Every year, bills are introduced that cause concern for counties.
Bills that propose new duties or costs, are costly or downright
impossible to implement, could have unintended fiscal
consequences for critical services, are duplicative of current
law or responsibilities, or, despite the best of intentions,
could ultimately negatively affect the people counties
serve, always make it across the desk.
CSAC supports the sunset extension for local Maddy Emergency
Medical Services Funds (Maddy Funds). Senator Richard Roth has
introduced SB 867, which would remove the sunset date to continue
to assist hospitals and emergency physicians with the costs of
treating uninsured patients, support local emergency services,
and contribute to pediatric trauma care.
CSAC supports the concept of allowing counties to work together
to implement Laura’s Law/Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT)
programs. AB 1764 was introduced by Assembly Member Waldron
to allow counties already participating in or thinking of
creating a Laura’s Law pilot program to offer, or to contract
with each other to offer, assisted outpatient treatment services.
Calling it a day “that has been a long time coming,” Assembly
Subcommittee Chair Tony Thurmond presided over a 3-1 vote to
repeal the state’s Maximum Family Grant (MFG) rule and boost
CalWORKs grants by 4 percent.
The action by the Assembly budget Subcommittee Number 1 on Health
and Human Services was cheered by more than 100 advocacy groups,
but still must pass muster with the full Assembly Budget
Committee, the Senate, and ultimately Governor Brown.
Assembly Members Richard Bloom and Jim Wood have introduced a
“Health Impact Fee” on sodas and other sugary beverages earlier
this week. The bill, which is not yet in print (AB 2782), would
impose a two-cent fee on each ounce of sugar-sweetened beverages
to raise an estimated $2 billion annually. The fee would be
charged at the distributor level.
After a rare Leap Day show of bipartisanship on the MCO fix, Democrats and Republicans retreated to their separate camps on Thursday with a heated Assembly floor debate on a raft of anti-tobacco measures.
The Assembly ultimately passed six tobacco measures on to the Senate during the special session. Republicans vehemently opposed taking up the measures on the floor, insisting that they were not germane to the Second Extraordinary Session on Health Care. However, each bill garnered a needed majority vote and Assembly leadership promptly adjourned the second special session.
Governor Brown, after more than a year of effort, signed a new Managed Care Organization (MCO) fix package into on March 1, 2016.
CSAC supported the main piece of the package—the MCO fix as outlined in SBX2 2 (Hernandez-Bonta). The tiered tax proposal is the product of months of negotiation between the Brown Administration, health plans—including local and county-run health plans—and the Legislature. It restructures the MCO tax in a way that meets federal standards. It raises between $1.3 and $1.7 billion annually, and will be in effect for three years, until 2019.
The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee held an
informational hearing titled “Challenges and Opportunities:
Homelessness in California’s Local Communities” yesterday,
hearing testimony from a variety of state and national experts on
the issue, including Yolo County Supervisor Oscar Villegas and
“No Place Like Home” sponsor, former Senator Darrell Steinberg.
Does that headline sound familiar? It should, since that is what
we have been saying and publishing about the Governor’s proposed
Managed Care Organization (MCO) fix since mid-January. However,
there has been measurable and visible progress on the Governor’s
proposal, and both houses are slated to vote on the package on
Monday.
The main piece of the package – the MCO fix as outlined in SBX2 2
(Hernandez-Bonta) – is supported by CSAC.
The Brown Administration continues to make progress on the
Managed Care Organization (MCO) fix, reaching a deal with the
developmental disabilities services community this week.
Ensuring that the developmental community receives additional
funding has long been on the Special Session on Health Care to-do
list, with legislators from both sides of the aisle insisting on
a boost in funding.
The California Health Facilities Financing Authority (CHFFA) is
administering the Investment in Mental Health Wellness Act (SB
82, Statutes of 2013) which provided $142.5 million (General
Fund) for capital outlay for Mobile Crisis, Crisis Stabilization
and Crisis Residential services. As provided by SB 75, Statutes
of 2015 (Committee on Budget), up to $3 million of the original
appropriation may be used for capital outlay for Peer Respite
sites.
CSAC, CAPH, CBHDA, CHEAC, CWDA, LHPC, SEIU California and the
Corporation for Supportive Housing will be hosting a webinar to
provide information to local officials interested in the Whole
Person Care (WPC) Pilot opportunity presented in the Medi-Cal
2020 Waiver.
CSAC, CAPH, CBHDA, CHEAC, CWDA, LHPC, SEIU California and the
Corporation for Supportive Housing will be hosting a webinaron
February 25 to provide information to local officials interested
in the Whole Person Care (WPC) Pilot opportunity presented in the
Medi-Cal 2020 Waiver.
The Assembly Appropriations Committee passed three bills of
interest to counties this week, including two measures opposed by
CSAC.
AB 59, by Assembly Member Marie Waldron, was amended on January 6
to extend the Laura’s Law deadline by five years, from 2017 to
2022. CSAC and the Urban Counties of California both support this
version of the bill, which was passed by the Appropriations
Committee and is now on the Assembly Floor.
The California Health Facilities Financing Authority (CHFFA) is
administering the Investment in Mental Health Wellness Act (SB
82, Statutes of 2013) which provided $142.5 million (General
Fund) for capital outlay for Mobile Crisis, Crisis Stabilization
and Crisis Residential. As provided by SB 75, Statutes of 2015
(Committee on Budget), up to $3 million of the original
appropriation may be used for capital outlay for Peer Respite
sites.
This week, the Senate introduced their bipartisan “No Place Like
Home” Initiative to address homelessness in California. Members
kicked off the initiative with two press conferences, one in Los
Angeles – which can be viewed here – and the other in Sacramento.
The initiative seeks to divert between $120-130 million in MHSA
funds annually, over 20 to 30 years to service a $2 billion
housing bond to construct permanent supportive housing for
chronically homeless persons with mental illness. Other key
components include:
On December 30, the Department of Health Care Services announced
that the Special Terms and Conditions (STCs), the legal document
between the state and federal governments, for California’s
Medicaid Section 1115 Waiver is complete. The STCs are available
on
DHCS’ website.
The STCs reflect the high-level agreement that was announced at
the end of October, which includes:
Upon the adjournment of session last fall, several bills were
deemed two-year bills and left open for action upon the
Legislature reconvening. On January 4, the Legislature will
reconvene and will have until January 31 to take action on those
bills in both policy and fiscal committees. Key HHS-related bills
are noted below.
Behavioral Health
AB 1300 (Ridley-Thomas) – OPPOSE
Two-Year Bill
