Medi-Cal: eligibility.

Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and 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 prohibits the use of an assets or resources test for individuals whose financial eligibility for Medi-Cal is determined based on the application of a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) standard, as specified. Existing law prohibits the use of resources, including property or other assets, to determine Medi-Cal eligibility for applicants or beneficiaries whose eligibility is not determined using the MAGI-based financial methods, and requires the department to seek federal authority to disregard all resources as authorized by the flexibilities provided under federal law. Existing law conditions implementation of that provision on the Director of Health Care Services determining that systems have been programmed for those disregards and their communicating that determination in writing to the Department of Finance, no sooner than January 1, 2024. Existing law also conditions implementation of that provision on receipt of any necessary federal approvals and the availability of federal financial participation. Existing law states the intent of the Legislature to provide, to the extent practicable, through the Medi-Cal program, for health care for those aged and other persons, including family persons who lack sufficient annual income to meet the costs of health care, and whose other assets are so limited that their application toward the costs of that care would jeopardize the person or family's future minimum self-maintenance and security. This bill would, commencing on the date that the resource disregards are implemented, remove from that statement of legislative intent the above-described assets as an eligibility criterion. The bill would also refer to residents of the state and make other changes to that statement.