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CALIFORNIA STATUTES AND CODES
SECTIONS 14148-14148.9
WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE
SECTION 14148-14148.9
14148. (a) The department shall adopt the federal option provided under Section 4101 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (Public Law 100-203) to extend eligibility for medical assistance under Medicaid to all pregnant women and infants with family incomes not in excess of 185 percent of the federal poverty level. If a premium is imposed, the amount of the premium shall not exceed 10 percent of the amount by which the family's income, less actual child care costs, exceeds 150 percent of the federal poverty level as required by Section 4101 (a) of the 1987 Medicaid Budget Reconciliation Agreement. The department shall implement this section by emergency regulation. (b) Upon order of the Department of Finance, the State Controller shall transfer funds from Item 4260-101-001 of the Budget Act of 1988 to Item 4260-111-001 of the Budget Act of 1988 during the 1988-89 fiscal year for the purpose of funding outreach efforts for perinatal services. (c) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the state may limit implementation of this section during the 1988-89 fiscal year, based upon the availability of department funds. The department may use maternal and child health funds to finance the increased costs of implementing an expansion of Medi-Cal eligibility to women and children with incomes of up to 185 percent of federal poverty levels if both of the following conditions exist: (1) The department has allocated for expenditure at least sixteen million dollars ($16,000,000) in funds redirected from the Medi-Cal program for that expansion. (2) If, and to the extent, the department determines that estimates of costs based on actual data indicate that the funds are needed to cover costs. (d) This section shall be fully implemented no later than April 1, 1990. (e) To assist Medi-Cal eligible pregnant women in receiving prenatal care promptly, all pregnant women applying for Medi-Cal shall be determined to have an immediate need. Counties, within existing resources, shall expedite the eligibility determination process for all pregnant women on the basis of their immediate needs. Upon determination of eligibility, a Medi-Cal card shall be issued immediately. (f) To the extent federal financial participation is available, the department shall apply the more liberal income deduction described in Section 1396a(r) of Title 42 of the United States Code when determining eligibility for pregnant women and infants under this section. The amount of this deduction shall be the difference between the 185 percent and the 200 percent federal poverty level applicable to the size of the family. 14148.03. (a) Pursuant to options provided in federal law and notwithstanding any other provision of law, the form used by a provider to collect information about a pregnant woman pursuant to the Medi-Cal temporary benefits program under Section 14148.7 as that program is implemented on January 1, 2003, shall itself qualify as a simplified application for the Medi-Cal program for pregnant women, or, if necessary to ensure federal financial participation, the form shall be modified to add only those elements required for federal financial participation and be as simple as the department considers practicable. (b) For purposes of this section, the department shall determine whether to grant eligibility for temporary benefits under Section 14148.7 and the county shall make the final eligibility determination for the Medi-Cal program. The department shall develop and adopt a process for transferring the application to the county and a followup process that is as simple as the department considers practicable to be used by the county if followup is necessary. Based on the department's instructions, the county shall make a determination whether followup is necessary to determine the woman's final eligibility for the Medi-Cal program or to refer the woman to the Access for Infants and Mothers (AIM) program. (c) The department shall adopt an electronic enrollment process for pregnant women to use when applying for the Medi-Cal program from a provider's office. The application form for this electronic enrollment shall use the elements of the application form described in subdivision (a) and the procedures specified in subdivision (b). This electronic enrollment process shall be known as the Prenatal Gateway. In developing the Prenatal Gateway required by this subdivision, the department shall consult with consumer, provider, county, and health plan representatives. (d) The purpose of this section is to begin eligibility and benefits at the time of an eligible pregnant woman's visit to a provider and to continue eligibility and benefits until a final eligibility determination is made without the submission of any other application form to the department, the county, or a single point of entry and to make the followup process as simple as the department considers practicable. (e) The Prenatal Gateway may not be adopted until both of the following occur: (1) Sufficient moneys have been deposited in the Special Funds Account of the Gateway Fund to defray the costs of developing the Prenatal Gateway. (2) Sufficient new staff, not to exceed a total of three personnel years, is available at the department for the purposes of this section and Section 14148.04 and is funded through nonstate General Fund sources. