Health Care Special Legislative Session

SBX1 3 (Hernandez) – Support
As Amended on March 6, 2013

SBX1 3, by Senator Ed Hernandez, would create a health care “Bridge Plan” to create a low-cost health plan through Covered California that would help ensure provider continuity for low-income individuals as they move between eligibility for public and private health coverage.  The CSAC Executive Committee supported as similar measure by Senator Hernandez last year (SB 703) that would have created a Basic Health Plan. 
The current Bridge Plan will allow low-income individuals to affordably purchase health insurance while maintaining provider continuity and a medical home. The Bridge targets individuals with incomes approximately between $15,000 and $22,000 – those most at risk of being unable to afford coverage. Even with federal subsidies, these individuals will still have monthly premiums and co-pays. Developing affordable coverage options is crucial to ensure individuals and families enroll in coverage, particularly since we know that under best case scenarios 3 to 4 million Californians will remain uninsured five years after health reform implementation.

Additionally, the Bridge Plan would allow low-income individuals to retain their existing health care providers. Many individuals with incomes between 138% and 200% of the federal poverty level are currently enrolled in Low Income Health Programs. The Bridge can help ensure continuity of care for these patients and a seamless transition into managed care.
Twelve counties own and operate county hospitals and health systems. Additionally, a number of other counties own and operate primary care and specialty care clinics. The Bridge Plan would help ensure that county safety net providers maintain a diverse payer mix with Covered California enrollees. Counties believe the Bridge will help counties continue to serve the remaining uninsured.

For these reasons, CSAC supports SBX1 3. The Senate Appropriations Committee passed the measure on April 8 and it now goes to the Senate Floor.

Human Services

AB 260 (Gordon) – Support
As Introduced on February 7, 2013

AB 260, by Assembly Member Richard Gordon, would remove the sunset on the Child Care Subsidy Pilot projects in San Francisco City and County and San Mateo County. 

Originally created in 2006, the Child Care Subsidy Pilot project allowed these two high-cost counties to address specific child care needs by working with the California Department of Education to develop individualized county child care subsidy plans. 

CSAC supports the measure, which is sponsored by San Francisco City and County and San Mateo County. The Assembly Human Services Committee will hear AB 260 on April 16. 

SB 283 (Hancock) – Support
As Introduced on February 14, 2013

SB 283, by Senator Loni Hancock, would allow those who have been convicted of a felony after 1996 and who meet all current eligibility requirements to receive California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) and CalFresh services, employment training, and nutrition assistance. 

Senator Hancock’s SB 283 will allow California to join with 38 other states in altering or opting out of a federal lifetime ban on receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF grants – called CalWORKs here in California) funding for those with past drug felonies. California already allows some people with certain drug-related felonies to receive Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or food stamps, called CalFresh in California) benefits, but the exceptions are narrow. 
Counties support SB 283 because we believe it provides an important tool for counties in the service continuum post-2011 realignment. By removing the lifetime ban on receiving CalWORKs and CalFresh benefits, counties will be able to provide employment activities, services, and nutritional support to those who are released from incarceration. Evidence suggests that social service components play a key role in safely reintegrating those convicted of a felony back into our communities, and California’s counties must have the ability to provide intensive services to an often difficult-to-serve population. 

It is for these reasons that CSAC support SB 283, which was passed by the Senate Human Services Committee on April 9. It now goes to the Senate Appropriations Committee. 

SB 346 (Beall) – Support
As Amended on April 2, 2013

SB 346, by Assembly Member Jim Beall, would allow county social services and health departments within a county to share limited eligibility information. 

Senator Beall’s SB 346 will streamline the eligibility and enrollment process for public social services and health programs at the county level. By allowing county social services and health departments to share eligibility information, SB 346 will break down the eligibility siloes that may exist between health departments and social services departments in counties and encourage a “client centered” model of integrated services. Further, this measure will result in easier access to health care and social services for the most needy and vulnerable eligible residents in our communities. 

