Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 1 and Assembly Aging Committee
held a joint hearing this week on the Administration’s care
coordination proposals. Please recall that the January budget
includes a number of proposals to change the Medi-Cal program,
particularly for people eligible for Medi-Cal and Medicare
services. Additionally the budget proposes to expand managed care
to the 28 counties that are currently fee-for-service only and to
expand the benefits offered in managed care to include long term
services and supports, including In-Home Supportive Services.
The joint hearing was informational; no action was taken.
However, the committees had a robust agenda that included over 25
panelists representing state officials, the Legislative Analyst’s
Office, health plans, providers, advocates, consumers, disability
rights organizations, county organizations, and unions. Committee
members had a number of questions about the proposals, including
about the speed at which the Administration is moving to
implement such complex changes to service delivery.
Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 3 met this week, as well. The
Senate was focused primarily on public health. Although the
subcommittee did leave a number of issues open, they acted on
select items. The subcommittee rejected the Administration’s
proposal to repeal the SIDS autopsies and contact by local health
mandates. These mandates have been suspended since 2003. They
also rejected the Administration’s cost sharing proposal for the
AIDS Drug Assistance Program.
AB 1640 (Mitchell) – Support
As Introduced on February 13, 2012
AB 1640, by Assembly Member Holly Mitchell, would allow women who
are pregnant and have no other children in the household to
qualify for CalWORKs and Medi-Cal benefits. CSAC, along with the
County Welfare Directors Association, support the bill because it
will allow pregnant women to access housing and food resources
during the critical early months of their pregnancies. The
Assembly Human Services Committee will hear AB 1640 on March
20.
AB 1691 (Lowenthal, B.) – Support
As Introduced on February 15, 2012
AB 1691, by Assembly Member Bonnie Lowenthal, would allow English
as a Second Language (ESL) education to qualify as a core
activity in the CalWORKs program. The main policy goal of the
CalWORKs program is to assist participants in preparing and
searching for gainful employment. By allowing ESL activities to
count toward CalWORKs work participation hours, AB 1691 will give
counties another tool to help participants enter the work force
and attain self sufficiency. The Assembly Human Services
Committee will hear AB 1691 on March 20.
