Inmates: health care enrollment.

Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, 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 federal law prohibits federal financial participation for medical care provided to inmates of a public institution, except when the inmate is a patient in a medical institution. Commencing January 1, 2014, the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act expands eligibility under the Medicaid Program for certain groups and enacts various other health care coverage market reforms that take effect on that date. Existing federal law requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and provide to each state a single, streamlined form that may be used to apply for all state health subsidy programs, as defined, within the state. This bill would authorize the board of supervisors in each county, in consultation with the county sheriff, to designate an entity or entities to assist county jail inmates to apply for a health insurance affordability program, as defined. The bill would authorize the entity, to the extent authorized by federal law and federal financial participation is available, to act on behalf of a county jail inmate for the purpose of applying for, or determinations of, Medi-Cal eligibility for acute inpatient hospital services, as specified. The bill would provide that county jail inmates who are currently enrolled in the Medi-Cal program shall remain eligible for, and shall not be terminated from, the program due to their detention, unless required by federal law, they become otherwise ineligible, or the suspension of their benefits has ended. The bill would provide that the fact that an applicant is an inmate shall not, in and of itself, preclude a county human services agency from processing an application for the Medi-Cal program submitted to it by, or on behalf of, that inmate. Existing law also provides for the suspension of Medi-Cal benefits to an inmate of a public institution who is under 21 years of age. Existing law requires county welfare departments to notify the department within 10 days of receiving information that an individual under 21 years of age who is receiving Medi-Cal is or will be an inmate of a public institution. This bill would instead make these provisions applicable without regard to the age of the individual, provided that federal financial participation would not be jeopardized. By expanding the duties of county agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would also include a statement of legislative intent. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.