Federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics: licensed professional clinical counselor.

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 healthcare services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law provides that federally qualified health center (FQHC) services and rural health clinic (RHC) services, as defined, are covered benefits under the Medi-Cal program, to be reimbursed, to the extent that federal financial participation is obtained, to providers on a per-visit basis. "Visit" is defined as a face-to-face encounter between a patient of an FQHC or RHC and specified health care professionals. Existing law allows an FQHC or RHC to apply for an adjustment to its per-visit rate based on a change in the scope of service it provides. This bill would additionally include a licensed professional clinical counselor within those health care professionals covered under that definition. The bill would require an FQHC or RHC that currently includes the cost of the services of a licensed professional clinical counselor for the purposes of establishing its FQHC or RHC rate to apply to the department for an adjustment to its per-visit rate, and, after the rate adjustment has been approved by the department, would require the FQHC or RHC to bill for these services as a separate visit, as specified. The bill would require an FQHC or RHC that does not provide the services of a licensed professional clinical counselor, and later elects to add this service and bill these services as a separate visit, to process the addition of these services as a change in scope of service.