakland), increasing the amount of information provided to consumers about health insurance plans (Office of the Governor release [1], 10/5);
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AB 587, by Negrete McLeod, addressing health benefits for public employees;
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AB 1143, by Assembly member Bill Emmerson (R-Rancho Cucamonga), addressing dentistry (Office of the Governor release [2], 10/5);
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AB 1378, by Assembly member Sally Leiber (D-San Jose), authorizing the Department of Developmental Services to allow staff of Agnews Development Center to provide support services to residents of the center as they transition to community-based settings (Office of the Governor release [1], 10/5);
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AB 1386, by Assembly member John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), addressing oral conscious sedation during dentistry (Office of the Governor release [2], 10/5);
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AB 1533, by Assembly member Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles), requiring companies that offer employer-sponsored health insurance to immediately offer coverage to an employee's dependent if the dependent becomes ineligible for Healthy Families because of income or age, rather than waiting for the open enrollment period (Office of the Governor release [1], 10/5);
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SB 131, by Sen. Wes Chesbro (D-Arcata), addressing Medi-Cal reimbursements for federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics (Office of the Governor release [2], 10/5);
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SB 418, by Sen. Martha Escutia (D-Norwalk), authorizing loans for people with disabilities to modify vehicles or obtain assistive technology (Office of the Governor release [1], 10/5);
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SB 615, by Sen. Liz Figueroa (D-Fremont), addressing cervical cancer (Office of the Governor release [2], 10/5);
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SB 643, by Chesbro, addressing low-income nursing home residents (Office of the Governor release [1], 10/5);
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SB 776, by Sen. George Runner (R-Lancaster), addressing mortgage insurance, loans and credit for health care districts (Office of the Governor release [2], 10/5); and
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SB 962, by Chesbro, establishing a pilot project to create a new type of licensed residential care facility, which would provide services for residents transitioning from Agnews Development Center (Office of the Governor release [1], 10/5).