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the department may hire staff necessary to implement this section. (f) The department shall implement the Prenatal Gateway within 12 months after the date upon which both of the conditions required under subdivision (e) have occurred. (g) To implement this section, the department may contract with public or private entities, or utilize existing health care service provider enrollment and payment mechanisms, including the Medi-Cal program's fiscal intermediary, only if services provided under the program are specifically identified and reimbursed in a manner that appropriately claims federal financial reimbursement. Contracts, including the Medi-Cal fiscal intermediary contract for the Child Health and Disability Prevention Program, and including any contract amendment, any system change pursuant to a change order, and any project or systems development notice shall be exempt from Part 2 (commencing with Section 10100) of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code, Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 11700) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, Section 19130 of the Government Code, and any policies, procedures, or regulations authorized by these laws. 14148.04. (a) The department shall adopt, as specified in this section, an electronic process for families to enroll a deemed eligible newborn in the Medi-Cal program from hospitals that have elected to participate in the process. The electronic enrollment process adopted pursuant to this section shall be known as the Newborn Hospital Gateway. (b) With respect to the enrollment of a child under the age of one year who is deemed to have applied and is deemed eligible for Medi-Cal benefits under Section 1396a(e)(4) of Title 42 of the United States Code, the enrollment procedures of the Newborn Hospital Gateway shall specifically include procedures for confirming the eligibility of, and issuing a Medi-Cal card to, that child. (c) In developing the Newborn Hospital Gateway required by this section, the department shall consult with consumer, provider, county, and health plan representatives. (d) The Newborn Hospital Gateway may not be adopted until both of the following occur: (1) Sufficient moneys have been deposited in the Special Funds Account of the Gateway Fund to defray the costs of developing the Newborn Hospital Gateway. (2) Sufficient new staff, not to exceed a total of three personnel years, is available at the department for the purposes of this section and Section 14148.03 and is funded through nonstate General Fund sources. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the department may hire staff necessary to implement this section. (e) The department shall implement the Newborn Hospital Gateway within 12 months after the date upon which both of the conditions required under subdivision (d) have occurred. (f) To implement this section, the department may contract with public or private entities, or utilize existing health care service provider enrollment and payment mechanisms, including the Medi-Cal program's fiscal intermediary, only if services provided under the program are specifically identified and reimbursed in a manner that appropriately claims federal financial reimbursement. Contracts, including the Medi-Cal fiscal intermediary contract for the Child Health and Disability Prevention Program and including any contract amendment, any system change pursuant to a change order, and any project or systems development notice shall be exempt from Part 2 (commencing with Section 10100) of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code, Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 11700) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, Section 19130 of the Government Code, and any policies, procedures, or regulations authorized by these laws. 14148.05. (a) There is hereby created in the State Treasury the Gateway Fund. (b) Moneys in the fund may be expended, upon appropriation by the Legislature, exclusively for purposes of establishing and maintaining the Prenatal Gateway, as provided for in Section 14148.03, and the Newborn Hospital Gateway, as provided for in Section 14148.04, and in accordance with subdivision (c). (c) The fund shall consist of the following accounts: (1) The Special Funds Account, which shall consist of all funds received by the Controller for purposes of Sections 14148.03 and 14148.04 from private foundations and other nongovernmental sources and interest accrued thereon. Moneys in this account shall be used exclusively for the purposes of Sections 14148.03 and 14148.04. The department shall not be responsible for securing funding from private foundations or other nongovernmental sources. (2) The Other Public Funds Account, which shall consist of all public funds, other than federal or state general funds, received by the Controller for purposes of Sections 14148.03 and 14148.04 from state or local sources, including, but not limited to, funds received under the California Families and Children Act of 1998, Division 108 (commencing with Section 130100) of the Health and Safety Code (Proposition 10), and the interest accrued thereon. (3) The Federal Funds Account, which shall consist of all public funds received by the Controller for purposes of Sections 14148.03 and 14148.04 from federal sources, and the interest accrued thereon. 14148.1. To maximize federal financial participation, the department shall seek flexibility in implementing the requirements of Section 121 of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-603) for Medi-Cal eligible women with confirmed pregnancies. 14148.2. In order to assure access to obstetrical providers in the Medi-Cal program, the state department shall explore and adopt policies which improve provider relations with Medi-Cal maternity care providers. Policies to be considered shall include, but not be limited to, those which reduce the annual percentage of obstetrical billings going to the department's suspense file, simplify provider claim forms, establish toll-free telephone lines for the exclusive use of maternity care providers, and establish clear reimbursement guidelines. In addition, the department shall explore policies to assure that obstetrical claims are processed on a prompt and predictable basis, the feasibility of establishing a special claims processing unit for obstetrical claims, and the adequacy of current reimbursement levels and services reimbursed. The department shall advise the Chairs of the Assembly Health Committee and the Senate Health and Human Services Committee by July 1, 1989, on steps taken to improve provider relations and the impact these steps have had on provider participation. 