(1) Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which health care services are provided to qualified low-income persons. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid Program provisions. Under existing law, one of the methods by which Medi-Cal services are provided is pursuant to contracts with various types of managed care plans. Existing law, until July 1, 2016, imposes a sales tax on sellers of Medi-Cal managed care plans. This bill, on July 1, 2016, and until July 1, 2019, would establish a new managed care organization provider tax, to be administered by the State Department of Health Care Services. The tax would be assessed by the department on licensed health care service plans, managed care plans contracted with the department to provide Medi-Cal services, and alternate health care service plans (AHCSP) , as defined, except as excluded by the bill. The bill would require the department to determine for each health plan using the base data source, as defined, specified enrollment information for the base year. By October 14, 2016, or within 10 business days following the date upon which the department receives approval for federal financial participation, whichever is later, the bill would require the department to commence notification to the health plans of the assessed tax amount due for each fiscal year and the dates on which the installment tax payments are due for each fiscal year. This bill would establish applicable taxing tiers and per enrollee amounts for the 2016–17, 2017–18, and 2018–19 fiscal years, respectively, for Medi-Cal enrollees, AHCSP enrollees, and all other enrollees, as defined. The bill would require the department to request approval from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as necessary to implement this bill. The bill would authorize the department to implement its provisions by means of provider bulletins, all-plan letters, or similar instructions, and to notify the Legislature of this action. This bill would establish the Health and Human Services Special Fund in the State Treasury, into which all revenues, less refunds, derived from the taxes imposed by the bill would be deposited into the State Treasury to the credit of the fund. Interest and dividends earned on moneys in the fund would be retained in the fund, as specified. The bill would continuously appropriate the moneys in the fund to the State Department of Health Care Services for purposes of funding the nonfederal share of Medi-Cal managed care rates for health care services furnished to specified persons, thereby making an appropriation. (2) Existing law imposes a gross premiums tax of 2.35% on all insurers, as defined, doing business in this state, as set forth in the California Constitution. For purposes of the Corporation Tax Law, existing law sets forth items specifically excluded from gross income. This bill would provide that the qualified health care service plan income, as defined, of health plans that are subject to the managed care organization provider tax would be excluded from the definition of gross income for purposes of taxation under the above provisions, as specified. The bill would reduce the gross premiums tax rate from 2.35% to 0% for those premiums received on or after July 1, 2016, and on or before June 30, 2019, for the provision of health insurance paid by health insurers providing health insurance that has a corporate affiliate, as defined, that is a health care service plan or health plan that is subject to the managed care organization provider tax imposed under the bill, as specified. The bill would require the State Department of Health Care Services to annually report specified information to the Franchise Tax Board with regard to these provisions. The bill would authorize the board to implement these provisions and would exempt the board from the administrative rulemaking process. Existing law provides that when the laws of another state or foreign county impose certain taxes or other amounts on California insurers, or their agents or representatives, the same taxes or other amounts are imposed in this state upon the insurers, or their agents or representatives, of the other state or country doing business in this state. The bill would prohibit the Insurance Commissioner from considering the reduction of the gross premiums tax rate under this bill in any determination to impose or enforce a tax under those retaliatory tax provisions. The bill would provide that these provisions become operative on the later of July 1, 2016, or on the date the Director of Health Care Services certifies in writing that federal approval necessary for receipt of federal financial participation has been obtained. (3) This bill would include a change in state statute that would result in a taxpayer paying a higher tax within the meaning of Section 3 of Article XIIIA of the California Constitution, and thus would require for passage the approval of 23 of the membership of each house of the Legislature.