On the eve of the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, counties are seeking innovative processes and solutions to comply with the Act’s “no wrong door” approach for health care enrollment. We believe that SB 346 is a simple solution that will enable counties to improve service and access to health care services and other public social service programs. The measure is sponsored by Santa Clara County. 

The Senate Human Services Committee passed SB 346 on April 9, and it has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. 

AB 720 (Skinner) – Support
As Proposed to Be Amended

AB 720, by Assembly Member Nancy Skinner, would help reduce recidivism and assist counties in our responsibility for post release community supervision of individuals in county jails by enrolling them in the federally funded Medi-Cal program before their release.

Assembly Bill will give counties an important tool to reduce repeat crime and recidivism by allowing newly released inmates to access critical health care and substance use disorder services through Medi-Cal, or, if they qualify, through a qualified health plan in the state’s health benefits exchange. By pre-enrolling incarcerated individuals, counties can get a jump on providing wrap-around services to the most high-risk inmates to ensure adequate supervision and successful and sustainable reentry in our communities. Amendments will clarify that the county may designate which agency and staff is assigned to the jail to make eligibility determinations. 

CSAC supports efforts to increase local flexibility and innovation in serving the AB 109 and county jail population because the benefits of successful reintegration of incarcerated individuals accrue to a variety of stakeholders, including counties, the state, our local communities and families. It is for these reasons that CSAC supports AB 720 as proposed to be amended. The measure will be heard by the Assembly Public Safety Committee on April 16.

1991 Realignment

AB 1225 (Maienschein) – Concerns
As Introduced on February 22, 2013

AB 1225, by Assembly Member Brian Maienschein, would allow for an additional 10 percent fund transfer from other subaccounts to the mental health subaccount within the 1991 Realignment financing structure. We incorrectly reported on March 15 that AB 1225 pertained to the 2011 Realignment superstructure. 

CSAC is working with the County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA), the California Mental Health Directors Association (CMHDA) and the County Health Executives Association of California (CHEAC) to communicate our concerns with the measure to Assembly Member Maienschein. AB 1225 has been double-referred to the Assembly Local Government Committee and Assembly Health Committee, and has been set for hearing on April 24 in the Assembly Local Government Committee.

Public Health

AB 506 (Mitchell) – Support
As Introduced on February 20, 2013

AB 506, by Assembly Member Holly Mitchell, would authorize social workers and health care providers to consent to an HIV test for a child under the age of one year who is in temporary custody or is a dependent child of the court. The Assembly Human Services Committee will hear AB 506 on April 16.

Emergency Medical Services

SB 191 (Padilla) – Support
As Introduced on February 7, 2013
SB 191, by Senator Alex Padilla, would emove the sunset date for local Maddy Emergency Medical Services Funds (Maddy Funds) to allow counties to continue to assist hospitals and emergency physicians with the costs of treating uninsured patients, local emergency services, and pediatric trauma care. 

Senate Bill 191 simply removes the January 1, 2014 sunset date for local Maddy Funds. Counties supported measures creating and sustaining Maddy Funds, and nearly all counties currently operate a Maddy Fund by collecting an additional $2 for every $10 penalty for all criminal offenses and moving violations. This funding is allocated to hospitals and emergency physicians to reimburse them for care given to uninsured patients and allows counties to supplement local emergency services. Fifteen percent of the funds collected are also directed to pediatric trauma care (Richie’s Fund), representing the only statewide funding source for these critical services for kids. 

California’s counties continue to grapple with a reduction of resources for the health care safety net. These changes are also felt by hospitals and emergency physicians, as well as by Californians who need emergency medical services. In rural areas, access to emergency department services is increasingly difficult, and urban areas are experiencing the same problem as fewer hospitals are able to finance emergency departments. Maddy funding statewide is small – about $50 million in non-state General Funds – but it is an important element in the local emergency services safety net and availability of pediatric trauma care.

For these reasons, CSAC supports SB 191. The Senate Health Committee passed the measure on April 10, and it goes next to the Senate Committee on Public Safety.