14148.3. The department shall seek federal approval to implement obstetrical case management for Medi-Cal eligible pregnant women when provided through the Child Health and Disability Prevention program authorized under Article 6 (commencing with Section 124025) of Chapter 3 of Part 2 of Division 106 of the Health and Safety Code. 14148.4. (a) The department shall eliminate the Medi-Cal reimbursement differential for obstetrical services by equalizing the rates of reimbursement for Caesarean section and non-Caesarean section care and delivery services. In implementing this section, savings that otherwise would have accrued due to lowered rates of reimbursement for Caesarean section services shall be used to fund across-the-board rate increases for all maternity care and delivery services. (b) Revisions to the existing rate structure required to implement this section shall be adopted as emergency regulations in accordance with Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. The adoption of these regulations shall be deemed an emergency and necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, or general welfare. Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, emergency regulations adopted to implement this act shall not be subject to the review and approval of the Office of Administrative Law. These regulations shall become effective immediately upon filing with the Secretary of State. 14148.5. (a) State funded perinatal services shall be provided under the Medi-Cal program to pregnant women and state funded medical services to infants up to one year of age in families with incomes above 185 percent, but not more than 200 percent, of the federal poverty level, in the same manner that these services are being provided to the Medi-Cal population, including eligibility requirements and integration of eligibility determinations and payment of claims, except as follows: (1) The assets of the family shall not be considered in making the eligibility determination. (2) The income deduction specified in subdivision (f) of Section 14148 shall not be applied. (b) Services provided under this section shall not be subject to any share-of-cost requirements. (c) (1) The department, in implementing the Medi-Cal program and public health programs, in coordination with the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Program's Access for Infants and Mothers component, may provide for outreach activities in order to enhance participation and access to perinatal services. Funding received pursuant to the federal provisions shall be used to expand perinatal outreach activities. These outreach activities shall be implemented if funding is provided for this purpose by an appropriation in the annual Budget Act or other statute. (2) Those outreach activities authorized by paragraph (1) shall be targeted toward both Medi-Cal and non-Medi-Cal eligible high risk or uninsured pregnant women and infants. Outreach activities may include, but not be limited to, all of the following: (A) Education of the targeted women on the availability and importance of early prenatal care and referral to Medi-Cal and other programs. (B) Information provided through toll-free telephone numbers. (C) Recruitment and retention of perinatal providers. (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, contracts required to implement the provisions of this section shall be exempt from the approval of the Director of General Services and from the provisions of the Public Contract Code. (e) The programs authorized in this section shall be operative for the entire 1996-97 fiscal year. 14148.6. The department shall engage in outreach activities in order to enhance participation in and access to perinatal services. 14148.7. The department shall implement the federal options authorized by federal law to assist in the delivery of timely and continuing prenatal care by establishing the option of presumptive eligibility under Section 1396r-1 of Title 42 of the United States Code. 14148.75. At the earliest date that it is administratively feasible, the department shall adopt the federal medicaid option under Section 1902(l)(3) of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1396a(l)(3)) to waive the use of a resource standard for determining the eligibility of pregnant women, infants, and children. 14148.8. (a) The State Department of Health Services shall provide Medi-Cal reimbursements to alternative birth centers for facility-related delivery costs at a statewide all-inclusive rate per delivery that shall not exceed 80 percent of the average Medi-Cal reimbursement received by general acute care hospitals with Medi-Cal contracts and shall be based on an average hospital length of stay of 1.7 days. The reimbursement rate shall be updated annually and shall be based on the California Medical Assistance Commission's annually published legislative report of average contract rates for general acute care hospitals with Medi-Cal contracts. However, the reimbursement shall not exceed the alternative birth center's charges to any non-Medi-Cal patient for similar services. (b) In order to be eligible for reimbursement pursuant to this section, an alternative birth center shall satisfy the following criteria as determined by the state department: (1) At least 150 patients or 50 percent of the patient caseload served at the center each year, whichever is less, shall be Medi-Cal patients and low-income patients. (2) The facility shall be currently certified as a comprehensive perinatal services provider. If not currently