Sponsored bills
Existing law, the Stop Tobacco Access to Kids Enforcement (STAKE) Act, establishes various requirements for distributors and retailers relating to tobacco sales to minors. Existing law prohibits the furnishing of tobacco products to, and the purchase of tobacco products by, a person under 18 years of age. Under existing law, a person is prohibited from making various promotional or advertising offers of smokeless tobacco products without taking actions to ensure that the product is not available to persons under 18 years of age. Existing law also requires the State Department of Public Health to conduct random, onsite sting inspections of tobacco product retailers with the assistance of persons under 18 years of age. This bill would extend the applicability of those provisions to persons under 21 years of age. The bill would authorize the State Department of Public Health to conduct random, onsite sting inspections of tobacco product retailers with the assistance of persons under 21 years of age. The bill would also provide that the STAKE Act does not invalidate existing local government ordinances or prohibit the adoption of local government ordinances requiring a more restrictive legal age to purchase or possess tobacco products. Existing law makes it a crime, punishable by a fine of $75 or 30 hours of community service work, for a person under 18 years of age to purchase, receive, or possess certain tobacco products. Existing law requires 25% of certain fines to be paid to the city or county for the administration and cost of that community service work component. Existing law immunizes a person under 18 years of age from prosecution for those actions when they were taken while participating in specified enforcement activities. This bill would delete those provisions. By expanding the scope of existing crimes, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
This measure would proclaim the month of March 2016, and each year thereafter, as National Kidney Month, would express the Legislature's support of programs that work to, among other things, increase awareness of kidney disease, and would encourage health care providers to engage in an aggressive program for the treatment of diabetes and high blood pressure.
This measure would proclaim January 13, 2016, as Korean American Day.
This measure would recognize February 2016 as Black History Month, urge all citizens to join in celebrating the accomplishments of African Americans during Black History Month, and encourage the people of California to recognize the many talents, achievements, and contributions that African Americans make to their communities.
This measure would declare that President Abraham Lincoln be honored on February 12, 2016, the anniversary of his birthday.
The Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act requires the State Department of Developmental Services to contract with regional centers to provide services and supports to individuals with developmental disabilities. Under existing law, regional centers purchase needed services for individuals with developmental disabilities through approved service providers or arrange for those services through other publicly funded agencies. Existing law establishes specified rates and wages to be paid to certain service providers and the rates to be paid for certain developmental services. Existing law requires that rates to be paid to other developmental service providers either be set by the department or negotiated between the regional center and the service provider. Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which basic health care services are provided to qualified low-income persons. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid Program provisions. Existing law requires, except as otherwise provided, Medi-Cal provider payments to be reduced, as specified. This bill would appropriate a specified sum to the State Department of Developmental Services to, commencing July 1, 2016, among other things, increase rates and wages for certain developmental services providers and fund incentive payments for competitive integrated employment opportunities and internships for individuals with developmental disabilities. The bill would require the department to submit a rate study to specified committees of the Legislature on or before March 1, 2019, regarding community-based services for individuals with developmental disabilities. The bill would require each regional center to report specified information to the department regarding increased funding for regional center operations. The bill would, for dates of service on or after August 1, 2016, increase the payment rates for intermediate care facilities and skilled nursing facilities that provide services to developmentally disabled individuals under the Medi-Cal program, as specified. The bill would also prohibit the State Department of Health Care Services from seeking to retroactively implement certain Medi-Cal provider payment reductions and limitations with regards to reimbursements for services provided by skilled nursing facilities that are distinct parts of general acute care hospitals for dates of service on or after June 1, 2011, and on or before September 30, 2013, and from seeking to recoup overpayments, as specified. Existing law requires the department and regional centers to annually collaborate to compile specified data relating to purchase of service authorization, utilization, and expenditure by each regional center. Existing law requires each regional center to annually report to the department regarding the regional center's implementation of these requirements, including whether the data indicates a need to reduce disparities in the purchase of services among consumers in the regional center's catchment area and the regional center's recommendations and plan to promote equity, and reduce disparities, in the purchase of services. Existing law requires the department to consult with specified stakeholders to review the data, develop recommendations to help reduce disparities in purchase of service expenditures, and encourage development and expansion of culturally appropriate services, among other things, and to report the status of its efforts during the 2016–17 legislative budget subcommittee hearing process. The bill would also require the department, subject to available funding, to allocate funding to regional centers to assist in implementing specified recommendations and plans, including the recommendations and plans of the regional centers to promote equity, and reduce disparities, in the purchase of services. Existing law requires an entity that receives payments between $250,000 and $500,000 per year from one or more regional centers to obtain either an independent audit or an independent review report of its financial statements, and requires an entity that receives payments that are equal to or more than $500,000 per year to obtain an independent audit. This bill would instead require an entity that receives payments between $500,000 and $2,000,000 from one or more regional centers to obtain an independent review report of its financial statements, and would authorize these entities to apply for, and require the regional center to grant, a 2-year exemption from this requirement if the regional center does not find issues in the independent review report that have an impact on regional center services. The bill would require an entity that receives payments from one or more regional centers that are equal to or more than $2,000,000 to obtain an independent audit and would authorize these entities to apply for, and require the regional center to grant, a 2-year exemption from the audit requirement if the audit resulted in an unmodified opinion, an unmodified opinion with additional communication, or a qualified opinion with issues that are not material. The bill would require a regional center to annually report to the State Department of Developmental Services any exemptions granted pursuant to these provisions.
