This week, DHCS issued a letter clarifying what counties should do when discontinuing Medi-Cal beneficiaries at annual or change in circumstance redeterminations.  The letter explains that beneficiaries should be reviewed for all programs, including MAGI Medi-Cal and non-MAGI Medi-Cal, before terminating them from the program and evaluating for APTCs/CSRs.  The letter is posted here with attachments.

In this letter, DHCS clarifies the redetermination process for beneficiaries on the Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA) program.  Currently, RMA provides Medi-Cal benefits to refugees (including asylees, trafficking victims and special immigrants without categorical linkage) for their first eight months in the United States.  Post-ACA, RMA beneficiaries are still entitled to the full eight months but should be evaluated for MAGI Medi-Cal eligibility.

As of 3/24/14, CalHEERS is able to process change of circumstance redeterminations.  This letter directs counties to proceed with converting old potential MAGI-linked cases to MAGI cases using the instructions contained therein.  This is not to affect existing pre-ACA cases until their 2014 annual redetermination.

If a pre-ACA case submits a change of circumstance, the county will request additional tax household information and process for MAGI eligibility through CalHEERS.  If MAGI-eligible, the county will review the determination for potential negative action (e.g., ineligibility, share of cost, restricted scope of benefits) before approving for MAGI Medi-Cal.

The letter also presents a list of new Medi-Cal aid codes and their corresponding pre-MAGI codes.

This letter provides preliminary information on Hospital Presumptive Eligibility.  Effective January 1, 2014, qualified hospitals can temporarily enroll certain individuals into MAGI Medi-Cal.  Application is by one-page attestation, and qualified hospitals complete the process through online Hospital PE portal; eligibility is made in real time.

Enrollment is limited to once per 12-month period for 60 days of HPE coverage; pregnant women are permitted one HPE period per pregnancy for ambulatory prenatal services.  HPE providers are required to provide HPE individuals an insurance application prior to leaving the hospital, which must be completed no later than the end of the next month.  HPE eligible individuals will receive full-scope Medi-Cal benefits unless eligibility is based on pregnancy.

This letter provides guidance on verifying applicant citizenship/immigration eligibility through the federal data hub before sending out the MC 13 Status Form.

This letter, available here, clarifies when counties should send the MC 13 for immigration status.  Applicants who claims to be citizens/nationals or have adequate immigration status on their applications will be run through the federal data hub in CalHEERS.  If status can be verified this way, the MC 13 is not necessary, and the county can grant full-scope benefits.  If status cannot be verified through the hub, applicants will be provided a 90-day reasonable opportunity period to resolve the matter before having benefits reduced.