certified, the facility shall be certified with the first year of operation. (3) The facilities may utilize certified nurse midwives, certified nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists where appropriate. (4) The facility shall meet the standards for certification established by the National Association of Childbearing Centers, including those relating to the proximity and involvement of hospitals, obstetricians, and pediatricians. (5) The facility shall establish and maintain a quality assurance program. (6) The facility shall maintain newborn followup care for at least one year. (7) The gathering of data and preparing reports as required in subdivision (c). (c) (1) Each alternative birth center awarded reimbursement pursuant to this section shall gather data and annually report outcome measures relating to the safety, cost-effectiveness, and patient acceptance of the center to the department to be made available upon request. (2) The report shall include data on the incidence of maternal and infant death, preterm newborns, low birth weight newborns, maternal complications, newborn complications, cesarean sections, forcep-assisted deliveries, deliveries involving use of anesthesia, months of prenatal care, family involvement in childbirth, breast-feeding, infant immunizations, well baby care, adjusted cost per case for deliveries performed at the center, and cost per case for women transferred to hospitals for delivery. (3) The department shall provide the Legislature with an annual report summarizing the data reported by the centers. (4) The department shall, to the extent information and resources are available, as determined by the department, compare the data provided by the centers with information furnished by other providers of prenatal and delivery services. The department shall use the comparative data to determine for the Medi-Cal program whether alternative birth centers are cost-effective, improve access to prenatal care, reduce the anticipated incidence of maternal and newborn complications, and have a high degree of patient acceptance. (d) The director shall administer this section and establish standards, procedures, and reimbursement rates, as the director deems necessary in carrying out this section. The establishment of the reimbursement rates is not required to be adopted as regulations pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). (e) Nothing in this act shall alter the scope of practice for any health care professional or authorize the delivery of health care services in a setting or in a manner not authorized by the Health and Safety Code or the Business and Professions Code. 14148.9. The department shall provide for the receipt and initial processing of Medi-Cal applications from (a) pregnant women; and (b) children born after September 30, 1983, who have not yet attained 19 years of age, at facilities other than the county welfare department as described in Title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C., Sec. 1396 and following).
SECTION 14148-14148.9
14148. (a) The department shall adopt the federal option provided under Section 4101 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (Public Law 100-203) to extend eligibility for medical assistance under Medicaid to all pregnant women and infants with family incomes not in excess of 185 percent of the federal poverty level. If a premium is imposed, the amount of the premium shall not exceed 10 percent of the amount by which the family's income, less actual child care costs, exceeds 150 percent of the federal poverty level as required by Section 4101 (a) of the 1987 Medicaid Budget Reconciliation Agreement. The department shall implement this section by emergency regulation. (b) Upon order of the Department of Finance, the State Controller shall transfer funds from Item 4260-101-001 of the Budget Act of 1988 to Item 4260-111-001 of the Budget Act of 1988 during the 1988-89 fiscal year for the purpose of funding outreach efforts for perinatal services. (c) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the state may limit implementation of this section during the 1988-89 fiscal year, based upon the availability of department funds. The department may use maternal and child health funds to finance the increased costs of implementing an expansion of Medi-Cal eligibility to women and children with incomes of up to 185 percent of federal poverty levels if both of the following conditions exist: (1) The department has allocated for expenditure at least sixteen million dollars ($16,000,000) in funds redirected from the Medi-Cal program for that expansion. (2) If, and to the extent, the department determines that estimates of costs based on actual data indicate that the funds are needed to cover costs. (d) This section shall be fully implemented no later than April 1, 1990. (e) To assist Medi-Cal eligible pregnant women in receiving prenatal care promptly, all pregnant women applying for Medi-Cal shall be determined to have an immediate need. Counties, within existing resources, shall expedite the eligibility determination process for all pregnant women on the basis of their immediate needs. Upon determination of eligibility, a Medi-Cal card shall be issued immediately. (f) To the extent federal financial participation is available, the department shall apply the more liberal income deduction described in Section 1396a(r) of Title 42 of the United States Code when determining eligibility for pregnant women and infants under this section. The amount of this deduction shall be the difference between the 185 percent and the 200 percent federal poverty level applicable to the size of the family. 