(1) Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which health care services are provided to qualified low-income persons. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Under existing law, one of the methods by which Medi-Cal services are provided is pursuant to contracts with various types of managed care plans. Existing law, until July 1, 2016, imposes a sales tax on sellers of Medi-Cal managed care plans. This bill, on July 1, 2016, and until July 1, 2019, would establish a new managed care organization provider tax, to be administered by the State Department of Health Care Services. The tax would be assessed by the department on licensed health care service plans, managed care plans contracted with the department to provide Medi-Cal services, and alternate health care service plans (AHCSP) , as defined, except as excluded by the bill. The bill would require the department to determine for each health plan using the base data source, as defined, specified enrollment information for the base year. By October 14, 2016, or within 10 business days following the date upon which the department receives approval for federal financial participation, whichever is later, the bill would require the department to commence notification to the health plans of the assessed tax amount due for each fiscal year and the dates on which the installment tax payments are due for each fiscal year. This bill would establish applicable taxing tiers and per enrollee amounts for the 2016–17, 2017–18, and 2018–19 fiscal years, respectively, for Medi-Cal enrollees, AHCSP enrollees, and all other enrollees, as defined. The bill would require the department to request approval from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as necessary to implement this bill. The bill would authorize the department to implement its provisions by means of provider bulletins, all-plan letters, or similar instructions, and to notify the Legislature of this action. This bill would establish the Health and Human Services Special Fund in the State Treasury, into which all revenues, less refunds, derived from the taxes imposed by the bill would be deposited into the State Treasury to the credit of the fund. Interest and dividends earned on moneys in the fund would be retained in the fund, as specified. The bill would continuously appropriate the moneys in the fund to the State Department of Health Care Services for purposes of funding the nonfederal share of Medi-Cal managed care rates for health care services furnished to specified persons, thereby making an appropriation. (2) Existing law imposes a gross premiums tax of 2.35% on all insurers, as defined, doing business in this state, as set forth in the California Constitution. For purposes of the Corporation Tax Law, existing law sets forth items specifically excluded from gross income. This bill would provide that the qualified health care service plan income, as defined, of health plans that are subject to the managed care organization provider tax would be excluded from the definition of gross income for purposes of taxation under the above provisions, as specified. The bill would reduce the gross premiums tax rate from 2.35% to 0% for those premiums received on or after July 1, 2016, and on or before June 30, 2019, for the provision of health insurance paid by health insurers providing health insurance that has a corporate affiliate, as defined, that is a health care service plan or health plan that is subject to the managed care organization provider tax imposed under the bill, as specified. The bill would require the State Department of Health Care Services to annually report specified information to the Franchise Tax Board with regard to these provisions. The bill would authorize the board to implement these provisions and would exempt the board from the administrative rulemaking process. Existing law provides that when the laws of another state or foreign county impose certain taxes or other amounts on California insurers, or their agents or representatives, the same taxes or other amounts are imposed in this state upon the insurers, or their agents or representatives, of the other state or country doing business in this state. The bill would prohibit the Insurance Commissioner from considering the reduction of the gross premiums tax rate under this bill in any determination to impose or enforce a tax under those retaliatory tax provisions. The bill would provide that these provisions become operative on the later of July 1, 2016, or on the date the Director of Health Care Services certifies in writing that federal approval necessary for receipt of federal financial participation has been obtained. (3) This bill would include a change in state statute that would result in a taxpayer paying a higher tax within the meaning of Section 3 of Article XIIIA of the California Constitution, and thus would require for passage the approval of 23 of the membership of each house of the Legislature.