Medi-Cal: eyeglasses: Prison Industry Authority.

Existing law establishes the Prison Industry Authority within the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and authorizes it to operate industrial, agricultural, and service enterprises that provide products and services needed by the state, or any political subdivision of the state, or by the federal government, or any department, agency, or corporation of the federal government, or for any other public use. Existing law requires state agencies to purchase these products and services at the prices fixed by the authority. Existing law also requires state agencies to make maximum utilization of these products and consult with the staff of the authority to develop new products and adapt existing products to meet their needs. 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, including certain optometric services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. This bill, for purposes of Medi-Cal reimbursement for covered optometric services, would authorize a provider to obtain eyeglasses from a private entity, as an alternative to a purchase of eyeglasses from the Prison Industry Authority. The bill would condition implementation of this provision on the availability of federal financial participation. The bill, notwithstanding the above-described requirements, would authorize a provider participating in the Medi-Cal program to obtain eyeglasses from the authority or private entities, based on the optometrist's needs and assessment of quality and value.