AB 608: Medi-Cal: comprehensive perinatal services.

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 comprehensive perinatal services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Under existing law, a pregnant individual or targeted low-income child who is eligible for, and is receiving, health care coverage under any of specified Medi-Cal programs is eligible for full-scope Medi-Cal benefits for the duration of the pregnancy and for a period of one year following the last day of the individuals pregnancy.

This bill, during the one-year postpregnancy eligibility period, and as part of comprehensive perinatal services under Medi-Cal, would require the department to cover additional comprehensive perinatal assessments and individualized care plans and to provide additional visits and units of services in an amount, duration, and scope that are at least proportional to those available on July 27, 2021, during pregnancy and the initial 60-day postpregnancy period in effect on that date. The bill would require the department, in coordination with the State Department of Public Health, to consider input from certain stakeholders, as specified, in determining the specific number of additional comprehensive perinatal assessments, individualized care plans, visits, and units of services to be covered.

The bill would require the department to cover comprehensive perinatal services that are rendered by a nonlicensed perinatal health worker in a beneficiarys home or other community setting away from a medical site, as specified. The bill would also require the department to allow a nonlicensed perinatal health worker rendering those services to be supervised by a community-based organization (CBO) or a local health jurisdiction (LHJ). For these purposes, the bill would require a CBO or LHJ supervising a nonlicensed perinatal health worker to provide those services under contract with a Comprehensive Perinatal Services Program provider.

The bill would condition implementation of the provisions above on receipt of any necessary federal approvals and the availability of federal financial participation. The bill would authorize the department to implement these provisions by all-county letters or similar instructions until regulations are adopted.