SB 282: Medi-Cal: federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics.
- Session Year: 2023-2024
- House: Senate
Current Status:
Failed
(2023-09-01: September 1 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.)
Introduced
First Committee Review
First Chamber
Second Committee Review
Second Chamber
Enacted
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 federally qualified health center (FQHC) services and rural health clinic (RHC) services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions.
Under existing law, to the extent that federal financial participation is available, FQHC and RHC services are reimbursed on a per-visit basis, as specified. Visit is defined as a face-to-face encounter between a patient of an FQHC or RHC and a physician or other specified health care professionals. Under existing law, visit also includes an encounter using video or audio-only synchronous interaction or an asynchronous store and forward modality, as specified.
This bill would authorize reimbursement for a maximum of 2 visits that take place on the same day at a single site, whether through a face-to-face or telehealth-based encounter, if after the first visit the patient suffers illness or injury that requires additional diagnosis or treatment, or if the patient has a medical visit and either a mental health visit or a dental visit, as defined. The bill would require the department, by July 1, 2024, to submit a state plan amendment to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reflecting those provisions.
The bill would include a licensed acupuncturist within those health care professionals covered under the definition of a visit. The bill would also make a change to the provision relating to physicians and would make other technical changes.
Bill Co-Author(s):
