Medi-Cal: optional benefits: podiatric medicine.

Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income persons receive health care benefits. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid provisions. Existing law provides that optional podiatric services are excluded from coverage under the Medi-Cal program. This bill would cover medical and surgical services provided by a doctor of podiatric medicine within his or her scope of practice that, if provided by a physician, would be considered physician services, and which services may be provided by either a physician or a podiatrist in the state.