(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and only to the extent that federal financial participation is available, the department may provide Medi-Cal eligibility and reimbursement for acute inpatient hospital services available under this chapter in accordance with Section 5072 of the Penal Code.
(b) The department may disenroll inmates made eligible for services under this section or in accordance with Section 5072 of the Penal Code from Medi-Cal managed care health plans, and may exempt inmates from enrollment into new or existing plans.
(c) Except as provided for in paragraph (2) of subdivision (e), the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall be responsible for the nonfederal share of any reimbursement made for the provision of acute inpatient hospital services rendered to inmates who are eligible for and enrolled in a LIHP and receive services pursuant to this section and Section 5072 of the Penal Code.
(d) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, including Section 11050, the department, as the single state agency, may make eligibility determinations and redeterminations for inmates in accord with this section and Section 5072 of the Penal Code.
(2) The department may enroll and disenroll inmates eligible for acute inpatient hospital services under this section or in accord with Section 5072 of the Penal Code in Medi-Cal or in the LIHP in which the inmate’s county of last legal residence participates.
(e) (1) In accordance with the requirements and conditions set forth under this section and Section 5072 of the Penal Code, the county may seek from the Medi-Cal program or from the responsible LIHP in which the county participates, reimbursement for the provision of inpatient hospital services to adults involuntarily detained or incarcerated in county facilities.
(2) (A) To the extent that a county seeks reimbursement for the provision of acute inpatient hospital services to adults who are involuntarily detained or incarcerated in county facilities and who are otherwise eligible for Medi-Cal pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) of Part 3 of Division 9, the county shall be responsible for the nonfederal share of the reimbursement.
(B) To the extent that a county seeks reimbursement for the provision of acute inpatient hospital services to adults who are involuntarily detained or incarcerated in county facilities and who are otherwise eligible for and enrolled in the LIHP in which the county participates, the LIHP shall be responsible for the nonfederal share of the reimbursement.
(f) Reimbursement pursuant to this section shall be limited to only those services for which federal financial participation pursuant to Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act is allowed.
(g) This section shall be implemented only if and to the extent that existing levels of federal financial participation are not otherwise jeopardized. To the extent that the department determines that existing levels of federal financial participation are jeopardized, this section shall no longer be implemented.
(h) The department shall seek any necessary federal approvals for the implementation of this section. This section shall be implemented only if and to the extent that any necessary federal approvals are obtained.
(i) This section shall have no force or effect if there is a final judicial determination made by any state or federal court that is not appealed, or by a court of appellate jurisdiction that is not further appealed, in any action by any party, or a final determination by the administrator of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, that disallows, defers, or alters the implementation of this section or in accord with Section 5072 of the Penal Code, including the rate methodology or payment process established by the department that limits or affects the department’s authority to select the hospitals used to provide acute inpatient hospital services to inmates.
(j) It is the intent of the Legislature that the implementation of this section will result in state General Fund savings for the funding of acute inpatient hospital services provided to inmates and any related administrative costs.
(k) Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the department may, without taking any further regulatory action, implement this section by means of all-county letters or similar instructions.
(l) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
(1) The term “county of last legal residence” means the county in which the inmate resided at the time of arrest that resulted in conviction and incarceration in a state prison facility.
(2) The term “inmate” means an adult who is involuntarily residing in a state prison facility operated, administered or regulated, directly or indirectly, by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 36, Sec. 82. (SB 92) Effective June 30, 2011.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018