14148.03. (a) Pursuant to options provided in federal law and notwithstanding any other provision of law, the form used by a provider to collect information about a pregnant woman pursuant to the Medi-Cal temporary benefits program under Section 14148.7 as that program is implemented on January 1, 2003, shall itself qualify as a simplified application for the Medi-Cal program for pregnant women, or, if necessary to ensure federal financial participation, the form shall be modified to add only those elements required for federal financial participation and be as simple as the department considers practicable. (b) For purposes of this section, the department shall determine whether to grant eligibility for temporary benefits under Section 14148.7 and the county shall make the final eligibility determination for the Medi-Cal program. The department shall develop and adopt a process for transferring the application to the county and a followup process that is as simple as the department considers practicable to be used by the county if followup is necessary. Based on the department's instructions, the county shall make a determination whether followup is necessary to determine the woman's final eligibility for the Medi-Cal program or to refer the woman to the Access for Infants and Mothers (AIM) program. (c) The department shall adopt an electronic enrollment process for pregnant women to use when applying for the Medi-Cal program from a provider's office. The application form for this electronic enrollment shall use the elements of the application form described in subdivision (a) and the procedures specified in subdivision (b). This electronic enrollment process shall be known as the Prenatal Gateway. In developing the Prenatal Gateway required by this subdivision, the department shall consult with consumer, provider, county, and health plan representatives. (d) The purpose of this section is to begin eligibility and benefits at the time of an eligible pregnant woman's visit to a provider and to continue eligibility and benefits until a final eligibility determination is made without the submission of any other application form to the department, the county, or a single point of entry and to make the followup process as simple as the department considers practicable. (e) The Prenatal Gateway may not be adopted until both of the following occur: (1) Sufficient moneys have been deposited in the Special Funds Account of the Gateway Fund to defray the costs of developing the Prenatal Gateway. (2) Sufficient new staff, not to exceed a total of three personnel years, is available at the department for the purposes of this section and Section 14148.04 and is funded through nonstate General Fund sources. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the department may hire staff necessary to implement this section. (f) The department shall implement the Prenatal Gateway within 12 months after the date upon which both of the conditions required under subdivision (e) have occurred. (g) To implement this section, the department may contract with public or private entities, or utilize existing health care service provider enrollment and payment mechanisms, including the Medi-Cal program's fiscal intermediary, only if services provided under the program are specifically identified and reimbursed in a manner that appropriately claims federal financial reimbursement. Contracts, including the Medi-Cal fiscal intermediary contract for the Child Health and Disability Prevention Program, and including any contract amendment, any system change pursuant to a change order, and any project or systems development notice shall be exempt from Part 2 (commencing with Section 10100) of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code, Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 11700) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, Section 19130 of the Government Code, and any policies, procedures, or regulations authorized by these laws. 14148.04. (a) The department shall adopt, as specified in this section, an electronic process for families to enroll a deemed eligible newborn in the Medi-Cal program from hospitals that have elected to participate in the process. The electronic enrollment process adopted pursuant to this section shall be known as the Newborn Hospital Gateway. (b) With respect to the enrollment of a child under the age of one year who is deemed to have applied and is deemed eligible for Medi-Cal benefits under Section 1396a(e)(4) of Title 42 of the United States Code, the enrollment procedures of the Newborn Hospital Gateway shall specifically include procedures for confirming the eligibility of, and issuing a Medi-Cal card to, that child. (c) In developing the Newborn Hospital Gateway required by this section, the department shall consult with consumer, provider, county, and health plan representatives. (d) The Newborn Hospital Gateway may not be adopted until both of the following occur: (1) Sufficient moneys have been deposited in the Special Funds Account of the Gateway Fund to defray the costs of developing the Newborn Hospital Gateway. (2) Sufficient new staff, not to exceed a total of three personnel years, is available at the department for the purposes of this section and Section 14148.03 and is funded through nonstate General Fund sources. