Medi-Cal: podiatric services.

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, including podiatric services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law does not require prior authorization for podiatric services provided on an outpatient or inpatient basis, but podiatric services are subject to the same Medi-Cal billing and services policies as required for a physician and surgeon, including a maximum numerical service limitation in any one calendar month. Existing law requires an applicant to be a provider or a current provider of Medi-Cal Services to submit a complete application package for enrollment, continuing enrollment, or enrollment at a new location or a change in location. This bill would make conforming changes to the provisions that govern applying to be a provider in the Medi-Cal program or for a change of location by an existing provider to include a doctor of podiatric medicine licensed by the California Board of Podiatric Medicine.