Beginning April 1, 2015, prospective IHSS providers must attend an in-person provider enrollment orientation that includes training and materials detailing the applicable federal and state minimum wage, overtime, travel time and wait time laws. Counties must provide the orientation in English and any language spoken by five percent or more non-English speakers in the county. The county’s recognized employee organization must be permitted to make a presentation at the orientation. These changes are pursuant to SB 878. In addition, prospective providers may no longer use printouts from the Social Security Administration as original documentation of identity. However, Social Security cards, state driver’s licenses or identification cards and tribal identification cards are still accepted. ACL 14-102.
Summaries of select CalWORKs, CalFresh, Health and Housing Regulations
New IHSS time sheet and reimbursement processes implemented
IHSS providers who provide services to different recipients at different locations on the same workday are now eligible to be paid for up to 7 hours of travel time per work week in accordance with Welf. & Inst. Code §12300.4(f). Such providers, effective January 1, 2015, must now submit the IHSS timesheet with travel (SOC 2262) and the travel claim form (SOC 2275) to be paid for their travel time. ACL 14-103.
2015 child care reimbursement rates for CalWORKs
Effective January 1, 2015, CDSS issued new regional market rate ceilings, or caps on the amount child care providers can be reimbursed for subsidized childcare under CalWORKs Stage One child care. The changes increased the reimbursement rate for some assistance units and none received a reduction under the revised ceilings. Counties were required to issue notices of action for any changes (NA833) that included a right to hearing to challenge the subsidy or grant computation. ACL 14-94.
DHCS provides an overview of backlog batch processes
In this letter, DHCS walks through the various efforts the state has made to expedite processing and eligibility for applicants waiting for eligibility determinations throughout the ACA era. Of the described batches, the state is still processing the following batches:
- Processing applications for short term negative actions due to the absence of such functionality in CalHEERS;
- Transition to Medi-Cal cases from Covered California annual redetermination period; and
- Accelerated enrollment for cases that have not been processed within 45 days since the second open enrollment period.
The letter includes a graph describing each batch process and relevant state instruction letters. DHCS MEDIL I 15-05 (3/5/15).
New CalWORKs immunization good cause request form in use beginning this month
Coincidentally, given the recent outbreaks of measles and whooping cough in California, CDSS recently issued a revised form for CalWORKs recipient families who seek a good cause exception to the child immunization requirements. As of March 1, 2015, counties must use the revised Immunization Good Cause Request Form (CW 2209) which allows families to explain why one or all eligible children in the assistance unit are not immunized or cannot show proof of immunization. The form must be provided at the time of application, redetermination and whenever the county requests proof of immunization. Families are still permitted to make a verbal good cause request. ACL 14-98.
Upcoming Changes to CalHEERS online Single Stream Application
As of March 2, 2015, the online CalHEERS application portal has been changed to be more consumer friendly and in line with the paper application. This DHCS letter explains that changes were made to simplify language and improve applicant understanding by putting some information front and center and making links available in easier places. The changes include:
- Asking questions about whether applicant qualifies for subsidies up front;
- Links to information about the Deemed Infant Program, the Former Foster Youth program, and programs for pregnant women;
- Updating the household information section to clarify what documentation is required;
- Preventing the entry of contradictory tax information; and
- Offering the opportunity to register online to vote.
Paper applications are being reviewed and will be printed when approved. DHCS MEDIL I 15-04 (3/4/15).