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the department may hire staff necessary to implement this section. (e) The department shall implement the Newborn Hospital Gateway within 12 months after the date upon which both of the conditions required under subdivision (d) have occurred. (f) To implement this section, the department may contract with public or private entities, or utilize existing health care service provider enrollment and payment mechanisms, including the Medi-Cal program's fiscal intermediary, only if services provided under the program are specifically identified and reimbursed in a manner that appropriately claims federal financial reimbursement. Contracts, including the Medi-Cal fiscal intermediary contract for the Child Health and Disability Prevention Program and including any contract amendment, any system change pursuant to a change order, and any project or systems development notice shall be exempt from Part 2 (commencing with Section 10100) of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code, Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 11700) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, Section 19130 of the Government Code, and any policies, procedures, or regulations authorized by these laws. 14148.05. (a) There is hereby created in the State Treasury the Gateway Fund. (b) Moneys in the fund may be expended, upon appropriation by the Legislature, exclusively for purposes of establishing and maintaining the Prenatal Gateway, as provided for in Section 14148.03, and the Newborn Hospital Gateway, as provided for in Section 14148.04, and in accordance with subdivision (c). (c) The fund shall consist of the following accounts: (1) The Special Funds Account, which shall consist of all funds received by the Controller for purposes of Sections 14148.03 and 14148.04 from private foundations and other nongovernmental sources and interest accrued thereon. Moneys in this account shall be used exclusively for the purposes of Sections 14148.03 and 14148.04. The department shall not be responsible for securing funding from private foundations or other nongovernmental sources. (2) The Other Public Funds Account, which shall consist of all public funds, other than federal or state general funds, received by the Controller for purposes of Sections 14148.03 and 14148.04 from state or local sources, including, but not limited to, funds received under the California Families and Children Act of 1998, Division 108 (commencing with Section 130100) of the Health and Safety Code (Proposition 10), and the interest accrued thereon. (3) The Federal Funds Account, which shall consist of all public funds received by the Controller for purposes of Sections 14148.03 and 14148.04 from federal sources, and the interest accrued thereon. 14148.1. To maximize federal financial participation, the department shall seek flexibility in implementing the requirements of Section 121 of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-603) for Medi-Cal eligible women with confirmed pregnancies. 14148.2. In order to assure access to obstetrical providers in the Medi-Cal program, the state department shall explore and adopt policies which improve provider relations with Medi-Cal maternity care providers. Policies to be considered shall include, but not be limited to, those which reduce the annual percentage of obstetrical billings going to the department's suspense file, simplify provider claim forms, establish toll-free telephone lines for the exclusive use of maternity care providers, and establish clear reimbursement guidelines. In addition, the department shall explore policies to assure that obstetrical claims are processed on a prompt and predictable basis, the feasibility of establishing a special claims processing unit for obstetrical claims, and the adequacy of current reimbursement levels and services reimbursed. The department shall advise the Chairs of the Assembly Health Committee and the Senate Health and Human Services Committee by July 1, 1989, on steps taken to improve provider relations and the impact these steps have had on provider participation. 14148.3. The department shall seek federal approval to implement obstetrical case management for Medi-Cal eligible pregnant women when provided through the Child Health and Disability Prevention program authorized under Article 6 (commencing with Section 124025) of Chapter 3 of Part 2 of Division 106 of the Health and Safety Code. 14148.4. (a) The department shall eliminate the Medi-Cal reimbursement differential for obstetrical services by equalizing the rates of reimbursement for Caesarean section and non-Caesarean section care and delivery services. In implementing this section, savings that otherwise would have accrued due to lowered rates of reimbursement for Caesarean section services shall be used to fund across-the-board rate increases for all maternity care and delivery services. (b) Revisions to the existing rate structure required to implement this section shall be adopted as emergency regulations in accordance with Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. The adoption of these regulations shall be deemed an emergency and necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, or general welfare. Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, emergency regulations adopted to implement this act shall not be subject to the review and approval of the Office of Administrative Law. These regulations shall become effective immediately upon filing with the Secretary of State. 14148.5. (a) State funded perinatal services shall be provided under the Medi-Cal program to pregnant women and state funded medical services to infants up to one year of age in families with incomes above 185 percent, but not more than 200 percent, of the federal poverty level, in the same manner that these services are being provided to the Medi-Cal population, including eligibility requirements and integration of eligibility determinations and payment of claims, except as follows: (1) The assets of the family shall not be considered in making the eligibility determination. (2) The income deduction specified in subdivision (f) of Section 14148 shall not be applied. (b) Services provided under this section shall not be subject to any share-of-cost requirements. (c) (1) The department, in implementing the Medi-Cal program and public health programs, in coordination with the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Program's Access for Infants and Mothers component, may provide for outreach activities in order to enhance participation and access to perinatal services. Funding received pursuant to the federal provisions shall be used to expand perinatal outreach activities. These outreach activities shall be implemented if funding is provided for this