Medi-Cal: family respite care.

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 law provides that pediatric day health care is a covered benefit under the Medi-Cal program and that pediatric day health care does not include inpatient long-term care or family respite care. This bill would specify that pediatric day health care services may be provided at any time of the day and on any day of the week, so long as the total number of authorized hours is not exceeded. The bill would also authorize pediatric day health care services to be covered for up to 23 hours per calendar day.