purpose by an appropriation in the annual Budget Act or other statute. (2) Those outreach activities authorized by paragraph (1) shall be targeted toward both Medi-Cal and non-Medi-Cal eligible high risk or uninsured pregnant women and infants. Outreach activities may include, but not be limited to, all of the following: (A) Education of the targeted women on the availability and importance of early prenatal care and referral to Medi-Cal and other programs. (B) Information provided through toll-free telephone numbers. (C) Recruitment and retention of perinatal providers. (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, contracts required to implement the provisions of this section shall be exempt from the approval of the Director of General Services and from the provisions of the Public Contract Code. (e) The programs authorized in this section shall be operative for the entire 1996-97 fiscal year. 14148.6. The department shall engage in outreach activities in order to enhance participation in and access to perinatal services. 14148.7. The department shall implement the federal options authorized by federal law to assist in the delivery of timely and continuing prenatal care by establishing the option of presumptive eligibility under Section 1396r-1 of Title 42 of the United States Code. 14148.75. At the earliest date that it is administratively feasible, the department shall adopt the federal medicaid option under Section 1902(l)(3) of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1396a(l)(3)) to waive the use of a resource standard for determining the eligibility of pregnant women, infants, and children. 14148.8. (a) The State Department of Health Services shall provide Medi-Cal reimbursements to alternative birth centers for facility-related delivery costs at a statewide all-inclusive rate per delivery that shall not exceed 80 percent of the average Medi-Cal reimbursement received by general acute care hospitals with Medi-Cal contracts and shall be based on an average hospital length of stay of 1.7 days. The reimbursement rate shall be updated annually and shall be based on the California Medical Assistance Commission's annually published legislative report of average contract rates for general acute care hospitals with Medi-Cal contracts. However, the reimbursement shall not exceed the alternative birth center's charges to any non-Medi-Cal patient for similar services. (b) In order to be eligible for reimbursement pursuant to this section, an alternative birth center shall satisfy the following criteria as determined by the state department: (1) At least 150 patients or 50 percent of the patient caseload served at the center each year, whichever is less, shall be Medi-Cal patients and low-income patients. (2) The facility shall be currently certified as a comprehensive perinatal services provider. If not currently certified, the facility shall be certified with the first year of operation. (3) The facilities may utilize certified nurse midwives, certified nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists where appropriate. (4) The facility shall meet the standards for certification established by the National Association of Childbearing Centers, including those relating to the proximity and involvement of hospitals, obstetricians, and pediatricians. (5) The facility shall establish and maintain a quality assurance program. (6) The facility shall maintain newborn followup care for at least one year. (7) The gathering of data and preparing reports as required in subdivision (c). (c) (1) Each alternative birth center awarded reimbursement pursuant to this section shall gather data and annually report outcome measures relating to the safety, cost-effectiveness, and patient acceptance of the center to the department to be made available upon request. (2) The report shall include data on the incidence of maternal and infant death, preterm newborns, low birth weight newborns, maternal complications, newborn complications, cesarean sections, forcep-assisted deliveries, deliveries involving use of anesthesia, months of prenatal care, family involvement in childbirth, breast-feeding, infant immunizations, well baby care, adjusted cost per case for deliveries performed at the center, and cost per case for women transferred to hospitals for delivery. (3) The department shall provide the Legislature with an annual report summarizing the data reported by the centers. (4) The department shall, to the extent information and resources are available, as determined by the department, compare the data provided by the centers with information furnished by other providers of prenatal and delivery services. The department shall use the comparative data to determine for the Medi-Cal program whether alternative birth centers are cost-effective, improve access to prenatal care, reduce the anticipated incidence of maternal and newborn complications, and have a high degree of patient acceptance. (d) The director shall administer this section and establish standards, procedures, and reimbursement rates, as the director deems necessary in carrying out this section. The establishment of the reimbursement rates is not required to be adopted as regulations pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). (e) Nothing in this act shall alter the scope of practice for any health care professional or authorize the delivery of health care services in a setting or in a manner not authorized by the Health and Safety Code or the Business and Professions Code. 14148.9. The department shall provide for the receipt and initial processing of Medi-Cal applications from (a) pregnant women; and (b) children born after September 30, 1983, who have not yet attained 19 years of age, at facilities other than the county welfare department as described in Title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C., Sec. 1396 and following).
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